SHARP CRITICISM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 January 1942, Page 4

SHARP CRITICISM

IN HOUSE OF COMMONS ; DEBATE ALLEGED GOVERNMENT FAILURE. TO SUPPORT DOMINIONS IN PACIFIC. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, January 8. In the House of Commons debate on the conduct of the war. Dr. Haden Guest said: “Our strategy lacks imagination. We cannot afford to concentrate entirely on the war in Europe and leave the war in the Pacific in a subordinate position, because it is as important as anything going on in the west. Recent blunders have been essentially political, although the damage is military. One of the greatest blunders is the failure to get India’s 400,000 millions whole-heartedly into the war.” Dr. Guest urged the need for an Empire War Council, emphasising the special needs of Nevz Zealand and Australia. Sir A. R. J. Southby said: “It is utter folly to deny Singapore and its adjacent aerodromes the defences vital to them. Singapore’s peril is the peril of New Zealand and Australia. The Government will have to listen to criticism from Australia.” Sir P. A. Harris said: “The position in the Far East can be attributed to the absence of co-ordinated planning. There is an inclination to suggest that the Pacific is a secondary theatre of war, but Japan can irreparably damage our material possessions and our prestige and relations with the Dominions, who came to our help in the darkest hour.” Advocating an Imperial War Cabinet, Sir P. A. Harris declared: “If it was important in the last war, it is tenfold more important now, when the life and independence of the Dominions are threatened.” Mr E. L. Granville said the Washington declaration was welcomed in the Press and Parliament, but in the world of deeds it was the Russian cockerel which had saved the necks of a few chickens. There must be something wrong when Mr Curtin had communication direct with- President Roosevelt. The British Government did not ' appear to have been in touch with DoI minion opinion in the last few months. “I have long advocated an Empire War Cabinet, which I am convinced will come,” he added. LORDS DEBATE. SIR R. BROOKE-POPHAM ATTACKED. Lord Addison, in the House of Lords, asked the Government to ascertain who was responsible for the inadequate defence of Penang. He alleged that a large amount of valuable stores and even shipping were left behind undamaged for the Japanese. It would be difficult to find a parallel, he said, for our series of misfortunes in Malaya. Recalling the optimistic statements attributed to Sir R. Brooke-Popham before the Japanese attacked, Lord Addison said: “I do not apologise for my ' language in saying I am glad that a nincompoop of this kind was promptly removed from his command and succeeded by General Wavell. Lord Strabolgi said Hong Kong could have been held indefinitely and made a bridgehead for operations if we had recruited Chinese, who were British subjects. During the last 2 2 years we could have raised at least six Chinese divisions. Their munitions could have been manufactured on the spot. Similarly, there were two million Chinese in Malaya, who hated the Japanese and would have beaten the invaders if recruited. Obviously a great deal was lacking in the civil defence of Malaya. _____