SACRIFICE AND WAR EFFORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23830, 4 December 1940, Page 13

SACRIFICE AND WAR EFFORT

Sir.—Does our Government really think that its appeals and actions will "rut ire" with those of us who reflect that this country is spending annually to the tune of a hundred millions, that more than two-thirds of this enormous sum is spent on things that will not help to win the war, and, on the contrary, are operating actively against Great Britain's efforts to win the war, by reducing our foreign exchange, by using up materials, for costly and unnecessary railway, highway and building constructions, that might otherwise be applied to the manufacture or construction of munitions and armaments, fighter and bombing aeroplanes, warships and merchant ships, all so vitally necessary to win the war? As a people, 1 regret to say the majority of ns cannot deny that we lack the spirit of self-sacrifice that deserves to win, not only the war, but the respect of our sister nations of the Empire. Do we reflect on the miseries inflicted on our kinsmen in the Motherland and elsewhere, on the thousands of orphaned children, of griefstricken mothers, seeking shelter in crude dug-outs, submitting uncomplainingly to cold, hunger, and the hourly fear of death or mutilation from enemy bom bs ? Are our men on active service to go short of the necessities for waging war

successfully because of our national selfindulgence? No, we cannot claim to be "playing the game" for our Empire, and the words, "There'll always be an England," as sung by us. are but the empty mouthings of the hypocrite. This country, peopled and prospered by pioneers from England, Scotland and Ireland, deserves and should demand a Government that will be an example to ourselves and our lister nations of those qualities of thrift, self-sacrifice and resourcefulness which characterised our forebears and which are so terribly necessary to-day to ns in our aims to assist the Motherland to win the war. 11oi,m Guard.