OTHER INVASIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1943, Page 3

OTHER INVASIONS

OF MORE FORMIDABLE KIND PREDICTED BY MR BEVIN. HEAVY CALLS ON THE COAL INDUSTRY. (British Official Wireless./ (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, July 20. Mr. Ernest Bev in, Minister of Labour, speaking at the Miners’ Federation conference al Blackpool, said there would be other invasions of a. more formidable kind. The Government was convinced that, the power of metal, equipment and. explosives was cheaper Ilian human life, and was determined that men should go into battle equipped with the most powerful weapons. That had been achieved. They were also trying to come out of the war with a virile manhood to carry out reconstruction. As a result they had harnessed 25 million people to the war machine. Britain was far in advance of Germany in aircraft production and increased bombing had destroyed much of what Germany produced. Manpower in the coal industry was one of the greatest difficulties confronting the country. The industry was now down to 690,000 persons, whose average age had gone up. For every fresh territory we took, we needed coal. If we were to invade the Continent successfully, and with the progress we are making in the Mediterranean, the demand for coal would go up by millions of tons. We must have at least 720,000 to 750,000 men in the pits. Lack of coal was about the only thing which could prolong the war. The president, Mi- Will Lawther, assured Mr Bevin the miners would face cheerfully any new demands.