END OF WAR NOT IN SIGHT

Southland Times, Issue 25548, 16 December 1944, Page 5

END OF WAR NOT IN SIGHT

MR FRASER ASKS FOR CONTINUED EFFORT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, December 15. “While the fortunes of the United Nations have prospered, on no front can we point to signs of an early end to the war,” said the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, in a statement before the House of Representatives adjourned this afternoon. “Victory is undoubtedly certain, but our enemies are still strong in material resources and their fighting spirit as yet showns no signs of weakening. Dogged fighting, perhaps even unpleasant surprises, lie before us.” Mr Fraser added that among all the United Nations there remained the greatest need for a wholehearted effort, as unremitting in the fields of production as on the fields of battle. It was encouraging only to our enemies to have any diversion of effort or any divisions within our own ranks. Stupid recriminations and criticisms could not be too strongly deplored. Now that his hopes of military victory waned, the enemy was putting his faith in dividing the peoples of the United Nations in the hope that he might yet escape the just deserts which should follow his defeat. SOCIAL PROBLEMS “As the military prospects of the United Nations continue to improve, it is essential to realize that attention must nevertheless be given to the political and social problems which the more urgent needs of war have temporal ily suppressed,” Mr Fraser said. Whatever difficult situations arose in other countries, we should hold in reserve our opinions, while clinging firmly to our democratic faith. Mr Fraser referred to the Dumbarton Oaks proposals and said that just as New Zealand had contributed so much to the cause of victory, we would undoubtedly wish to contribute fully to the successful establishment of an effective world organization. It was as essential now as in 1940 or 1941 to remind ourselves that the war was still being fought and that any slackening in the effort could but prolong the struggle, which was daily costing human lives and untold suffering. “While we in New Zealand enjoy our very considerable benefits, we cannot but reflect that at this moment and in the weeks that lie ahead our boys in Italy are engaged in fighting under extreme winter conditions, amidst cold and sleet and mud,” said the Prime Minister. “Others of our boys are enduring extremes Of heat and trying conditions in the tropics. The people of Britain, especially London, are facing yet another winter on short rations, tens of thousands of them in damaged houses, and all subject to attacks by day and night by flying bombs and rocket bombs. Our admiration for the fortitude and strength of the people of Britain, for our own men and women fighting overseas and for the efforts of the other peoples of the United Nations can best be expressed in a practical way by the realization that our efforts here must not slacken.” DETERMINATION TO WIN WAR Mr Fraser said he was sure he was voicing the sentiments of the people of New Zealand and the members of the House When he said that above all else we were determined to see this war through to final victory. This meant that we had duties and responsibilities. The daily lives of all of us must be directed towards winning the war, to which end our finest efforts had been devoted and the lives of our finest sons had been sacrificed.