MARKING TIME—WHY!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 173, 29 October 1941, Page 4

MARKING TIME—WHY!

EVERYBODY is saying it, few dare to write about it, yet it is patent to all intelligent people who have followed the course of the events of ihe war with Germany. Why are Britain's war efforts relaxed; why is not the fullest advantage of the pre-occupation of the Nazi armies in Russia taken tfce fullest advantage of; why are we not in active pursuit of a decisive victory over the weakened hostile forces in North Africa; why are we not assisting to a greater extent in the air alongside our Russian Allies? Why! Why!! Why! ! ! These and a hundred, other questions are causing the murmerings in England to mount in a rising tide of perplexity and anger. It is not good for our people, our reputation, or our morale and it runs the dual risk of giving rise to misgivings and distrust. Just what the policy of the British Government is, is probably well known, to our own, and in that event we still cannot fathom the uncanny silence which characterises the legislators throughout the Empire. Are we considered incapable of taking it? We think not! If we were we have no right to be waging a wax at all. We are all intensely loyal and to use a popular term were rearing to go.' when the stretagical blunder of the Nazi war with Russia was committed. Three months have ticked slowly by and all we have heard ip the meantime are the pretty words of our parliamentarians and the results of the aero 'sweeps over Germany and the occupied territory.' This in the face of the popular restlessness appears to be utterly beyond comprehension, the more so when the British message of 'sympathy' was broadest to the suffering people of martyred France when the fifty hostages were massacred. Our whole conduct of the war appears to be largely 'by broadcast.' What has become of the British lion, its powerful navy, its valiant air force and its two. million fighting men. Is there a war on record where it can be claimed that any nation has maintained suah an army, trained and armed for two andi a half years without striking a major blow. There may be every reason for the delay. We may be unprepared! If so we were diabolically mislead before the Russian campaign. We may be incapable! If so we are either idiots or without equipment. We may not be in full concert with the Soviet! If so the word 'ally' becomes a hollow mockery. We realise the risk we may be taking in being so outspoken but we feel that, as a small provincial paper we are echoing fairly and accurately the feelings of the majority of our readers. We can take the scoff of those in high places and enduer parrot cry of 'armchair critics', but we maintain that even armchair critics, under the present circumstances, have a right to demand an explanation.