The Voluntary War Contribution Fund was on Monday over £3,000 short of the desired total of £10,000 for this month's remittance to Britain for the purchase of aeroplanes, Subscriptions which have come to hand since November 15, when the last monthly donation from Britons in China was sent home come to just under £7,000, and during the next four days especial efforts will be required to reach the standard which contributors set for themselves at the inaugura~ tion of the fund. During the 157 days since it was opened £88,886 have been contributed, representing £566, or $33,960 a day. That good record considering the sums which have also gone to the. British Central War Fund and the War Savings Association, But more is wanted. It is fully realized that this month makes more than ordinary demands upon everyone's purse, and i is but natural that it should. All work, and no play indeed makes Jack a dull boy, and even those enduring so bravely at home would not wish that the great Christian holiday should be bereft of all its observances here. But that they must be considerably curtailed is recognized. The effect of that reduction should, so far as loyal Britons go, be devoted to the' work of inning this war in order that Christianity and all for which i stands shall be preserved to the world.
Here then is the real reason why contributors are urged to do their duty,—for it is a duty—and bend every effort towards ensuring that the sum of £10,000 shall ain be remitted, and if possible establish balance to be carried forward towards the next remittance.
It has been remarked by one well qualified to know that the response to the various calls by Britons in China compares favourably with the efforts of other places he has visited in the Far East.
That knowledge instead of inducing complacency should stir them to greater efforts.
They have done well; it is firmly believed that they can do better, and it is urged with all the emphasis possible that Britons should thus demonstrate their loyalty to their King and Empire, and their solidarity with all those brave men, women and chil-yen who are standing up so splendidly under the blows of the enemy.
It has been proved time and time agai that the British airman is superior to his opponent, man for man.
It has been demonstrated repeatedly that the British machines are far ahead of anything the enemy has produced, and the numerical inferiority, which so sadly hampered Britain in the early stages of the war, is being removed. That is being done not only by governmental ¢xpenditure, but by the enthusiastic cooper: tion of Britons living within the Empire, and those thousands of others whose lot has called them elsewhere. A stream of money, freely given, hax been slowing towards Britain for months to help buy aeroplanes and more aeroplanes. It must not be allowed to dwindle. Indeed it should be swelled, not only because it is necessary, but in order that these donations should form a substantial recognition of the great work which the RAF. is doing.
General Sir Archibald Wavell, commanding the British forces, has decided to strike, and non Monday' saw the commencement of rapid movement which is already produ wwourable results. No decision could possibly be more welcome, for it has become increasingly apparent that Italy is the weakness of the Axis, and that there is a probability that the infliction of a few more taverses upo the oan mie: a war it was never intention to fight The. British command has apparently: learned the lessons of the cam} in France to good effect, and moving with speed which only mechanization could make possible, supported by the activities of the R.A.F,, the space separating the British from the Hatians has been bridged. Italian outposts have been adequately dealt with, the sea has been reached westwards of ' Sidi Barrani cutting off a portion of two Italian divisions from' the main body imprisoning them in a triangle the corners of which are Sidi Barrani, Mektila and Nibeiwa each about fifteen miles distant from the other.
The general scheme is reported to be to drive the Italians to the sea coast where the British navy will be able to deal with them, cither before or after the Italian navy comes to the army's assistance—if ever it docs. It is reported that the Mahan forces consist of Malians and Libyans in the proportion of three of the former to two of the latter, and it is a significant fact that of the captured up to the present the number of Libyans ix the greater.
The white section of the Ballan forces is now faced with some of the toughest levies the British Empire can produce,—Austr lions, New Zealanders. British and Indians Of the first quality. They will, it is con-Sdently expected, be ube to, handle ians somewhat more roughly thi te to thole liking, for the men well dous Jess be overjoyed that the months of boring waiting have now ended, and that they are now able to get on with the job for which many of them volunteered. "If the present operations develop, as it is thought they will, into a major defeat of Taly on the Afri continent the repercussions in Italy may deed be serious. Already there are reports of considerable dissension in that country.
The wholly unexpected manner in which the Greeks have been able to worst them, driving them out of Greece, and pursuing them deeply into Albania has given rise to dis putes between the Italian services and the Fascist. party.
Mussolini stands now a greatly discredited "|_man. He threw his country into the war when he believed that course would be most profitable to it. He finds himself engaged in 4 struggle of which he cannot see the end. reverses such as no dictator can stand for very long, and faces even greater defeats' which I render his Position precarious in the extreme. The school of thought which hax advocated that attention should be concentrated upon the Halians is finding its opinion justified, and it is to be hoped that the blows delivered to Holy will be increased not only in scope but in intensity. Talian morat can be made to deteriorate probably quicker than th er any other nation engaged in this wa Instead of an average of over £500 a] as unpopular with the masses, who have day for the next four days, £750 are wanted. never had any Jove for the Germans, from In other words almost a' redoubled effort. the very and will become me There ure those who will not be sending creasingly so as the Allied forces in northern out Christmas cards this yea..
They would Africa emulate the results obtained by Greek do well to send what they would otherwise tr spent to the Voluntary War Contribution to assist Lord Beaverbrook to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.