POLITICAL ISSUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25084, 23 December 1944, Page 7

POLITICAL ISSUE

EIGHT AGAINST LEFT DREARY SITUATION CORRESPONDENT'S PICTURE (Heed. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22 The general strike in Athens continues at least as far as public utilities are concerned and food is becoming scarer, says the Times correspondent in Athens. Extortionate prices are being asked for such food as is available. Athens is growing dirtier and more scarred and infinitely desolate. It is clear as the dreary clays go by that the fight has developed into a struggle between right and left, with the Government —headed by a man who was formerly known as a left-wing liberal and containing four members of his Social Democratic Party—hardening into a group of embittered conservatives. Everyone recognises that the essential first step in bringing peace to Greece is the appointment of a Regent and, through him, the formation of a new all-party Government. However, the individual parties constituting the Government are busily blocking the issue and some of them are persuading the reluctant monarch to stand firm. There lias been no contact between M. Papandreou's Cabinet and the E.A.M. Members of the Cabinet individually seem to be trying to persuade the British military forces, already engaged in pulling their chestnuts from the fire, to redouble their efforts to exterminate the K.L.A.S. Such Greeks say it would be so much better if, in the execution of that unpalatable task, death, ruination or just ordinary misery is brought to the mass of ordinary left-wing Greeks. Together the E.L.A.S. and the British are inflicting far greater damage in Athens than the Germans did. The British attitude, probably dictated from London, still seems to he that until British strength is sufficiently established it would be useless to negotiate a political settlement, because there would be nothing to guarantee its fulfilment. Theoretically that argument is sound, but the majority would prefer to throw theory to the winds and do something positive to end this horrible war in which British and Greek blood is still being spilt. GAINS IN BURMA JAPANESE BASES FALL ADVANCE DOWN RAILWAY (Recti. 0.10 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. '22 The two Japanese bases of Wuntlio and Nankan, on the Myitkvina-Mandalay railway have been captured by troops of the Fourteenth Army, who recently advanced east from the Chindwin River to link up with the British .'l6th Division in the railway corridor, says a South-east Asia communique. The Associated Press correspondent says' that this brings the Allied forces 50 miles further down the railway since the capture of Inclore. Nankan lies about 35 miles south-west, Indore and Wuntlio 16 miles beyond. Nearly onequarter of the total length of the railway from Myitkyina to Rangoon is now under Allied control. In Northern Burma Chinese troops have captured throe villages near the Bhamo-Namhkan road, killing 200 Japanese and taking equipment and ammunition. Summing up the prospects ot the Burma fighting the Times speaks of the groat achievements of the Fourteenth Army and the high quality of its leadership which has justified the fullest confidence in the future of the South-east Asia campaign under Admiral Mountbatten's direction. The Japanese defence in Burma is now subject to a heavy strain. Allied aircraft control the Burmese skies, while the British command of the Indian Ocean prevents tlie enemy from reinforcing his army by sea. _ _ . American technical skill and daring have vastly improved our own communications. The Times says that no praise can be too high for the work of the — mainly American —air transport services which have revolutionised the conduct of the campaign: The newspaper expresses the opinion, however, that the Japanese will fight on with characteristic obstinacy and, even where his soldiery is less stubborn, climate and distance. jungle and mountains will still make the reconquest of Burma no easy task. GENERALS KNIGHTED BURMA ARMY COMMANDERS LONDON, Dec. 21 In a clearing, flattened by bulldozers, and framed by the hills which surround the Imphal Plain, the Fourteenth Army Commander and bis three corps commanders recently received the accolade of knighthood from the Viceroy of India. Field Marshal Lord Wavell.

The choice of the place was most appropriate, for it was at the site of the successful conclusion of the battle for Imphal, when the three Japanese divisions which had invaded India had been first halted, and then smashed by troops of the Fourteenth Army. As a result, the King awarded the K.C.B. to Lieutenant-General W. J. Slim, Commander of the Fourteenth Army, and the K.B.E. to LieutenantGeneral G. A. P. Scoones, who commanded the Fourth Corps; LieutenantGeneral A. F. P. Christison, commander of the loth Indian Corps, and Lieuten-ant-General M. G. N. Stopford, commander of the 33rd Corps. Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, Allied Supreme Commander, South-East Asia, attended the parade. ALLIED AIR TARGETS ENEMY COMMUNICATIONS (Heed. i).'2o p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22 Liberators and fighter-bombers yesterMay attacked the Brenner Pass and targets inside Germany, says a message from Rome. They cut the railway tracks south of Verona leading to the Brenner Pass in two places. Liberators of the Strategic Air Force also bombed the railway installations at Rosenheim, 40 miles south-east of Munich. Other pianos attacked gun positions behind the Italian front. Lancasters of the R.A.F., with escorting fighters of the Ninth Air Force, again attacked the garrison and railway town of Trier, in the Rhitieland. The Air Ministry announced that two forces of Halifaxes and Lancasters attacked the marshalling yards at Cologne and Bona, laafc night.