“Fifth Column” In N.Z.

Northern Advocate, 26 December 1940, Page 2

“Fifth Column” In N.Z.

In every British country today thei-e is an enemy force; it has no uniform; it does not march openly to battle; but it is one of the most potent of weapons fn modern warfare. It is the “Fifth Column.” The army which must fight against this underground force, which is working unceasingly, consists of the decent citizens; and leading the attack are the members of the Police Force.

In each service ballot that has been drawn numerous police officers and detectives have been called up, but very few have been released. In one or two eases officers who have some particular qualifications have been permitted to join the armed forces, and others have resigned to serve in the Army, Navy and Air Force. At every station there are men who are willing and anxious to serve, , but who, although the public little realise it, are already part of the great army that is fighting Hitlerism. They are on active service.

No Opportunity Yet,

Of what does the “fifth column” con - sist in New Zealand? There has been no blowing up of strategic points, no sensational wrecking of munitions factories and no open obstruction of the military organisation of the country. So far, the aim of the “fifth columnists” here today is to clog and slow down the war production by any moans in .their power and, more particularly, to sow the seeds of distrust and discontent. Propaganda of the most insidious form is being circulated, largely to men called up, in which the war aims of the Empire are ridiculed, and the sincerity of purpose of the leaders of our own country and the other countries of the Empire is challenged and sneered at. Some of the propaganda comes not from direct enemies of Britain, but from societies which believe they are carrying out a rightful policy. This type of work is annoying and does have a derogatory effect on the war organisation, but it is not of the kind that is causing most concern. In most cases the disseminators are known, and the leaflets are not so worded that they can be considered openly subversive. The more subversive propaganda is put out by men working well in the background, and whose whereabouts are difficult to trace. Many of the perpetrators have been caught, and will remain out of harm's way until the war is over, but some remain, and it is these who the police are working hard to discover. It is only with the help and confidence of the citizen that they will be discovered. Information Leakages.

Most of the aliens who would probably have formed the more active enemies within the country were interned when war broke out, but the possible use of hidden radios and other methods of communication with the enemy, particularly as to the movements of shipping and the departure of troops overseas, is still not overlooked. Today, many of the best members of the detective force and experts in other Government departments are spending all their time chocking up on all possible leakages, and the movements of suspicious aliens and others. The alien, through his compulsory registration, is hampered to a great extent in his efforts both to obtain and to send information of a military character. More dangerous is the man of presumably British birth who can openly associate with people in possession of vital information, and whose movements are not subject to suspicion.

The checking up on aliens and suspicious characters has been a tremendous task for the police. Thousands of files, tens of thousands of inquiries, and arduous hours of patient inquiry bear witness to the amount of work that has been quietly but efficiently carried out by the force. Additional men have had to be provided at vital points, such as harbours and other centres of distribution. By constant vigilance only can the subversive and hostile elements be kept in check.