FOR LIBERTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 184, 5 August 1940, Page 8

FOR LIBERTY.

BRITISH ATTITUDE, j Eloquent Address By Roman Catholic Cardinal. ROOSEVELT PRAISED. British Official Wireless. (Received 2 p.m.) RUGBY, August 4. Cardinal Hinsley, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, in a broadcast over the networks of the National Broadcasting Company, said to-night: "Without in any way introducing politics, I may be allowed to express my admiration for the pronouncements of President Roosevelt, who has shown himself a fearless Christian and a statesman worthily discharging his duties as the head of the great Xorth American Commonwealth. "Now I want to say a word in defence of my country. I believe in patriotism. My faith teaches that patriotism is part of the virtue of charity, for charity requires that we love all men in God, according to ou" kinship with them. '"I can tell you, quite decidedly, that in this island we are all united in a determination to live or die together, whatever may assail us. "Some writers who dwell on the iniquities of England in ages past, on her aggressions and her conquests, are quite right—England is not immaculate; neither are al| those who malign her. but, worthy or unworthy, she is on the side of truth and justice in this conflict. "I am persuaded that our rulers did all in their pover to preserve the peace at Munich and elsewhere, by an agreed settlement of past wrongs. They re- ! ceived promises and pledges. An outstanding grievance was to be remedied by arbitration, but promises and pledges were made apparently only to be broken. "I maintain that Britain has kept her word, and, looking back over the closing decade of last century, I remember that she entered into international conventions which were signed by all of the Powers, including Germany. I defy anyone to prove that Britain has not adhered to those contracts as faithfully as any of the high contracting Powers. "Britain stands now for the life and liberty of all nations, the great and the small, the powerful and the weak To me, it seems to be poor argument to hark back to our old sins in order to discredit our active opposition to the cruel wrongs done to Poland, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium and Luxemburg. "I declare that for me neutrality of heart is impossible in this struggle," Cardinal Hinsley concluded. "I see it as a great conflict between light and darkness. And when I say that this war is in its deepest significance the defence of Christian civilisation, I do not mean that we desire the preservation of the existing order. "There has been very much that calls for * radical im P rove ment in the actual conditions of social, economic and political hfe of this country and Europe. We are wholeheartedly and confidently in this struggle to secure a renewal— a reformation—which will oblige us all to apply m every sphere of life the principles of sound philosophy"

FOOD CRISIS.

Stocks In Norway Plundered By Nazis. DIFFICULT WINTER FACED. RUGBY, August 4. From time to time reliable news reaches London from . countries now occupied by Germany giving some idea of the conditions prevailing there. One fact almost always stands out in their accounts, namely, the shortage of food already existing and the likelihood of the food situation growing worse in the near future. The current Issue of the "Economist" contains facts which disclose that the plundering of all available foodstuffs from these countries by the Germane for consumption within Germany is the chief cause for this state of affairs. The journal states that all news indicates that Norway will face the most difficult winter for a century. The situation with regard to food may become as desperate as during the Napoleonic wars, when the Norwegians were forced to take such steps as blending their flour with bark. It has been announced by the German-controlled radio stations that the massed slaughtering of live stock is already in full swing, that the harvest prospects are bad owing to lack of rain, and that the production of milk, butter and cheese has decreased considerably in the last few months. In view of this scarcity of food it ie worth pointing out that before the invasion Norway was well stocked against an emergency. According to authoritative sources in London, Norway then possessed grain for two years' normal coneumption. Information has reached London that stocks of food have been taken from Norway to Germany. Norway had stocks of sugar for six months, but it was • announced the other day that in order to meet. Norway's urgent need Sweden was releasing 5000 tons out of her own stocks. Similar details are disclosed relating to the seizure of stocks of oil by the Germans.

INCREASING HUNGER* VANGUARD OF NAZI-ISM. LONDON, August 4. Tho Minister of Information, Mr. Diiff Cooper, in a broadcast, said that Goering's principle of guns before butter had produced increasing hunger in Germany and would shortly, produce starvation in Europe. "Destruction and devastation march in the vanguard of Nazi-ism," said the Minister. "Famine rides behind. During Hitler's regime the population of Germany has decreased. Diseases have increased. Convictions of youthful criminals have doubled. The numbers of suicides and lunatics have multiplied. "A typical piece of stupidity was. the leaflets dropped over Britain. I have never read such tedious, bombastic and boring balderdash. I have always hated Hitler and will bate him. to the ead/ , -