PLEDGE TO RUSSIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24721, 25 September 1941, Page 7

PLEDGE TO RUSSIA

DELAY IN FULFILMENT BRITISH PUBLIC UNEASY QUESTIONS BEING ASKED LONDON, (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) Sept. 23. The Times in a leader says: “ The increasing realisation of the critical dangers to which the Russians are exposed is causing British public opinion to ask uncomfortable questions. Mr Churchill’s speech on the night that Hitler launched his invasion rallied the whole country, which pledged its full co-operation with Russia, but have the Government’s activities fully come up to the spirit of the initial pledge? Five weeks have elapsed between the formation of the British mission and its arrival in Moscow. The easygoing belief that Russia is doing the job for us must be resolutely discarded. Lay opinion is unable to judge details of man-power and production, but it is entitled to an assurance that an adjustment is being made in accordance with the considered plan. Obstacles against full production are attributed on the one hand to the untimely exigencies of trade union discipline and on the other hand to mismanaging or selfseeking employers. Such obstacles should be unsparingly swept aside from whatever quarter they come.” THE ARMY AND INDUSTRY CONTINUOUS TUG-OF-WAR LONDON, Sept. 23. Allegations of mismanagement and waste of man-power under conscription, which, it is stated, resulted from a continuous tug-of-war between the army and industry, have been the frequent cause of criticism of Britain’s war effort. Discussing this, the Star’s Labour correspondent says: “ Men of 40 are being called up while youngsters of 20 are still in ‘ civvies.’ Married men with families have to go while single men are still at home. Racecourses and dog tracks are every day packed with men of military age and brilliant men are being wasted peeling potatoes in the army. We are desperately short of coal, but the army is not releasing miners. With women from 18 to 60 regarded as available, we have a potential war strength of men and women of 26,000,000, from which the Government has to man the services, factories, shipyards and other necessities of a nation at war. It is a light squeeze, and naturally there is competition. The forces are ‘ whole-hoggers.’ The brass hats believe that the place for every man in war is in khaki. Industry says men in khaki are useless unless they have weapons, so the men must make munitions.”