DEFENSIVE TO OFFENSIVE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 15 October 1942, Page 2

DEFENSIVE TO OFFENSIVE

VITAL ALLIED SWITCH-OVER FIELD-MARSHAL SMUTS IN LONDON i * I London, Oct. 43. f “We have now reached the st£jge , where the defensive can be replaced » by the offensive and the war can be ’ prevented from dragging on endlessly,” . said Field-Marshal Smuts, Prime Min- ’ ister of South Africa, who has arrived in London for consultations and discussions. “So far,” he added, “we have 1 been able with very great difficulty to hold our own defensively against over- ' whelming odds "The switch-over will determine the outcome of the war, and therefore deserves most careful planning. We have now reached a stage in the war which calls for a careful review of the course before us. 1 am convinced that, with the resources we command, victory should be ours if we follow the right strategy with the utmost energy. “This is a man-made war. The peace which follows should not prove beyond human capacity and beyond the untapped resources of wisdom, planning forethought and goodwill, which are still the portion of our race. I hope to have an opportunity of exchanging thoughts with the leaders on this most important of all problems— the winning of the peace.” Field-Marshal Smuts said that, like other Dominion Prime Ministers, he had had frequent pressing invitations from Mr Churchill to visit London. He did not come earlier, because of circumstances beyond his control. He was peculiarly tied down by bis duties in South Africa where the political situation was very different from the other Dominions. The position had considerably eased in South Africa. His talks with Mr Churchill in Egypt in August had made it clear that there might be some advantage in further talks in London. —P.A. KING RECEIVES FIELD-MARSHAL SMUTS . (Rec. 10.45 a.m.) Rugby. Oct. 14. i The South African Prime Minister, i Field-Marshal Smuts was received by the King at Buckingham Palace today and later lunched with His Majesty—B.O.W.