The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26, 1942 MARTYRED RUSSIA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 96, 26 August 1942, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26, 1942 MARTYRED RUSSIA

WHATEVER way we look at the war situation of today we must admit that by some freakis" twist of fate (some may call it a miracle) the blows which have been intended f or us — W e of the Empire—have fallen mercilessly and without intermission on the unsuspecting backs of others. Truly the armies of Britain have taken the field and have fought valiantly and heroically against the hordes of the Axis powers, but nothing even approaching the scale of our participation in the last war has ever been attempted Cite as yet. The greatest numerical engagement took place: in Northern France in early- 1 ! 940 and culminated in the epic evacuation from Dunkirk. In the air and on the sea we have waged a large scale war for the past two years, but on land our offensives, including the present struggle for Egypt would even in 1918 have been classed as a secondary offensive, though it apparently affords Mussolini a full time v/ar effort. As the war mews of the day conveys to us the growing gravity of the situation in Russia, we may well ask ourselves why, against all the counsels of his generals Hitler broke faith with Stalin and chose to concentrate all the forces at his disposal in an effort to overthrow the great stronghold of Communism. Reinforced by all the arms and the legions he could either coerce or intimidat.e his satalite states to provide him with, Hitler with a vast force of German, Austrian, Italian, Rumanian, Hungarian and we understand Spanish troops has thrown his full weight into the giant offensive which was destined to crush forever the vast superstructure known as the U.S.S.R. Russia stands to-day in danger -of being over-run as she have never before endured the forces of invasion. Outside Stalingrad, her sons are waging the bitterest and most desperate battle of the war. So embittered have both sides become that, it has become a war to the very death rather than face up to the alternative of brutal captivity and viscious internment. Should Stalingrad be overwhelmed we tremble for its fate. All these things by the way. 'Let us look at the other side of the picture, where Britain, the erstwhile culprit in Germany's eyes, remains practically untouched, is permitted, with little or no retaliation to launch periodic 'thousand bomber raids' and continues to raid the French mainland when and where she likes. The comparison, if we can for a few moments remain deaf to the strangled cries, from our sorely presvsed Allies across the Pripet Marshes and the green wolds of the Russian Ukraine, is staggering in its extremes. Torn and bleeding, yet still fighting gallantly on against a ruthless and heartless foe the Soviet continues to maintain the battle,, buoyed up only with the faith that we her Allies will of a surety come, qufekly to her assistance in this her darkest hour before it is too late.

THESE RAIL RESTRICTIONS

WITH other means of transport becoming more and more restricted, traffic, both passenger and freight, was transferred to the railway services. The annual returns show the position clearly. Last year the number of ordinary passengers increased by 1,700,000 when cmpared, with the previous year, and a total of 11,105.,627 passengers in the course of .12 months must have established a record in the history of the Railways Department. In the same period the quantity of goods handled increased by nearly one million tons and live stock freight by over 7000 tons. It was inevitable, when the pressure of defence and; other factors made it necessary for the railway services to be restricted, that there would be considerable intonvenience. caused. The gradual concentration of passenger transport must have' ,accentuated it, but it will be surprising if, in the course of time, the public does not become quite accustomed if not reconciled, to the new order of things. They did so on previous occasions., when temporary limitations were imposed covering the holiday season, and the restrictions will be accepted as among the changes directly attributable to the war. There "can be few genuine complaints when, in matters of public service, a priority of urgency is established.