The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1940. HITLER'S GAMBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 222, 18 September 1940, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1940. HITLER'S GAMBLE.

For the cause that locks assistance, For the wrong that reeds resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that use can do.

Again, gravely but confidently, Mr. Churchill has warned the nation not to relax their watch for invasion. The weather is no longer good—a full gale raged over the Straits of Dover yesterday—the German invasion bases have been heavily and repeatedly battered, the Royal Navy's striking capacity is undiminished, and the Germans' bid for air mastery has so far failed; yet, in the Prime Minister's words, the preparations for invasion continue steadily. That fact is a sign, perhaps, of German determination— or is it a sign of Nazi desperation? Hitler's bid is for mastery of Europe and of Britain, which is the centre of the world's greatest empire. He has led his people to believe, and has given them much cause to believe, that his will prevails over all obstacles. They expect him to devise a way of prevailing over the final obstacle, which is Britain. He has promised that he will, and his propagandists have spread the belief that the blow will not be long delayed. .Hence it may well be that Hitler, victim of his own propaganda, must make the attempt, cost what it may. He cannot pose as the all-powerful protector of his people when British . bombers are ranging far and wide over Germany every night.

Much of Mr.' Churchill's strength lies in his habit of candour. When he became Prime Minister, and rallied the people as never before, he had little but bad news to tell. He did not shrink from telling it, nor did he try to gloss it over. "Blood and toil:; tears and sweat"—such was the prospect he invited the people to; see ahead, and calmly to face. Now,' when he says, as he said to the Commons yesterday, that Britain's strength is developing steadily, for the great arms production programme is beginning to show results, we may confidently give his words their full value. The British people, uniformed and civilian, are under a heavy strain, which is likely to continue, but they will be sustained by the facts to which Mr. Churchill added the authority of his words— the fact that' J Britain's material strength is still rising, and the other fact that the Germans' air strength is being weakened, both on the ground and in the air. It is not sufficient that a people should feel confident of their capacity to resist and ultimately to defeat the enemy. Mr. Churchill inspires faith that Britain's confidence is solidly based on realities.