MAIN CONCERN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24636, 18 June 1941, Page 6

MAIN CONCERN

WINNING THE WAR CONDITIONS IN BRITAIN (Special) AUCKLAND, June 17. Conditions in Britain at the present time were such that ueople gave little thought to post-war problems, not because they were not interested, but because they were too busy with the main job in hand—that of winning the war, said Mr. William Turner, joint general manager of Reuters, Ltd., London, when he arrived in Auckland and was asked whether he thought there would be mass emigration to the colonies after the war. " Few people in Britain to-day speak of what is going to happen in the immediate post-war years," Mr Turner said. "That is so because few people can afford to divert their minds from the daily thoughts and involvements of the war. Such thoughts occur only where there is a little' leisure, and there is no leisure in England. That does not mean there is not a strong feeling that conditions shall never again be what they were before the war—slums and certain inequalities which have persisted in England later than they have in the,, dominions and AItIGTICS ■ '"I dor'nof think there is any doubt those things will go and that things generally in Britain will be different, for there is now-a greater mingling, of the. classes than previously. People in Britain. Mr Turner added, accepted the news censorship as a necessary measure. They knew the situation was one of extreme emei--Eency they trusted,their leaders, and accepted' the war regulations in what might be called an obedient and trusting spirit. Australia's War Effort

■ : V-Summing "up"" his iihpressions' of his Australian visit, Mr Turner .remarked. ''Australia is making a wonderful war effort, but on<* cannot help noticing how great a part politics still play in the Commonwealth, in spite of the world crisis." He -had been much impressed with the Sihigh standards of, living and selfrrespeet there, but could not escape the thought that many matters abandoned by-the people of Britain since the outbreak of war were still a big concern in Australia. The Australian political machine seemed to be working at much greater pressure than in Britain, Mr Turner said. In Australia everyone appeared to be leading a normal existence. That was all tovthe good," and an example of the Empire's reserves of strength but' it rather pleasantly surprised the visitor. In Britain the closer menace of the war did not allow the peoplfe to forget its 'dangers; the old routine pleasures arid agreeable; aversions, 'h&d gone. V; '"• : South Africa Amafcing *

Questioned about South Africa Mr Turner said, the war effort there was amazing, considering the difficult political and racial situations: .'ln. that rei spect Field-marshal Smuts,, the Prime ;Minister, had a problem without parallel in the rest of the Empire; There were very large sections of Afrikanders who'were strongly and ; actively anti-British in sentiment, but there was a majority of the country which was.. (?*all out'-' for a British victory. "Some of the happenings in South Africa since the war. started would 'have' produced a near-revolution in any other country,""-:Mr Turner said, "but Smuts has wisely refused^ to make martyrs. The result is that the antiBritish'' elements are quarrelling among, themselves, and Smuts's position becomes stronger every day."