BRITAIN AT WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1940, Page 9

BRITAIN AT WAR

PEOPLE’S WILLING SACRIFICE

UNITED NATION. MENACE OF TYRANNY. All. sections of the community . in the United Kingdom today are united as they never have been before, writes Sir Henry N. Barwell in an Australian paper. Except a small body of extreme Communists, and a few conscientious objectors, all are animated by one absorbing idea and fired by one over-mastering purpose —determination to win the war. This determination is in evidence everywhere, influencing the people’s speech, running through their work, disclosing undreamed-of powers of industrial expansion, unifying their efforts, and giving direction and meaning to their lives. The people have made up their minds that the menace of tyranny and despotism which, ever since Hitler came to power in Germany, has overshadowed Europe and, shocked the conscience of the civilised world, shall be brought to an end. They realise that there can be no settled peace in the world until that is accomplished, and so they have consecrated themselves to a task that is more than national. They are in this war and are determined to win it for the sake of humanity and in the cause of Christendom. In Britain today no one can fail to realise not only that the country is at war, but that it is fighting for its very life. Men and women in uniform are to be seen everywhere. Throughout the country are training schools for officers, and barracks and camps for soldier recruits. In parks and commons, in fields and other open spaces, intensive military training is going on continuously. Army lorries, motorcycles and conveyances of all kinds are constantly passing and repassing through the principal thoroughfares. Aerodromes with bomber - and fighting planes, all camouflaged, are to be seen all through the country. Anti-aircraft guns and searchlight units are dotted about at Intervals. Barrage balloons protect London and other large cities as well as naval and military bases and armament works. At each of these war stations are men standing by ready to spring to action at a moment’s notice.

There are, too, a number of other services with men and women patiently waiting; in some cases they have done little or nothing else but wait, apart from a certain amount of training, since the beginning of the war. Amongst these are such services as auxiliary firemen, demolition .squads, gas decontamination squads, auxiliary hospital staffs, first-aid services, air raid wardens, and so on. In the cities and towns one is never more than a few hundred yards from an air raid shelter. In the city of London are many large buildings boarded up, sandbagged and entirely deserted. These are business premises from which owners and tenants have removed to safer areas in the country. At night a complete black-out brings the life of the community almost to a standstill after dark, except when there is a good moon. This black-out has been responsible for more' casualties, including deaths, than the war itself. One will readily understand from these few facts that the reality of the war is brought home to - the Englishman every hour of the day and night. Because of the war every individual in the community suffers many inconveniences, and is called upon to make -many sacrifices. There is first of all the financial sacrifice. In direct expenditure the war is costing the country £7,000,000 a day. Including indirect and incidental expenditure, the cost of Britain’s war effort is estimated at £10,000,000 a day. To meet part of this the income tax has been raised to 7s in the £ on the lowest taxable incomes, and to 15s in the £ on the highest incomes. Then, touching everybody's pocket, is the increase in the cost of living. The rationing of food means a still further sacrifice by all citizens, the rationing of petrol a sacrifice by many.

To mention only one of many other sacrifices people are called upon to make, there is that which results from the evacuation of children and mothers, of civil servants and other office staffs. This means the splitting up of homes, children being separated from parents, and husbands from wives; in some cases the husbands are left at home alone, in other cases the wives. There is, too, the sacrifice made by people in safe areas who have evacuees compulsorily billeted upon them. Their home life in many cases is completely upset. It will be seen, therefore. that no man or woman in the community escapes making sacrifices. Calls upon the people are never-end-ing—-ca’lls for men, calls for personal service, calls for money, calls for renunciation of luxury and adoption of a simpler and more frugal mode of life. But such is the spirit of Britain that all these calls are being met willingly and cheerfully. One cannot leave this subject without mentioning the patriotic spirit shown by the leaders and also by the rank and file of the Trade Union and Socialist movement in the LTnited Kingdom. They are standing shoulder to shoulder with the nation in its determination to win the war. The leaders of the Opposition in Parliament and the chief executive officers of the Trades Union Congress are consulted on all steps taken by the Government having a bearing on the condition of the workers. The T.U.C. is doing everything in its power to prevent friction developing in industry, and is insisting on resolute prosecution of the national effort by its members.

In Parliament, political controversy is reduced to a minimum and factious opposition is entirely forsworn. Immediately after war was declared the Trade Union Congress stated its war policy in these words: “The Nazi Government, having chosen for its people the way of war. must be opposed by all the forces that the civilised nations can concentrate for its defeat and overthrow. Congress, with a united and resolute nation, enters the struggle with a clear conscience and steadfast purpose"