FRONT LINE OF FREEDOM

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21247, 18 October 1940, Page 5

FRONT LINE OF FREEDOM

PREMIERS CALL TO FARMERS MAINTENANCE OF BRITAIN’S FOOD SUPPLIES NEED OF SACRIFICE IN HOUR OF CRISIS tOfficial Wireless) (Received Oct. 18, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, October 17 The Prime Minister, Mr Winston Churchill, in a letter to the president of the National Farmers’ Union in reference to correspondence on the subject of agricultural prices, states: “ The matter has had my serious consideration. I need not tell you that the food production of our country is, at this hour of supreme crisis, one of the vital factors in our ability to resist and overcome a formidable enemy “We rely on the farmers. We depend on the efforts which they put forth in the fields of Britain, and I know we can do this with complete confidence in their toil, ingenuity and readiness to accept hardship in the grave emergency affecting all our people. “Price levels have been fixed for the purpose of securing an increase in some types of production and a decline in others. They take their place in a general plan to meet the exceptional needs of the war. In some cases they may impose burdens, in others there may even be a call for the sacrifice of personal interest, but, taken as a whole, the price structure is believed to reconcile just treatment lor the producer with the wide requirements of the nation. “ Even if this were not so the call to duty would still go out to the farms, as it does to the factories, and I know it would be answered by a stern resolve to make the best of the expedients at hand, to labour, strive and achieve, with no thought of obstacles and no heed of diificulties- “ Only if we devote our lives and eneigies wholly to the tasks of war can we survive the ordeal and gain the victory which will save our people from intolerable servitude, and in this service the farming community—the home through the centuries of bold, independent men —is called to play a vital part. Today’s farms in Britain are the front-line of freedom.”

PELTING RAIN DEFIED RAIDERS OVER LONDON NAZIS DISCARD CAUTION BOMBING OF HOSPITAL (United rress Assn. —Elcc. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Oct. 17 Raiders over London on Wednesday night defied pelting rain. They discarded caution and descended within sight of the ground. Although their frequent dives were often too brief to provide the enemy with even a sporting chance of selecting a target, a few released their bombs and returned to the safety of the clouds. Provincial towns received a fitful hammering. Areas raided included the Midlands, the north-west, the south-east and the north-east. A bomb scored a direct hit on a communal surface shelter in Liverpool and caused some casualties, including deaths. Other persons are believed to have perished when highexplosive bombs demolished the backs of houses in the same district. The occupants of another shelter were unharmed. A hospital was bombed in the south-east. Doctors, students, nurses and porters worked in the dark and pouring rain to move 200 patients. Seventy-one enemy aircraft, consisting of 46 fighters, 22 bombers and three seaplanes, were shot down over and around Britain during the week ended October 14.

In that period Britain lost 45 fighters and eight bombers, but 27 pilots were saved. Gave Life For Comrades A large bomb wrecked several houses, from which air raid workers are still extricating those who were trapped. This afternoon two firemen were buried while extricating a man. Mr Charles Goodyear was killed by a bomb which destroyed part ot his industrial premises in London. He gave his life for his comrades. I The firm's fire brigades were dealing with several incendiary bombs when Mr Goodyear, hearing a high explosive falling, ran about blowing a whistle to ensure that everyone was under cover. The bomb buried him under the wreckage of the building. Admiral Killed in Raid Two well-known people recently killed in air raids were Mr W. L. Hichens and Rear-Admiral I. B. Tower. Mr Hichens was chairman of Cammell Laird and Company, Limited, a director of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and a member of the Carnegie Trust. Rear-Admiral I. B. Tower, who won the D.S.C. in the last war, was formerly director of the tactical school at Portsmouth. Nazi Runs Gauntlet A further illustration of the effectiveness of the London air defences was provided in a broadcast description from Berlin of a German pilot’s experiences. The pilot said that soon after crossing the coast he ran into British fighters. To escape them he had to - climb even higher and take every advantage of clouds. On the outskirts of London an enormous number of searchlights forced him to keep in the clouds. When he arrived near Richmond

Park he received instructions to release his bombs. British fighters again discovered him. and. he said, it was only his great experience that enabled him to escape their scores of bullets. The return over the Channel was no easy task, as British fighters hung on to him. It was only his speed which enabled h:m to reach his base.

HEAVY DEATH=ROLL LONDON SCHOOL BOMBED DOCTORS KEPT BUSY SERVICE BY TORCHLIGHT (United Press Asn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright' (Received Oct. 17, 2.5 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 16 A heavy death-roll and many casualties are feared as a result of the bombing of a London school. About forty people were rescued from the debris. Troops reached some by means of tunnelling four shafts under the wreckage. Doctors attended serious cases by torchlights and fleets of ambulances were busy all night.

NEED FOR SACRIFICE SPEECH BY CHANCELLOR DANGERS OF INFLATION IMPORTANCE OF SAVINGS (United Press Asn.—ciec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Oct. 16 Speaking at a luncheon today the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Kingsley Wood, said the great gap between wartime expenditure and revenue could be filled only by inflation or taxation, coupled with real savings made to the point of sacrifice. So far, he added, the Government policy had enabled inflation to be avoided, but the danger was ever present if a sure and safe course of financial policy were not followed. Stating that taxation was only a bare part of expenditure, the Chancellor emphasised the importance of savings. “We are facing a difficult and vital year in our history,” he said. “No half measures will suffice. For its part the Government must do everything possible to create conditions under which the maximum response to Government loans and appeals for national savings can be fully attained.” It had been suggested that money had been held back from Government loans by many people because they were uncertain of their financial position should their property or belongings be damaged in an air raid. He hoped shortly to introduce [a measure which would remove this perfectly natural apprehension, by providing full compensation for loss or damage caused by enemy action. The scheme relating to buildings would be financed by compulsory contribution by property owners, aided in certain eventualities by the State. The other scheme, which | provided for an opportunity to insure ! personal effects, would be voluntary. That dealing with the insurance of plant and machinery would, in general. be compulsory.

These schemes would be retrospective to the beginning of the war. They would remove uncertainty and go far to maintain confidence.