AIR DEFENCES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20049, 22 September 1939, Page 8

AIR DEFENCES

BRITAIN’S NEED PERSISTENT MENACE EXPLANATION TO LORDS MINISTRY OF SUPPLY HUGE CONTRACTS LET (Reed, Sept. 22, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 21. The Home Secretary, Sir John Anderson, at a press conference to-day said the air raid menace was as threatening as ever and it would be madness to disperse the civil defence forces because they had not yet been called into action.

The present lull was giving greater opportunities for more intensive training. It was not only a war of arms. It was a war of morale, demanding endless endurance and patience. The civil defence preparations were based on the assumption of immediate and continued attacks and they were now experiencing a period which they had not contemplated. Sir John Anderson admitted the toll of black-out accidents was alarming. The Minister of Supply, Dr. E. L. Burgin, told the House of Commons that 68 firms other than those normally engaged in making munitions at present were producing shells. Seven hundred were producing components. The number was increasing daily.

The first task was to defend the country for air attacks. Next came equipment for the fighting services. Thirdly, there was the provision of sufficient reserves of equipment for the expansion of the military forces as needs were required. An immensely greater organisation than that of the 1914-18 period was already constituted and controlled by the Munitions Council with executive powers. Since the outbreak of the war orders for supplies had been placed exceeding £70.000,000.