Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1941. IN THE DESERT AGAIN.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 October 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1941. IN THE DESERT AGAIN.

T AST week’s news that the New Zealand Division has taken up positions in the Western Desert is an judication among many others that great military events are impending in the Middle East and Mediterranean theatres. Far more, obviously, is involved than the safety of Egypt and the Suez Canal. The campaign in the Western Desert is a detail, though a very important detail, in a great pattern of war which extends, not only through Syria, Iraq and Iran to the point of .junction between the British and llussian forces, but westward along the Mediterranean and beyond it to West Africa, and the Atlantic. The sea and land communications of the enemy army in Libya are being attacked persistently and with destructive effect, by British air and naval forces and the gallantly held fortress port of Tobruk is a serious menace to the Axis flank. The position and outlook may yet be altered greatly, however, by a Nazi seizure, or attempted seizure, of the whole of the French North and West African colonies, meantime under the ostensible control of the wretchedly subservient Vichy Government. Whatever Marsha] Petain’s personal intentions in ibis matter may be, it is not in doubt that his closest associates, in whom lie has declared his trust, are conspiring actively to hand over the French African colonies io the enemy. The Nazis have already effected a considerable preliminary and preparatory penetration of these territories and it is ol great importance that the Vichy Government, using what appears to have been described quite justly as slave labour, is pushing ahead actively with the construction of a railway from French North Africa across the Sahara to Dakar. It will hardly be suggested that this enterprise has been undertaken by the Vichy Government of its own volition. Bled white-by German exactions and with her people in a state of semi-starvation, France is in no condition to engage in developmental projects in the African colonies or anywhere else. The only reasonable explanation of the construction of the railway is that it is being carried out at the bidding of France’s Nazi taskmasters, who hope to turn it to account as a strategic line, possession of which might enable them, amongst other things, to use Dakar as a base for extended operations, in the Battle of the Atlantic, by aircraft, submarines and perhaps surface raiders as well. The possibility appears, indeed, that. Dakar is already being used by the Germans as a base for raids on Allied and other shipping. With Hitler plainly under the necessity of using all the resources on which he can lay his hands, it is not, unlikely, in any case, that he may soon attempt to gain full control of the French African colonies, finding a line, of approach to his objective through Spain, or by way of the short, sea passage from Sicily to Tunisia. Enemy action on these lines would have its obvious bearing, not only on the Battle of the Atlantic, but on the whole Mediterranean situation. Developments in the Mediterranean are likely to be influenced greatly, too, by lhe outcome oWihe critical battles now being fought on the Russian southern front. . It is of considerable importance to the Imperial army in Libya, of which the New Zealand Division forms part, that the occupation by the enemy of Tunisia would give him much less. exposed sea communications than those on which he is dependent, at present. The enemy land communications along the coast of Libya are exposed and vulnerable, but it seems very probable that the Germans are planning to supplement the attack on Egypt from the west by a southward drive by way of Turkey or Iran, or both, and by aggressive action in the central and western Mediterranean as well. A MOVE FOR UNITY. GREAT many people will have learned with unqualified pleasure that the leaders of our political parties have after all taken up the quest ion of endeavouring to reach an agreement which would make it possible to postpone lhe general election now impending and to concentrate unitedly on the prosecution of the war. An announcement that a preliminary meeting took place at the end of last week between the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland) and that the discussions thus opened are to be continued will be welcomed all the more since some recent events and indications had suggested that hopes of establishing political unity I'qi' the duration'of lhe war had vanished or were tending to do so.

With an exercise of common sense and an exhibition on both sides of ordinary good feeling there should be no great difficulty in reaching full agreement. An element of mutual give, and take may be necessary, but- in regard to the major responsibilities by which they are confronted, our political parties can have no differences that would justify a continuation ol party warfare. Both of them stand for a full-powered war effort and the right thing to do evidently is to combine in every way that is practicable to build up and speed that effbrt. This decidedly is what is wanted from the point of view of fighting and winning the war. ft is at the same time hardly in question that a better and more hopeful approach to the treatment of after-war problems will be made in this way than could be made in an atmosphere of party strife.