"WE WILL NOT FAIL."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 145, 20 June 1940, Page 6

"WE WILL NOT FAIL."

"The people ef New Zealand will not fail," said Mr. Fraser in repeating to Parliament his pledgee to Mr. Churchill in this grimmest hour of the Empire's history. It was a memorable speech, inspiring in its tone and fully reflecting the deep determination of the whole people to stand resolutely and unconquerably beside the other nations of the British Commonwealth against the fiercest onslaughts of armed aggression. Left to carry the fight on alone against a nation which has enslaved all its neighbours and used the subject peoples to bolster up its military and economic strength, Britain and her fightings sons face the ordeal unflinchingly, and Mr. Fraser in his pledge to assist to the utmost of New Zealand's power has very faithfully expressed the undaunted and undying spirit of the people. Everything— politics, profits, hours, privileges— must, he said, be swept aside for the one common aim, ultimate and complete victory, and in saying this Mr. Fraser expressed the single and united determination of all the people of the Dominion. But, as Mr. Semple said a little later, in asking the ready co-operation of everybody in his new task of organising man-power, what is needed now is action. Blind hurry and panic activity would be worse than useless, but the need for swinging every muscle of the defensive body into play is here now, at this moment. The powers taken by the Government under the emergency regulations are without limit; they must be exercised wisely, exercised in the light of the experience of the last six weeks on a scale and in a manner not dreamed of even after nine months of war. We have been taught a bitter lesson through the fate of Poland and of France; our ability to learn that lesson will prove to be the measure of our will to win.