"MORE CONFIDENT OUTLOOK"

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23800, 20 November 1942, Page 5

"MORE CONFIDENT OUTLOOK"

ALLIED SUCCESSES IN AFRICA WAR REVIEWED IN COMMONS (8.0. W.) RUGBY, Nov. 18. 1 “Now that the first flush of rejoicing in our victory is past we can see that the gains made by our Allies in North Africa provide a very solid reason for a more confident outlook in the future,” said Sir Stafford Cripps, Lord Privy Seal, replying to the debate on the Addrcss-in-Reply in the House of Commons. Ho added: “Though wo are rightly more confident, we certainly must not bo over-confident, for a very stern uphill fight still lies ahead before wo can even gain mastery in North Africa and obtain the full harvest of this initial sowing.” Sir Stafford Cripps said that the Prime Minister had described the present success as “the end of the beginning.” It marked another stage in the development of the war, and this fresh stage would place an even greater strain upon the Allies’ resources than any they had so far experienced. The enemy still had ample strength with which to strike back, and it would require the utmost effort of every man and woman in Britain and throughout (he British Commonwealth to consummate, in association with the forces of their Allies, that complete victory with which alone they should be satisfied. Sir Stafford Cripps said that in the course of the debate some uneasiness had been expressed about the political situation in North Africa. He could not do better than quote with approval the remarks of Mr Roosevelt in his statement published the previous day. So far as the British Government was concerned, said Sir Stafford Cripps, the position of General de Gaulle was well understood, and his recent statement on this matter had been made with the British Government’s full knowledge. U-Boat Danger After saying that every effort would be made to bring Britain’s manpower to maximum efficiency, Sir Stafford said: “Perhaps the most serious problem raised in the debate was the Üboat danger. The fact that we did not widely advertise the stops taken to cope with this menace must not lead the House to think that we are doing nothing in the matter. Very special measures are being taken to make effective both our offensive and defensive in this important field.” Expressing appreciation of the distinguished part the Dominions were playing in the Pacific, and referring to the Solomons battle, he said: “It is quite clear that our ally’s navy has won a most important victory, marked by most gallant fighting on their part. We should all like to offer most sincere congratulations to the United States Navy. This latest triumph, following earlier successes, will have done a great deal to redress the balance of naval strength in that area. It is a very important contribution to our joint offensive in the south-west Pacific, and should decrease considerably the chances of any successful counter-attack in the Solomons.”

Very great strides in the direction of a unified strategy had been made, thanks very largely to the personal efforts of Mr Churchill, said Sir Sta£-

ford Cripps, and the Government was constantly aiming at the greatest measure of unification consistent with the wide separation of the theatres of war. This related not only to America but also to the Russians. Concluding, Sir Stafford Cripps gave an assurance that the bombing effort against the Axis Powers was regarded as one of the essentials of victory, and no efforts would be spared to deliver large and continuous loads of bombs over Italy and Germany when weather permitted. “Once we have established airfields in North Africa the Italians will come to realise what their German allies have suffered, and they may come to realise what an even more intensive attack means in terms of destruction and discomfort,” he said.