WORLD'S FUTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24538, 22 March 1943, Page 4

WORLD'S FUTURE

AMERICAN_ POLICY ATTITUDE TO RUSSIA WAR AGAINST FASCISM ISOLATIONISM ATTACKED By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Recti. 8.45 p.m.) NEW YORK, March 20 American newspapers are giving increasing prominence to the problem of British and American relations, which was brought into the open by a recent editorial in the London Times. The P.M. voices "alarm over the dangerous drift of [American policy away from Russia," and adds: "Officials hostile to Russia are in charge of RussianAmerican relations' at the State Department, whose conduct bears out Soviet suspicion and British uneasiness, also the darkness which often seems to be considered tho better part of American diplomacy " No Washington correspondent can hope to pierce far behind the confusion, windy generality and supercilious secrecy marking the conduct of our foreign policy, which is in the hands neither of progressives nor realistic businessmen, but of embittered exLiberals, including many actively sponsoring what the London Times calls sheer madness —namely, the view that Britain and America, with the aid oi' lesser European Powers, could maintain permanent security in Europe through a policy of alienating Russia '' Russian Appeasement The New York Times congratulates the British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, on dissociating British policy from the London Times editorial, which, according to British quarters in Washington, expressed more nearly the Russian than the British viewpoint. " American opinion will not view favourably a proposal to put small European nations on the auction block in order to purchase Russian confidence and co-operation," adds the New York Times, "nor would appeasement of Russia be more successful than an attempt to appease Hitler. On the contrary, Russian appeasement would not only mean that her appetite was appeased, but also would arouse like appetites possibly in unexpected places. The demand heard in America for the outright cession of all naval and air bases now occupied by the United States should be a warning of this danger." Reactionary Trends An editorial article in the New York Post, entitled "This is our Munich," refers to "the shocking possibility" that American foreign policy is deliberately establishing a bloc of conservative, anti-democratic, semiFascist, or Fascist nations in Europe as a bulwark against Russia. It states that the Manchester Guardian scolds America for having a hundred times more anti-Russian sentiment than conservative. old-school-tie England. " Recent decisions," adds the Post, "point toward the reconstruction of reactionary Europe showing disdain for the truly revolutionary and truly democratic continental forces, and also have shown them that American policy is more easily moved by pressure from reaction, isolation and Fascism at homo than by faith in the European masses. ,We beiieve the appalling danger of a world catastrophe has been resurrected by us and us alone out of a decade in which it seemed safely buried. We believe the world's future depends on whether President Roosevelt at last will take s.def in the war against Fascism as well as merely in the war against Hitler." WRECKED PLANE FOUND BRIGADIER AMONG DEAD MELBOURNE, March 20 After a four-day search in thick jungle country a wrecked service plane has been found containing the dead bodies of three Australian army officers and an R.A.A.F. sergeant-pilot. Searching patrols also found another high army officer wandering in the jungle seriously ill together with a second R.A.A.F. man. Those killed included Brigadier J. W. Crawford, D.5.0., who was actingcommander at Tobruk during tho absence of Lieutenant-General SixLeslie Morshead. He was mentioned in despatches on three occasions. Hundreds of Australia's best jungle troops took part in the search for the plane, which was wrecked in a northern operational area. The plane left its base on March 7 and was later reported missing. An extensive air search failed to locate it and a land search was begun. On the fourth day tho searchers found Lieutenant-Colonel P. H. Cardale wandering in tho jungle. Ho was seriously ill and said he had walked 30 miles. Actually he was found only three-quarters of a mile from the wrecked plane. Colonel Cardale was too ill to bo moved and an emergency hospital was set up on the spot for two days until the sick officer could eventually be moved by stretcher. The R.A.A.F. sergeant, also injured, was found wandering in the jungle a few hours later. The plane and dead officers were not discovered until two days later.

SPITFIRE SQUADRON

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED (Special Correspondent) LONDON, March UO The New Zealand Spitfire Squadron is two years old. it celebrated its second anniversary with a dance to which all ranks were invited, also all ranks of the Second New Zealand Fighter Squadron, it was a pleasant, intornial evening. Mr. S. I!. Skinner represented tho High Commissioner, Mr. \V. J. -Jordan. This Spitfire squadron has a distinguished record. It now has over 'lO German planes to its credit. Tho present personnel is:—Squadron-Leader R. J. C. Grant, D.F.C., D.F.M.; flightLieutenants R. W. Baker, D.F.C., J. G. Pattison, L. S. Black, M. G. Bariiett; Flving-Ollicers .v 1. R. D. Hume, G. J. Moorehead, JNI. G. Sutherland, B. E. Gibbs, D. G. E. Brown, P. H. Gaskin, i J. McNeil, 1. P. Maskill; PiJot-Otlicers M. Metcalfe, J. A. Ainge; Warrant-Officer 1). S. McGregor; Sergeants L. S. White, -J. A. Hoalton, I l '. J). Clark, T. W. Deuholm, H. Meagher, H. S. Tucker, G. M. Buchanan, U. J. Oxley, G. R. Wilson, W. T. Strahan, Ji. K. Salt, F. Transon. Ground Stall': Sergeants T. L. Blomlield, X A. Rippon, Corporal I']. S. Bongard. it is likely that Squadron-Leader Grant will shortly be relinquishing command of the squadron for a period of rest. The Second New Zealand Fighter Squadron's score continues to creep up. Another Foeke Wulf 190 was recently added by Sergeant R. Fit/gibbon, of Culverdeu. He chased the German for 40 miles at sea level. The Foeke Wulf took violent evasive action, but could not shake off the New Zealander, who used up all his ammunition. He saw the German's port wheel hitting the sea at 160 miles an hour before it crush.xl. Sergeant Fitzgibbon was running short of petrol, but just managed to reach England, where he crash-landed. It was his first victory, and brings the squadron's score to 124-.