THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES Thursday, August 28, 1941. PREPAREDNESS NECESSARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24697, 28 August 1941, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES Thursday, August 28, 1941. PREPAREDNESS NECESSARY

The Acting Prime Minister has rightly laid emphasis upon the need that the British people should everywhere lake advantage of the opportunity which the German offensive in Russia has offered to them to make all possible preparation for the time when they may themselves be ex- , posed to attack. The fact that the Russians are at the- present time being required to submit to enormous sacrifices, for which they are 4h turn, it is hoped, exacting not less severe sacrifices on the part of the Hun invaders, should on no account be permitted to create a feeling of complacency in British communities. There could be few things more undesirable than that the comparative lull in the fighting on the Western European front or in Africa should induce any sense of security. The experience of the past two years has shown that ,it would be a mistake to attach much weight to the pronouncements that are issued by the official German broadcasting service. They have been proved to be an adroit compound of crude fiction and of vulgar boasting. But there is no reason for seriously doubting the intimation made by it last week that the war against Russia is a preliminary to the resumption by Germany of the war against Great Britain, The principal purpose of this intimation may confidently be assumed to be that of affording reassurance, as far as it can be afforded, to the German people. They, must be gravely disturbed at the present time by the knowledge—or by the suspicion if' the knowledge is, as may be the case, strictly withheld from them—that the campaign against Russia is involving their country in losses that may, be wholly incommensurate with such gains as they may in an excessive spirit of optimism have hoped to secure. But Germany cannot win the war unless she defeats | Great Britain. That is a fact that must have sunk into the comprehension of every intelligent German. The attack upon Great Britain has, therefore, merely been delayed. To that extent the announcement which j}r Goebbels has made on the subject would seem to possess the singular quality of accuracy. Mr Winston Churchill himself has no expectation that Britons , will not have to defend ’their own land against ■ the aggressor. For this Reason there is continued need for vigilance arid alertness and preparedness on their part. ' In such circumstances as these, it is disquieting to be told, on apparently good ‘authority, that the production of certain types-of . munitions has so, deteriorated as to have become a scandal.; The explanation may probably be found, in an acceptance of the dangerous view that, because the Germans are heavily engaged on their eastern front, a . relaxation of effort in the British factories is excusable. Insatiable, however, is the demand of the armed forces for munitions of all descriptions, and it is important that the production of them shall be maintained to the maximum degree. Even the occurrence of a period in which the brunt of the wa fc operations is falling upon our iriost recently acquired ally does not justify any slackening of the exertions of those employed in the munition factories of the Old Country. Mr Nash drew an encouraging picture of “ the amazing results ” that are being obtained in the factories in New Zealand. He offered, also, the assurance that “with a steadily increasing flow of arms, munitions and aeroplanes and with additional naval units ” —together with other factors which he may perhaps have unduly stressed—- “ these islands are becoming more and more difficult for any enemy to attack.” The uncertainty concerning the future in regions that are not far distant from us makes the assurance welcome. -i