SIDE BY SIDE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 136, 6 December 1939, Page 11

SIDE BY SIDE

BRITAIN AND FRANCE

A COMMON CAUSE

LIBERTY IN EUROPE

{ British '■ Otflcial Wireless.) (Received December 6, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, December 5. An eloquent tribute to the French nation for the enormous sacrifices for liberty which they had accepted was paid by the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon), now on a visit to Paris, in a broadcast address to France last night. "I express the view of all my countrymen in conveying to you their gratitude and their admiration," he said. "I also bring to every Frenchman an assurance of the complete support of the community of British nations. To civilians, to evacuees, to all French families who have suffered I bring from our civilians, our evacuees, and our families affected by the brutal war of submarines and mines an assurance that our hearts are with you and share your suffering. We shall be equally firm in a resolution that these sacrifices shall not be in vain and that the menace which has hung for so long over; Europe shall vbe dispelled." Sir John Simon assured his listeners that the people of England fully realised the magnitude of France's war effort. They realised, too, that the Maginot Line represented a great rampart of liberty in Europe—a rampart which they owed to the pre-vision of French statesmen and French engineers, worthy descendants of Vauban,; They knew that to defend this ram-' part France had mobilised 5,000,000; men, of whom 3,500,000 were at present] under arms. They knew that therich provinces of the east, threatened | by German guns, had been evacuated! and homes found elsewhere for 700,000 j

people—all accomplished with calm and resolution.

Addressing himself to the French army—the first in Europe—Sir John gave an assurance that all the resources of Britain in men and material would be at its side: Frenchmen, knew that in the last war the British Commonwealth mobilised 9,000,000 men, more than 1,006,000 of whom' had fallen. They would also know that the British people were today determined to furnish no less a complete effort Tor the common cause. Those already arrived were only the advance guard. ■ Even more numerous contingents would arrive and occupy increasingly important sectors of the. firing line.

The Allied Air Forces had already showed their superiority over the eneftiy in men and material. And at sea two navies, despite the losses, to be expected in war, l'etained their x supremacy complete and uncontested. We had but one war aim—to vanquish the enemy and vanquish that aggressive and insolent spirit which always sought to dominate people by force.

"By uniting our resources and . our efforts, we shall at last succeed in recreating a breathable atmosphere for those of all countries who seek only peace and liberty," he said-