NEW SPIRIT IN BRITAIN

Southland Times, Issue 24682, 2 March 1942, Page 5

NEW SPIRIT IN BRITAIN

Mood Of Exalted Determination (8.0.W.) RUGBY, February 28. Under the title “The New Spirit,” The Manchester Guardian comments in a leading article, today, on the change of spirit which has swept the country during the past week, which says The Guardian, may prove to have been the turning point in the war. The article states: “There have been no victories to announce, but Britain has won a victory over herself. A week ago there was grim depression. The Prime Minister had called on the nation for unity, but for the first time there seemed to be something lacking in his appeal. So many things were wrong and so many questions were left unanswered. “Then came the Government changes, the Prime Minister’s presentation of his ‘more tersely braced and compact’ administration to the country, and after a debate of singular unanimity and earnestness, Sir Stafford Cripp’s speech showing that the Government was touched by a new spirit. The mood of depression has been, turned into a mood of exalted determination. “That is not to put it too highly. One need only turn to the newspaper reactions to the debate and to Sir Stafford Cripp’s speech to see the mirror of popular feeling—and all newspapers and politicians too can hardly be wrong at the same time. “But this mood will need living up to. Many promises were made by the Government spokesmen in the debate that things should be improved. These promises must be implemented.” The Minister of Labour and National Service, Mr Ernest Bevin, announced that to meet the increasingly urgent de-

mands for women for the auxiliary services and for other vital war work, he had decided to withdraw from the retail trades, other than food and coal, all women aged between 26 and 30 years inclusive at the date of their registration.