Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1943. A LAST OPPORTUNITY.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 July 1943, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1943. A LAST OPPORTUNITY.

emphatically is the time for those who might have contributed to the Third Liberty Loan, but have not yet done so, to bethink themselves. The remaining hours of today and a half-day tomorrow, remain in which to take an active part in this national war effort. It should be noted that the trading banks and district post offices will be open this evening from 7 to 9 o’clock to deal with loan investment business. There are in near prospect days of fierce conflict in which many lives—those of our own kinsmen and of their comrades of the United Nations —will be sacrificed in order that the power of Nazi and Fascist gangsterdom may be broken and that men, women and children may again know the blessings of security and freedom. With that prospect opened who, having money or credit at disposal, can afford not to throw it into the scale hi the cause of liberty? The merits of the loan appeal have of course long since been established. It is to the thoughtless or the casual that a word may be spoken, lest they allow their last opportunity of participating in a most worthy national endeavour to pass them by. Many have contributed to the loan —notably maimed or sick soldiers and burdened folks, both women and men, of small means —who could not have been expected to do so. But there are some to tvlioni a final chance of doing the right thing is offered this evening and tomorrow forenoon. It is good to know that over 200,000 New Zealanders have put money into the loan, but it ’would be better still if twice that number had done so. Probably the doubling of the present total of investors is within the bounds of what might have been accomplished. Thanks to the untiring and capable work of the local organising committee and to the spirit in which it has been met, Masterton and its district have an excellent record, where the loan is concerned, in comparison with the Dominion as a ■whole. Even in this area, however, the possibility remains of improving, in these, last hours, on what has been done. THE EDUCATION OF JAPAN. WITHOUT in any way minimising the magnitude of the task VV entailed in' compelling Japan, as Mr Churchill has put if, to submit or bite the dust, it is possible legitimately to find. a great deal of encouragement in the late course of events in the Solomons and New Guinea, not least in the official announcement that at least nine enemy naval vessels—cruisers and destroyers —were sunk in the Battle of Kula Gulf. This is accompanied by news of further American landings on New Georgia which give point to a cabled prediction that the development of a final assault against the important enemy air base at Munda will not be long delayed. Meantime, promising headway is being made by the Allied forces in northern New Guinea, and in that area, in the Solomons and elsewhere in the extensive South and South-West Pacific battle zones Japanese air formations are being dealt with in a fashion which must be exceedingly disconcerting to their surviving elements. It is clear that Allied sea, land and air forces in the area under General MacArthur s directive control, strengthened and reinforced, are acting with gallant enterprise and securing results extremely damaging to the enemy. At- the same time it has to be remembered that great preparations for attack on the Japanese are well advanced elsewhere than in the southern Pacific areas in. which, as the Australian Minister of External Affairs (Dr. Evatt) has said, the Allies are concentrating on the reoccupation of some islands of essential importance. Naturally, only a. limited disclosure of Allied offensive plans is being made, but one part of these plans has been indicated frankly by the new Commander-in-Chief in India, General. Sir Claude Auchinleck, in the statement that in the Avar against the Japanese, India is going to he the main base for operations, providing men and supplies. In the comparatively near future, operations on the greatest scale, in and through Burma, directed amongst other things to the re-establishment of unimpeded land,communication with China, should be practicable. There are at the same time important possibilities of naval and other action not indicated as yet..even in outline. Apart from their immediate significance, such successes as the Allies have won and are winning in the Solomons and New Guinea are of considerable value in cutting down the air, naval and sea transport resources on which Japan must rely in attempting to maintain immensely extended communications and to defend her conquests and her home territories against powerful, co-ordinated attacks. Japan, for instance, is credited with, possessing still a very powerful battle fleet, but her prospects of using it with effect are impaired appreciably by the heavy and continuing losses of Avar and merchant ships and aircraft she is suffering in the southern Pacific and elseAvhere. The time, it may be hoped, is in sight when full, point will be given to the declaration of British Foreign Secretary, Mr Eden, that the Allied nations have a fixed and grim resolve to teach Japan once and for all that co-prosperity cannot be achieved by cruelty and oppression and that “he who draws the sword shall perish by the sword.”