BRITONS’ REACTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26709, 2 March 1948, Page 5

BRITONS’ REACTION

EVENTS OF PAST WEEK CAUTIOUS TONE PREVALENT FALKLANDS ISSUE' AROUSES IRRITATION From A. W. Mitchell, N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent LONDON, Feb. 29. Britain's brooding over the gravity of her economic position has been sharply interrupted during the past week by the drawing of Czechoslovakia into the Communist fold, and by the “ cheeking and chivvying ” events in Falkland Islands and British Honduras. Reaction to the first has been gloomy and pesimistic. To the second irritation has been the principal reaction. Bitter memories of Hitler and Munich are revived by the events in Czechoslovakia. Even the most cursory study of events has shown that the Communists are repeating once again Hitler's tactics. The first has been their discovery of a reactionary “ plot,” followed by a “ putsch,” which in turn has been succeeded by a purge. Newspaper Comment All comment by the national newspapers has stressed the gravity of the situation, and this tone has been echoed by the weeklies. Perhaps one of the most forthright remarks has come from the Tribune, a Left Wing paper widely read in Socialist circles. Stating its view " with a due sense of responsibility,” it said: “ If such actions as we have seen in the past week mark the settled and irrevocable policy of the Soviet Government —if it is finally resolved to stamp out all opinions and political activities except those of their own partisans in any territory where they may wrest the means to do it —then the result in the end will be war.” It continued: “We do not believe the Soviet Government wants war, but it appears to be more eager to accumulate advantages for a future conflict which it may regard as inevitable than to take measures calculated to prevent a conflict happening.” This dull tone of foreboding has been prevalent in private discussions on the subject. In one I had with the foreign editor of a national daily he discussed the possible effect of the Communist action in Czechoslovakia on Italy. France and Norway, and remarked: "If things go on like this we may wake up at the end of year and find Communists in Dieppe.” Russian Corridors In another conversation with a service officer, I learned that control of Czechoslovakia fitted into the Soviet pattern of forming a corridor to the Adriatic. It was one of a number of such Russian corridors. He pointed out that others were through Finland, through Poland and Germany, through Persia, and through Tibet to China. He aLso commented on a report that General von Paulus was stated to have 12 German divisions in Siberia and on American activity in Alaska. Such conversations may, of course, lack validity, but it is true to say that they are being repeated in similar vein in thousands of private talks, and the net, result is gloom and boreboding. Events in the Falklands

The British public’s reaction to the evqnts in the Falkland Islands and Honduras, on the other hand, has been chiefly one of irritation, and Air Marshal Lord Tedder’s references to “jackals” has found an echoing note. The antics of Argentinian admirals, coming so soon after , the much criticised deal on Argentinian meat, for which Britain had to pay heavily, caused a good deal of private and bitter comment. . The sending of a cruiser to Honduras, although treated with a good deal of ironic laughter further increased the irritation. . At the same time there was a sharp realisation of the effect such incidents have on British prestige, a thmg which is usually taken for granted. The net result is incipient restlessness and a fuller realisation of just what the two world wars have cost Britain.