“Opportunity Is Battering At Our Door,” Britons Told

Northern Advocate, 14 July 1941, Page 5

“Opportunity Is Battering At Our Door,” Britons Told

(Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, July 13. Portsmouth, which collected over £1,000,000 during its War Weapons Week in October, has now collected £462,981 during a “do your bit” week in connection with the National Savings Committee’s great summer drive—the first big town to have such a week. As the drive develops more war weapons weeks are being held. Opening Southampton’s week —objective £750,000, the price of two destroyers—Lord Mottistone said, “Opportunity is not merely knocking, it is hammering at the door, the most wonderful opportunity we have yet had or ever will have to hit back, to strengthen our financial front, to organise for victory. Smashing Blows “It is battering on our door as surely as our airmen are pounding enemy defences and communications, decks, ships and factories in Germany and elsewhere, as surely as our sailors are punishing the U-boats, as surely as our soldiers—and the Russians —are delivering smashing blows at the enemy land forces.” Speaking at Plymouth, the Canadian High Commissioner (Mr. Vincent Massey), referred to the destruction in air raids and said he had seen for himself evidence cf the ordeal the citizens had been through. Canadian Arsenal “Many of your houses and public buildings have been laid low,” he said, “but the spirit of Plymouth is unbroken and will remain so to the very end.”

Speaking of Canada’s contribution to the common cause, Mr. Massey said Canada had become a formidable arsenal. She had now the largest factory in the world producing machine-guns and had made over 100,000 motor vehicles for the army. Whereas a year ago Canadian armament orders totalled under 60,000,000 dollars, today they were nearly three times that figure.