"SIDE BY SIDE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 236, 4 October 1940, Page 8

"SIDE BY SIDE."

BELGIUM-BRITAIN. Exiled Ministers Speak From Free Country. British Official Wireless. (Reod. 2 p.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 3. Two Belgian Ministers broadcast through the 8.8.C. on a Continental wave-length to Belgian people on Thursday evening. They -were M. Gutt, Minister of Finance, who spoke in French, and M. de Vlelschauwer, who broadcast in Flemish.

Stating that they were speaking on a free radio from a free country, the Ministers said that M. Hubert Pierlot, the Belgian Prime Minister, speaking in France on July 21, had denned the position, but although this definition was of the utmost importance to all Belgian people, the French Government had refused to allow either a broadcast or a communication to the Press.

It was inevitable, the Ministers continues], after four months' separation, that they and the Belgian people did not think alike on all points, but there were certain principles embodied in the programme of the Belgian Government on which all would agree.

Giving .this programme, the Ministers said: '"Belgium is occupied by the German armies and the King is a prisoner. We are the only legal Belgian Government, the only Ministers appointed by the King. We want a free Belgium and a free king. We want them completely and entirely free as before August 4, 1914, and before May 10, 1940. To achieve this aim we will light side by side with Britain till final victory.

"On May 10 last Belgium, unjustifiably attacked, took up arms and appealed to her guarantors. Since that date Belgium- has not; concluded any armistice or convention even lese signed a peace treaty. Legally and effectively, she is at .war .with Germany, who ie in Belgian *territory, and is, in fact, applying war measures."

The Ministers said they, were speaking from England, where they were " welcomed as brothers, where hearts beat in imison with ours, where, our eoldiers are already mounting guard, where our daring airmen have volunteered to take their eh are in the battle of the skies with all the. champions of freedom and liberty." They added that they were speaking "from the centre of London, the London that some of you may think is a heap of ruins."

They went on to recount how the.y walked through wide thoroughfares, perhaps a little deafened by the noise from anti-aircraft, but without encountering any obstacles, without feeJing they ran any risk.

Describing the conditions in England, they said: "It is an atmosphere of intense industry, of unflinching resolution and reasoned confidence. The trial is severe, but it is the same as 25 years ago, for Britain as for Belgium, and for •both countries the stake is the same— independence to be preserved by one. restored by the other."