PEACE ULTIMATUM REJECTED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23080, 24 July 1940, Page 9

PEACE ULTIMATUM REJECTED

(XnnTBD PEIS3 ASSOCIATION—COPYEIGET.)

(Received July 23, 10.30 a.m.)

•Nor has anyone any doubt that if Hitler were to succeed, it would be the' end for many besides ourselves, and of all those things that make life worth , living. We realise that the struggle may cost us everything, but just because the things we are defending are worth any sacrifice it Is a noble privilege to be the defenders of things so precious. “We never wanted war, arid certainly no one here wants the war to' go on for a day longer than Is necessary, but we shall not cease fighting till freedom for ourselves and others is secure.

“What do we mean when Ive say we are fighting for freedom? We want to be able to live our own lives as we like, not to have to look over our shoulders all the time to see if the Gestapo is listening. We want to worship God as we like—and this religious freedom is based on a conscience which we will not let go. Conscience is not something you can hand over to anybody else, but in Germany they have 'given their consciences to Hitler, so mat the people have become machines, merely fulfilling orders without considering whether they are right or wrong. “What has been the effect on Hitler? When he first gained power he was at pains to explain that his aims were strictly limited, that he was only concerned with the welfare of Germany, and that be had no claims against his neighbours. But steadily his appetite grew until to-day he assumes the role of supreme protector. Already we see him ruling through creatures, pale shadows of. himself, that he has established in central and northern Europe. “Further south, Mussolini, flushed by the triumphs over a France whom he has not fought, may be allowed the role of master of the Mediterranean which he has not conquered. “For Hitler force has become the final rule of the destinies of men and nations. Germany has the force, hence Germany alone must decide how nations are to live together. What matter if they do not like it. Man, In his view, is a frail creature, fallible and made to obey, and he will soon learn to obey his master.

No Respect for Pledges "According to Hitler, the oldfashioned respect for the pledged word fa a sign of weak 'fibre, unworthy of the robust master minds. He would have no nonsense about equality before a law which is an outrage against reason, and the all-powerful State. Bad faitit cryelty and crime become right hy the fact that It is he, Hitler, who has ordained them. “That: is the fundamental challenge of the anti-Christ, which it is our duty as Christians to fight with all our Power. Peoples of the. British Commonwealth, along with all those who love .truth, justice, and freedom, will never accept the new world of Hitler’s. JJsejnen, not slaves, free nations, not German vassals, a community of nations, freely co-operating for the good of all—these are . the pillars of the'new and better order that the Bfituh people wish to see. 4 T hope that our country, which leads the fight to-day to prevent the human tragedy which ftitlerV victory would mean, will be file one to point the way for all people to a better life. We can well- be of good heart when we survey the prospect.

“Hitler may plant the swastika jjhere he will, hut unless he can sap the strength of Britain the foundations of his empire are built in sand. In their hearts the people he has beaten down curse him and pray that his attacks may be broken on the defence of our island fortress. They long for the day when we shall sally forth and return blow for blow. We shall assuredly not disappoint them. Then TOil come the day of final reckoning, ■when.-Hitier’s mad plans for Europe he shattered by man’s unconquerable passion for~freedom.

OF ARMS

Support From America r “And beyond the bounds of Europe, »c*oss the wide Atlantic, there are ®}Shty nations who view his works growing detestation. The people ■ of the United States did not build a ' Jew-home to surrender it to this fanatic. They have judged his narrow, twisted vision. They see that his gospel ■ u the gospel of hate, his policy a ■■"Policy of brute force, his message to a mankind the enthralment of the human .‘Spirit under a ruthless tyranny. . -f. may take heart from certain that a great people |pray for our victory over-this-wicked-|*nan and his ways as fervently as any Iff- his present victims. The loundaIjloxis of their country, as - of ours, have sheen Christian teaching and belief on ’ ..... . ... f- “For this ‘reason;rh&ve no doubt yfbat die King’s broadcast last ChristgJWs, when he spoke of putting our thaad in the hand ,of God, went home Stp.them as to us. ' ■ Where will God lead 1*8? Not, we may be sure. through and paths. That is not

IN U.S.

Lord Halifax Answers Herr Hitler

“WILL FIGHT ON TILL DAY OF RECKONING”

LONDON, July 22,

. H er L ¥, lt ? er h as ha d his answer. Two days ago he tavßed Bntam to surrender. The Foreign Secretary L 01 m ? a i!i fax) t0 + ‘wL 1 j d the wor ld that Britain would fight on until the day of reckoning, when Herr Hitler s mad plans for Europe would be shattered.

, have read two days ago a speech in which Herr Hitler summoned Britain to capitulate to his will, said Lord Halifax. “I will not waste your hIS dlstortions of almost every main Ui ! hG T? r £ e ? an / He that he has no desire to destroy the British Empire, but there was in his speech no suggestion that peace must be based on ° f T e^S nition that the other nations of Europe had any right to self-determination, a principle which he has so often invoked for the Germans.

His only appeal was to the base instinct of fear, ar^ e *ts threats. His silence as to the future of the nations whom on one false pretext after h , as su bjugated is, unless the greater part of the world has entirely misread his speech, significant.

. , Plainly his picture, of Europe is one of Germany t - hes / p ® ople whom he has, one by one, of thdr freedom. Our picture, drawn once again in bold outline by the President of the United States and General Smuts, is very different. With them, we see Europe a free association of independent States. Because of that contrast we remain unmoved by

. Hitler has now made plain that he is preparing to direct the whole weight of the German might on this country. That is why in every part of Britain, great towns and remote villages alike, there is only one spirit—indomitable resolution. /

SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET

DETAILS EAGERLY AWAITED

(Received, July 23, 7 p.m.)

LONDON, July 22,

His He will not help us to avoid difficulties. What He will do is to give to those who humbly ask, a spirit that no dangers can disturb. “Those of us who cannot serve in the armed forces must all do our best in other ways to help them. There is one thing we can all do which may be much more powerful than we know. And this is to pray. I heard the other day of a Yorkshire village where, after hearing all about the fifth column, the people had agreed to form a sixth column, in which they pledged themselves to try to give a few minutes each day in God’s house to prayer. “We shall naturally ask God to take care of those we love and bless the cause for which our country is at war. We can ask this with confidence because we know that we are trying to resist things that cannot be according to God’s will. But prayer is not only asking God for what we want, but rather the way to learn to trust Him, to ask that we may know His will, and to do it with all our strength. “If we can really do our work, whatever it is, as well a§ we can in God’s sight, It has become His work, and we can safely leave the issue in His hands. This, then, is the spirit in which we march together in this crusade for Christianity. We and the great Dominions overseas stand and shall continue to stand four-square against the forces of evil. We shall go forward seeing clearly both the splendour and perils of the task, but strengthened by faith through which, by God’s help, as we try to do His service, we shall prevail.”

Lord Halifax’s broadcast was listened to with more than ordinary interest by British listeners, as it was the first speech delivered by a principal British statesman since Herr Hitler’s address, of which most of them had read very full reports appearing in almost every newspaper in the country. They also listened to a summary of some 1500 words, one of the longest summaries ever given, whjch was broadcast by the British Broadcasting Corporation on the. day Herr Hitler addressed the Reichstag.

Financial circles are eagerly awaitihg Sir Kingsley Wood’s Supplementary Budget speech in the House of Commons to-morrow, the importance of which certainly cannot be estimated by its probable brevity, which will be a result of the omission of the usual detailed review of the financial situation. In some quarters it is felt that the Chancellor has the opportunity of adapting the special British fiscal war requirements in much the same way as the production capacity of the country is now in process of such adaptation. ,__ _ , .. •, , Sir John Budget estimated an'expenditure in the year to March 31 next of £2,667,000,000, of which it was proposed to cover £1,234,000,000 by taxation. Sir Kingsley Wood to-morrow faces an expenditure at the rate of £3.667,000,000, and this may be increased as the year proceeds.

FRENCH BUYING

DECISION ANNOUNCED

NEW YORK, July 23. M. Georges Picot, Director-General of the French Purchasing Mission, in a statement, said that France would retain American-made war aeroplanes at present at Martinique. He said the assignment of war contracts to Britain did not apply to materials .which had already left United States waters. ______