AUSTRALIA'S EFFORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24716, 19 September 1941, Page 6

AUSTRALIA'S EFFORT

OBLIGATIONS TO RUSSIA PRIME MINISTER'S APPEAL CANBERRA, Sept. 17. Appealing for a still greater war effort by Australia, the Prime Minister, Mr A. W. Fadden, uttered the warning that it was not impossible that the period of relief Russia had given the British Commonwealth was already near its end. Mr Fadden reviewed the war at the resumption of the Federal Parliament, and said it was beyond question that Russia’s position was serious. The progress made might be less than the Germans expected, but Hitler had certainly calculated on the campaign lasting into winter. He added: “We have the obligations of an ally toward Russia. We are not, however, a principal. No good purpose will be served by attempting to take on ourselves commitments which would be in advance of the proper co-ordination now afoot between Britain and America and the Soviet Union, but wc shall meet to the fullest extent any requirements which in due course will be allocated to Australia.” The Minister of External Affairs (Sir Frederick Stewart) supplemented Mr Fadden’s remarks, and also referred to the Far East position, He said this was one,of continued suspense. He disclosed that .the Commonwealth had been advised of the conversations and proceedings in Washington between Japan and the United States. He added that it was not possible at present to judge the outcome. It was certain that the Axis had not relinquished attempts to involve the countries in this region in an extension of the European War. while the most serious threat to the Allied position in the Middle East came from constant German pressure against the Turkish Government.