GRIM WARNING

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 285, 31 August 1942, Page 6

GRIM WARNING

Effect Of Australian Complacency

NO EASY TASK AHEAD

(Received August 30, 10.30 p.m.)

MELBOURNE, August 30,

“If we are not careful, we will probably suffer a baptism ,of fire on our soil before the best in us> is brought to the surface.” This grim Warning was given by the Minister of the Army, Mr. Forde, when he hit out strongly . against complacency. “We have been getting things too easily in Australia,” he said. “We are too sanguine of success. No good purpose can be served by talking glibly in Australia about opening a second front. Our job is to maintain the front already opened in the north, and it is going to be no easy task. Japan had resources of manpower equal to Germany’s, said Mr. Forde. She also had under her control in the conquered territories labour resources vastly exceeding those available in Germany. Her material resources were virtually inexhaustible. Japan could throw into action an army as large and almost as well equipped as the German army, providing she could control her lines of communication. However, the Allied .position in the south Pacific had substantially improved, due to the assistance of the United States and Britain, the increased home production, the expansion of the defence forces and the return of the A.I.F.