FAITH IN RUSSIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 January 1942, Page 2

FAITH IN RUSSIA

EXPRESSED BY RETURNING AMBASSADOR GREAT & EXPANDING WAR EFFORT STALIN’S LEADERSHIP PRAISED. ENEMY SPRING OFFENSIVE EXPECTED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 24. Encouraging news from Russia is brought by Sir Stafford Cripps, who has just returned from Moscow after 18 months as Ambassador. “The expectation of the Soviet Government,” said Sir Stafford Cripps speaking in London, “is that the Germans will be driven back a long way, but will make a new offensive in the spring, when the weather will enable them to take advantage of their great mechanised equipment. “The High Command, however, is confident of checking such an offensive, and expects to be able to deal a fatal blow at Germany next autumn and winter. “The Soviet Government is determined finally to defeat Germany and remove the German menace for ever.” Sir Stafford Cripps said the greatest surprise of the war was the ability of the Russians to carry on successful warfare and maintain organisation and supjSlies under the utmost difficulties. He thought the explanation was the whole-hearted loyalty and fortitude of every individual, which enabled the people to bear the enormous suffering, hardship and losses caused by the war. Morale was higher noy/ than it had ever been.

A further cause of the army’s success was the discovery and promotion of very young men. to be generals. Many of the young generals promoted by the Russians were men in their thirties. They had shown brilliance and been promoted to important commands. Some of the older generals had been put to work of less importance. This was a lesson a lot of countries might learn from Russia. The higher strategy of the defence of Moscow and the counterstroke had been the work of M. Stalin, who had shown himself a great leader and had strengthened his position ten times over since the war began. ARMY OF 9,000,000 MEN.’ The Russians now had 9,000,000 men under arms. All frontline and reserve troops were excellently By the end of the winter the army was expected to be twice as strong as last June, if not more. War production was greater now than when the war began, despite the loss of some western industrial areas. Sir Stafford admitted that it was difficult to find out things in Russia, but said the development of eastern industries in the Urals and behind them was very great. Indeed Russian tank and plane production was larger now than on June 22.

Sir Stafford said it was impossible to take any but an optimistic view of the eastern front, because of Russian and British determination to continue to make every effort to bring about the defeat of Germany.

The Russians fully recognised that Britain had other commitments besides help to Russia. They were satisfied with British aid in aeroplanes and tanks. He mentioned that the Russian Air Force was entirely fitted with skids instead of wheels, which enabled it to dominate the enemy during the winter. POLITICAL FACTORS.

The Russians were still hostile to the capitalist system, but it was not Soviet' policy to spread Communism all over Europe. Referring to religion, Sir Stafford said the Orthodox Church was always free to continue with religious services, but the general Russian political line had been that religion was not a good thing for the people, therefore .it was discouraged, but if anyone had sufficient devotion and determination to carry on his religion, there was nothing to stop him. The Russians, he said, attached great importance to the front opened in Libya and were extremely anxious to see the enemy cleared out of the whole of Libya as soon as possible, in order to strengthen the near eastern front against the expected spring attacks As regards the Far East, Sir Stafford said Russia and Japan had longstanding differences, which he was convinced; could never be settled except by force. Sir Stafford said the Russian figures of enemy casualties were substantially correct.