POSITION IN PACIFIC

Southland Times, Issue 24819, 11 August 1942, Page 5

POSITION IN PACIFIC

MR NASH URGES ACTION (Special Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 9. The New Zealand Minister to Washington, the Hon. W. Nash, while visiting his birthplace, Kidderminster, of which he is a Freeman, made the first, and probably the only .public speech of his present visit to England. He declared that the current demand for a second front was really a demand for a fifth front. In New Guinea the Japanese were only 200 miles from Australia. If they directed against Australia forces as strong as those which conquered Malaya and Burma the position would be most difficult. “I think we ought to attack,” said Mr Nash. “We cannot afford to let the Japanese consolidate their gains. The next front comprises China, Burma and India. We ought to do everything to enable China to continue the fight against the Japanese. China says she wants help, also a second front in Burma to enable her to continue fighting. We want to be strong in India if we are going to prevent the Japanese from dominating India and China.”

The next front was the Middle East, where Field-Marshal Rommel was attempting to reach Suez. They ought to do everything to drive through from El Alamein.

RUSSIA’S MAGNIFICENT FIGHT “Those are three fronts,” .Mr Nash added. “It is just physically impossible, on the evidence of supplies—magnificent as they are—for all the fronts to be so equipped that all can immediately start an offensive, yet you cannot allow them to lie idle. The demand for a second front in Europe is really for a fifth front. Russia is being gradually overwhelmed, but is putting up a magnificent fight. Remember she has saved us." (Loud cheers.) Continuing, Mr Nash said he did not know what would have happened if the Germans, instead of attacking the Russians, had turned against the Mediterranean and Suez. It might have extended the war by 10 years if they had done that. Referring to the second front demand he said: “Nobody will tell you where or when it will begin. It ought to take place if we are going to save Russia at the earliest possible moment. It will take place, but when I do not know.” . . 1_ J “The shipping position is really baa and our losses in the present year have been terrific,” said Mr Nash. “The position is slightly better now than it was a month ago and steps are being taken to remove ultimately the U-boat menace. We are in a dangerous spot at present. I think it will be more dangerous before this year is concluded, but I hope that next year we will be able to take the initiative in an offensive and while it may take time I believe we will win through. NEW ZEALAND PRAISED,

“I have never known better things said about New Zealand than by members of the War Cabinet I have met in England in the past fortnight,” said the Minister. “Their praise is real. It is a lie to say that Britain’s troops do the retreating and the Dominion troops do the advancing. Two-thirds of the forces fighting in Libya and Egypt since May were sent from Britain. That fact is not known anywhere. It ought to be better known. “More planes are in Hawaii today than before Pearl Harbour was bombed. The Americans have practically restored their fleet there. “Half of Europe is starving today. China is more than starving.” Mr Nash again stated his desire for a World War Council and a Reconstruction Development Council. “There is a certain section in the United States with a strain of world idealism higher than in any other part of the world,” said Mr Nash. “They feel they are in the war not to restrict production after the war for the purpose of maintaining prices and letting people starve or go hungry, but to procure maximum production.” Mr Nash ended his speech with three affirmations. “I want to affirm and get all people to affirm:— (1) No soldier shall be worse off because he went away to fight for his country. „ ~ , (2) Nobody shall be better off because he stayed behind. (3) Nobody ought to use the war as an instrument for profit. “I affirm that in the new world which we can build if we will that we can so order things that goods produced from the resources of the earth shall be made available to everyone who in turn is willing to give service within his capabilities.” . Mr Nash received a great ovation. He stayed in Birmingham during the week-end with his brother and sister.

IMPORTANCE OF PACIFIC COMPLAINT MADE BY MR SPENDER (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Aug. 10. “Australia is regarded overseas as a backwater of the war—that is the rock bottom of the problem,” declared Mr P. C. Spender, a member of the Australian Advisory Council of War in a statement on the war situation. For some time now Australian representatives had sat on the Pacific War Council and the British War Cabinet, but they had failed either to impress Allied strategy with the strategic importance of Australia or to have the Pacific recognized as a primary zone of war not inferior in importance to the European zone. There had been much talk of a second front, but no acknowledgement that the Pacific offered that front.

There was desperate need to apprehend the deep gravity of the position and that the war was going badly for the Allies. “The last people we ought to fool are ourselves,” said Mr Spender. “Time is not with us. It is the most powerful ally of our enemies and the longer our enemies are given to digest their foully won gains the more difficult it will be to compel them to disgorge and the greater will become the might of their blows against us. We spoke of building up overwhelming forces of ships, planes and tanks, when what was most hoped for was to escape the losses which the war demanded. We cannot escape losses if victory is to be won and the sooner we realize this the less those losses will be.” The key to victory was speed, and Mr Spender appealed to the people of Australia to put aside political diffferences and face the enemy as one people.