TREAT BERLIN THE SAME

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1940, Page 7

TREAT BERLIN THE SAME

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

Rec. 9.25 p.m. London, Sept. 24. The Daily Mail says in a leading article that letters are pouring into every newspaper office from angry readers demanding reprisals for the hideous bombing of London s citizens. Everywhere in the bombed areas the same cry is heard. "The demand for reprisals simply cannot be ignored," the Daily Mail adds. "It is time to bring out the whole subject into the open. We must again define 'indiscriminate bombing' and 'military objectives.' "Our Government says that 10,000,000 people in greater London were subjected to indiscriminate bombing. That is true, but is it the whole truth? Objectives Near Homes. "Bombs which killed and wounded thousands of civilians, have mostly fallen near docks, bridges, railways, gas and electricity works, telephone exchanges, cross roads, the Sovereign's home and Government offices. It could scarcely be otherwise, for big cities' vital services exist alongside the homes of the people. "Under the German conception of tot.al warfare no centre of the population is exempt from attack. The city itself is a military objective. Britain is aiming at Germany's military nerve centre, and Germany is aiming at Britain's civilian nerve centre. We must make up our mind whether Germany is attacking legitimate objectives. "If Hitler wants total warfare we should satisfy him. The German code permits the bombing of London, so we have the right to attack similar objectives at Berlin. "To say there will not be reprisals against civilians is to tell Goering, 'Go ahead and bomb the people of London. We will not bomb the people of Berlin.' Must we give an open cheque to murder?"