FATEFUL CONFLICT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 October 1939, Page 8

FATEFUL CONFLICT

GENERAL SMUTS ON WAR OUTLOOK IMPOSSIBLE TO FORESEE RESULT. RESOURCES OF THE UNION TO BE ORGANISED. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) PRETORIA, October 18. A nation-wide survey of South Africa’s industrial and mineral resources, with a view to meeting home and Allied needs, was announced by General Smuts (Prime Minister) in his first speech since he assumed office. Addressing a special convention of the Federated Chamber of Industries, General Smuts said things were working out much better than it was thought they would before war broke out. The IJnion’s difficulties would have been increased a hundredfold had Parliament not adopted "the dual choice of interest and duty.” It was easy to realise what the Union’s position would have been without the protection of the British Navy. South Africa had to make up for lost time and the neglect of its duty to organise its man-power to meet emergencies. General Smuts described the cash and carry clause in the United States Congress amendment to the Neutrality Act as a danger, because United ' States assistance might be most important for the supply of machinery necessary to the Union's industrial development. "If American ships cannot carry American goods to South Africa, 10l alone to New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.” ho said, "Americans will' suffer as well as the Dominions." He had made representations to the United States Government expressing a hope that the Neutrality Bill would be so framed as to remove the danger. General Smuts appealed to employers not to discharge men. The Government, he said, would form armies making great demands on man-pow-er, for which reason employers should in the meantime retain their staffs. | “This w-.r will shake the world’s foundations,” he said. “You can see how warily the democratic Powers are acting in attacks against Germany. You can sense the feelinn of fate behind it all. You can realise that the Powers are afraid, in a way, to come to grips, because they know no one can foresee the result.”