Tension Mounts in Britain, Europe

Northern Advocate, 25 September 1948, Page 5

Tension Mounts in Britain, Europe

LONDON, Fri. (1.20 p.m.).—lt is generally believed that the Government intends to increase the period of national service from 12 to 18 months unless international tension eases, says the Daily Telegraph’s political correspondent. The announcement on September 14 that men due for release in the next few months would be retained for a further three months was recognised at the t

me as a stop-gap measure

It was in the light of this that members of Parliament were discussing today a hint which the Minister of War (Mr Shinwell) gave in the debate yesterday that the National Service Act might be amended next session and the period of regular service extended.

Mr Shinwell will announce next Thursday details of the new voluntary registration of Class Z reservists—released men and women who served in the last war. At the same time Field-Marshal Lord Montgomery will open a drive for recruits for the Territorial Army. Men and women will be required by the Army specifically for anti-aircraft duties. RESERVED OCCUPATIONS The Minister of Labour now is preparing schedules of reserved occupations which are not expected to differ greatly from those of last war. The Telegraph says the Air Ministry announced that pilots, navigators and signallers who were fully qualified during previous RAF service may now be accepted for the same duties in the RAF Volunteer Reserve up to the age of 38. Previously the age was 36. A Ministry of Supply official states that service equipment and stores recently declared surplus and given to the Ministry to sell, had been handed back to the services. The Air Ministry announced that 10,000 former airwomen and 10,000 former airmen were needed now to man in an emergency Britain’s air defence units. SOVIET MANOEUVRES The Daily Mail’s Stockholm correspondent says extensive Soviet air and sea manoeuvres along 300 miles of the Baltic coast between Stettin and Konigsberg are reported by refugees arriving in Sweden from Poland. They state that air squadrons, including Polish-marked' planes with Russian pilots, were seen exercising with Russian naval units.

The Daily Telegraph’s Paris correspondent reports that Mr Bevin is seeing the French Foreign Minister (M. Ramadier) tomorrow and Mr A. V. Alexander will attend a meeting of Defence Ministers of the Brussels Pact countries, which takes place at Paris on Monday.