Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, JULY 20, 1942. WAR DANGERS & DEMANDS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1942, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, JULY 20, 1942. WAR DANGERS & DEMANDS.

yyiTii the war at an obviously critical stage, particularly in South Russia and in Egypt, a note of extremely serious warning lias beeno sounded by the British Minister of War Production, Mr Oliver Lyttelton, in the statement that: “At no time since the Battle of Britain have we stood in greater peril.” Broadcast and other commentators have varied in their interpretation of these portentous words and the significance to be attached to them. Allowance perhaps should be made for the extent to which the British Government, in common with that of the United States, feels it necessary at present to withstand some of the demands that are being made for positive Allied action. In the fullest meaning that might be placed upon them, Mr Lyttelton’s words would point to a condition of affairs so serious that a pronouncement on the subject might have been expected from the British Prime Minister rather than from any of his subordinate colleagues. Whatever the precise significance to be attached to it, the statement of the Minister of War Production is in somewhat remarkable contrast to the joint statement made by President Roosevelt and Mr Churchill, at the conclusion of their recent conference in Washington, that the overall war picture was more favourable to Allied victory than it was either in August or December of last year. It is of course to be recognised that the existing state of affairs, both in South Russia and in Egypt, is highly critical, that the battle of the seas is still far from having been won and that nothing is yet to be taken easily for granted where the outlook in the Pacific is concerned. Against all that is less favourable in the position reached, it has to be considered, however, that, with the northern summer far advanced, the Axis Powers are still far short of the decisive success for which they are believed very generally to be making a last and desperate bid this year. At the same time it is not to be denied that if the enemy Powers are able to build upon the considerable measure of success they-have meantime gained in Southern Russia and in North Africa, the result may be greatly to lengthen the war. One commentator on the statement by Mr Oliver Lyttelton mentioned above went so far as to declare that if the Axis forces succeeded in driving into the Caucasus and invading the Nile Delta, the United Kingdom would be dangerously open to invasion. Whatever is thought of this estimate of enemy striking power, it may be assumed pretty confidently that Britain has no thought of waiting passively to be attacked in her own territory while the enemy rounds off preliminary conquests in other vital theatres. It is rather obviously in the interests of the security of the United Kingdom, as well as in those of the total Allied cause, that Britain should strike with all the force at her disposal before the enemy is able to achieve his aims of fighting the Russians to a standstill and driving the Allied armies out of Egypt -and other Middle Eastern areas.