Australia As Arsenal Of South Pacific

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1941, Page 6

Australia As Arsenal Of South Pacific

[Special to "Northern Advocate”! . AUCKLAND, This Day. Speaking at the dinner held in honour of the Australian Prime Minister (Mr. Menzies), at the Grand Hotel last night, the acting Prime Minister (Mr. Nash) paid a tribute tc the assistance Mr. Menzies had given Britain and also New Zealand, by being in London to represent the opinions of the two closely united parts of the Empire in connection with production problems. ' “Australia’s development has been phenomenal,” he said. “Aeroplanes, tanks, guns and ships are being made by Australia, and I think it might come about that, while America may be the arsenal of the Atlantic and the democracies of Europe, Australia may be the minor arsenal of the southern Facific, from which we may draw the things to defend both Australia and New Zealand. There is a tremendous lot of credit due to Australia for that development.” Fighting in Palestine

Mr. Nash expressed the hope that New Zealand industries might develop on Australian steel if the Dominion could not find enough of her own He also spoke of the complete coordination for mutual defence, between the sister countries, and said that Australia and New Zealand, as a little Commonwealth within the greater one, were working together to find how best to use what they had to defend themselves. “Over 40,000 of our men are overseas,” he added. “They have done magnificent work with the Australians in Egypt and Greece, and now, with Australians, Greeks and British troops, under Major-General Freyberg, they are holding the gate in Crete. We are hoping they can hold on there. Later there will be harder struggles, because as I see it, there will be fighting in Palestine.”

Churchill Immensely Able

A tribute to the leadership of Mr. Churchill was paid by Mr. Nash. P described the British Frime Minister as “a strange man, and immensely able.” and said it was perhaps fortunate that when he took over there was only one road to go, for had there been half a dozen, he did not know where he might have led us. There was no man in England who could take the right road more firmly when he saw it than the man leading the Commonwealth today.

Referring to the future develop ments of the war, Mr. Nash said we would have trouble in Iran, Iraq and Syria. Palestine might yet be the place where Australians and New Zealanders would have to fight, for if Suez went, it would be very hard for a time with Australia and the Dominion.

Defeat Germans in Germany

Mr. Nash said that if the Atlantic was lost, and Britain was lost, then Germany would win the war. We could lose the Mediterranean and still win if Britain held out. Similarly control of the shipping lanes of the Pacific could be losi and the war won if Britain held, but in the end either Germany invaded Britain and won, or Britain invaded Germany and conquered her. “We cannot win until we defeat the Germans in Germany,” he added. The dagerous time was this year and early next year. If Britain could hold to the end of the year, and British and American production reached expected levels, Britain would win. There were hard times ahead, but he had no fear of the ultimate result.