GREATER AID

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24826, 28 January 1942, Page 5

GREATER AID

AUSTRALIA’S DEMAND THE PACIFIC DEFENCES REACTION IN BRITAIN (Rec. 7 p.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 26. Sympathetic understanding of Australian anxieties with regard to the war position is the keynote of comment generally in the press. The Times says: “Mr Churchill has promptly promised Mr Curtin that the United Kingdom Government will give immediate and careful consideration to the Australian Government's requests for additional aeroplanes and war supplies and for the creation of an Imperial War Cabinet and Allied War Council in the Pacific zone. In this country there is the warmest sympathy for Australia’s difficulties and anxieties. No action that will tend to relieve them is being neglected, but action must necessarily be taken in close concert with the United States. It is therefore natural that the Australian Government should have also addressed an imperative appeal to President Roosevelt induced by the Japanese landings in the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands." The Times goes on to analyse the grave situation and the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse, which not only threw a heavier burden on the defending land forces than could ever have been predicted, but also permitted the Japanese to expand their orignal plans and despatch expeditionary forces against fresh objectives. Although the Japanese losses are steadily mounting and a notable success was gained against a large Japanese convoy in the Macassar Strait, The Times emphasises that the enemy “ still commands the open sea and can supply or reinforce his land and air forces more or less at his will from his mam bases. In order to afford the assistance for which Australia is asking it is necessary to dispute and fight down this command of the sea and in view of the number of Japanese aircraft carriers and of air bases which Japan has acquired no effort to restore the situation at sea will avail unless it is strongly supported from the air. To achieve this restoration across vast distances and through waters in which the Japanese at present predominate is no easy task. To do so in time to save Singapore is yet more difficult. These are the elements of the problem, which is being studied as anxiously and as continuously in London <ind Washington as in Sourabaya and Canberra. The urgent need is to decide not what might have been achieved in the past, but what can be achieved by united action in the present and future. A NOTE OF CRITICISM

“NOT MAKING THINGS EASY”

(Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, Jan 27. _ A note of criticism of Australia s demand for action in the Pacific and representation on the Imperial War Cabinet has become apparent in some sections of the British press. The Manchester Guardian said. “Australia is not making things easy for us.” It added: “It is simple for Australia to make a demand tor representations on the War Cabinet but none of the arguments used touches the point that the other dominions are not of the same mind. Everyone m Britain is anxious that the dominions shall enjoy the fullest confidence and have a real voice in everything touching their interests, but it is hardly reasonable to expect Australia i- 0 receive a status in the War Cabinet that the other dominions do not receive or do not want to receive. There must be other practicable means which can be adopted with infinitely less trouble and greater effect.” The Daily Telegraph says two Australian Ministers. Mr Beasley and Dr Evatt, have “strangely m } sre J? es the Pacific situation. ’ and adds: ihe establishment of Singapore as a naval bass is due to the British of its value to the Empire. For its defence the British Government has been sending, and will send, all that tonnage can be found to carry. This, and not unwillingness to despatch munitions, is the limiting factor of aid to Singapore.” MR CURTIN’S GRIEVANCE 8.8. C. TOO GARRULOUS (Rec. 7 p.m.) * u PERTH Jan. 27 A denial of the statements by the 8.8. C. and a section of the London press that he was a holiday in Perth was made by Mr Curtin, who disclosed that his visit followed urgent communications from the Admiralty. “Admiralty signals to Australia led to th° Chief of the Commonwealth Naval Staff Vice-admiral Sir Guy Royle, requesting me to forward a highly confidential message to the Premier of Western Australia,” said Mr Curtin. “ Propaganda, no matter where it comes from, does not influence my duty and my judgment in the performance of that duty. What I am doing in Perth is imperative work associated with my office. The 8.8. C. is always too garrulous and frequently very ignorant. Its presumption in broadcasting my whereabouts while I was engaged in essential national work is no service to security. Ministerial circles also strongly object to the 8.8. C. referring to Mr Forde as Acting Premier, instead of Deputy Prime Minister Official protests will certainly be made to the British Minister of Information. Mr Brendon Bracken. No single nation can afford to risk its future on the infallibility of one man said Mr Curtin in an Anniversary Day talk. He added, “ Nor can any nation afford to submerge its right of speaking for itself because of the assumed omniscience of another. We have said Australia's voice shall not only be an effective one, but that it shall be heard in the proper place. We have made it clear that the Government considered its first duty to the people was that Australia should have its say in what, after all. is the shaping of her destiny.”

CANADA’S ATTITUDE

EVERY HELP POSSIBLE (Rec 8.45 p.m.) OTTAWA, Jan. 26. In answer to the Leader of the Conservative Party, Mr R. B. Hanson; the Prime Minister, Mr Mackenzie King, declared that Canada will stand side by side with Australia and give every help possible in men and machines in the present crisis. He emphasised that the war must be regarded as a whole, and the decisions to send men and equipment to any battle front must be taken after consultation with the British and United States authorities. “There is no doubt that the Canadian Government and people would welcome a chance to be of direct assistance to Australia.” Mr Mackenzie King added. . The Prime Minister announced in the House of Commons that Canadian troops overseas would be expanded from a corps to an army consisting of two corps, one composed of three infantry divisions and two army tank brigades and the other composed of two armoured divisions. This means an addition of an army tank brigade and one armoured division to the present overseas establishment. Mr Mackenzie King said that, in addition, all the necessary ancillary units to serve the two corps would be provided. The Prime Minister disclosed that the Government proposes to meet the British shortage of Canadian dollars by providing gratis munitions and food to the extent of 1,000.000,000 dollars. Canada will purchase Canadian National Railways securities owned in

Britain amounting to 295,000,000 dollars. Canada had also proposed to Britain that the £700.000,000 credited to Canada in London should be converted into a non-interest bearing loan for the duration of the war.