THE HOME FRONT

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22486, 22 January 1943, Page 5

THE HOME FRONT

Topics Engaging Attention Interest In Beveridge Report (Special Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.' (Rec. 6 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. 20. Bombs on London, a slight relaxing of the blackout, the resumption of Parliament, a statement on the drive for arms, a reply by Sir William Beveridge to his critics and comments on banking stand out as interesting topics this week. “They will be over to-night,” was the general comment heard the day after the raid on Berlin. Few people were surprised when the sirens wailed. They were surprised at the intensity of the barrage, wlpch was so loud and sustained that it was difficult to hear the aircraft or distinguish the bomb bursts from gunfire. This heavy barrage makes it even more dangerous for people to be out of doors as the rain of spent shrapnel falling down is considerably heavier than any time throughout the blitz as the list of casualties next day showed. Londoners are resigning themselves to the fact that raids may take place as the bombing of Berlin is believed to be part of the policy to get the Germans to retaliate, for in order to retaliate they must draw off bombers from the Russian and other fronts. The people of London like being bombed about as much as New Zealanders like feeling earthquakes, but there is a certain amount of satisfaction in realising that the Germans are being forced to use aircraft for purposes other than which they desire. After a long controversy it has been decided slightly to relax the blackout precautions. There has been a demand for this throughout the war from some sections which have hitherto been somewhat primly rebuked by the Home Office, but now the lighting of railway carriages will be improved and lights will be left on at stations unless a raid is in progress. The blackout is probably one of the most unpopular and irksome of the war measures. "When the light® go on again” is another way of saying “When the war ends.” There always seems to be greater interest in the war effort when Parliament is in session and this again can be remarked on. Several newspapers published long leading articles informing Members of .parliament and the country that the coming session would be one of the most momentous for Britain which nobody doubts. Cheerful Spirit Abroad The reviews by Mr Attlee and Viscount Cranborne confirm the cheerful spirit spread by the successes of the Eighth Army, and there, is much interest in Mr Oliver Lyttelton’s statement, as it indicates that the factories are facing a big switch in the production of arms. Because Britain now reserves certain types of equipment there will be a greater drive for the building of ships, aircraft, tanks and anti-U--boat devices. This means that hundreds of thousands of workers will be transferred to different jobs and that they must be prepared to move from their present homes and become “as mobile as soldiers.” Mi* Lyttelton’s statement is taken as endorsing the fact that Britain has turned from the defensive to the offensive on the factory front as well as on the battlefront. Parliament will be the centre of great attraction when the Beveridge plan is debated. Meanwhile the main arguments of opponents have been that social security will demoralise the people and prevent their being enterprising and adventurous. Sir William Beveridge, in a speech at Plymouth, rounded on those critics, declaring that “they are the defeatists.” He said: “Adventure comes from those who are fed well enough to feel ambition, not from those who are half-starved.” He asked: “How can one demoralise people by spending money on keeping them well or by making them fit for work by rehabilitation, or by giving them an assurance that at the end of their lives they will have just enough money to live on without burdening their children?" It is interesting that Sir Robert Barclay (chairman of the District Bank) is so far the only banker to support the Beveridge plan.