War Day by Day

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1940, Page 6

War Day by Day

Comment on the News Democratic Processes Value of Parliament (By Our Special Observer.) The report that the House of Commons met in secret session again on Wednesday is important in that it indicates that although almost total powers have been put in the hands of the British Cabinet, democratic processes continue under even wartime conditions. The House of Commons is no counterpart of the gatherings of "yes-men" comprising the German Reichstag and the Italian Fascist Grand Council. Secret sessiorts in the Commons speak of Parliamentary vigilance in matters affecting the welfare of the realm and pay tribute to the scrupulous regard the Government has for the rights of the elected representatives of the people to play the spotlight of critical examination upon the work of the various components of the Ministry. Indeed, in several instances recently the British Government has disclosed most clearly its submission to parliamentary opinion. An example was when the British sense of justice protested that the Home Office had gone too far in the matter of the wholesale internment of enemy aliens. The result was that the Home Secretary, with frankness and dignity, announced to the House the revision of his regulations. Critical Month Passing. With two-thirds of the critical month of September past and gone the German opportunities for a flne-weather invasion are slipping into thelimbo of things that might have been. The Nazi propagandists are now playing down the topic with which they were, but a short time since, endeavouring to chill the spines of the ' British people. It is unlikely, however, that the British are feeling any considerable relief from the change in the Nazi tune. The fact that the Germans are, in spite of their vaunted air strength, unable to gain an even temporary command of the skies over Britain has inculcated an astonishing measure of confidence. So pleased is the whole population of Britain with the display of its defences that there is a general tendency to echo the wish of the commander-in-chief of the home forces to put them to the acid test of repelling an attack. 1 Apart altogether from a desire to get to grips with Hitler's hordes, confident in the ability to administer them a crushing defeat, there is the knowledge that in the 1914-18 struggle the courage and resilience of British soldiers proved superior to that of the Germans. The British took many hammerings— Mons, Loos, Passchendaele— and survived them to play a major part in the eventual victory. The Germans rode the tide of success for nearly four years, then suffered one major military defeat and collapsed. On this reasoning is based the belief that an attempt at invasion of Britain would shorten the war. A Defeat for Hitler. However, whatever the explanations of the Nazi propagandists, the refusal of Hitler to carry out his threats would in fact be a serious defeat for him. The effect of his delay, forced or voluntary, is already to be seen upon neutral opinion. The belief that Hitler is irresistible is largely exploded. Even an erstwhile pessimist, Mr. Herbert Hoover, now con-, cedes a conviction that the British Empire will win. With the period of preparation largely past and machine tools and manufacturing processes organised, the factories of the Empire are now beginning to put forth war materials in quantity. What if Hitler does systematically destroy the south-east coast of England? That will not win his war for him. The winter pf 1940-41 he cannot expect to be a repetition of the winter of 193940. Hitler's period of preparation at top gear was countered then by a falsely complacent low gear ambling by his enemies. There are no illusions now. Even if Germany can continue in high gear, the British Empire undoubtedly will be engaged in the gear known in the American transport world as "highhigh."

Problem of Better Protection. Hitler's reduction of war to its lowest common denomination— the slaughter of people who have never raised a finger to harm a fellow human being— has raised problems in Britain directed to the better protection of these helpless victims of barbarity. Two weeks of a nightly hail of high explosive and incendiary bombs has tended to drive Londoners to seek better shelter than that provided under the Government's dispersal policy. The deep underground railway platforms have become increasingly attractive. While these facilities for absolutely safe shelter can provide refuge for hundreds of thousands of Londoners, there use provides acute problems, notably of transport. The underground railways of London, which are situated 70 feet or more below the level of the streets, unfortunately do not pass altogether through parts of the metropolis with. a large resident population. The principal deep underground railway system is primarily a means of getting about central London, and at the same time avoiding the congested traffic of the busy streets. But the crowds who use these tube railways during the day-time have, by the time night falls, removed themselves to the dormitories of London in the suburban areas. Transport Difficulty Created. Thus it is apparent that people without shelter in which they feel secure in their own neighbourhood. and wishing to find it in the depths of the underground railway system, must travel to the city and west end of London. If they take the trouble to travel so far they will obviously do so for the purpose of spending the whole night in the white-tiled stations. The problem then arises of getting women and children back to their homes in the morning | and workers to their jobs. Nights spent in comfortless passages patently are nof conducive to either good health or efficient work. Many recipients of the Anderson shelter, distributed gratis to poor people, treated the gift with indifference, and it has been a usual sight to see parts of a shelter lying in desolate fashiOn in a back garden. The answer to the problem may be fouAd in the plan of Professor J. B. S. Haldane, who for several years has advocated buiiding deep concrete shelters for the whole population.