ATTLEE CAUTIONS MONTGOMERY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25139, 21 March 1947, Page 7

ATTLEE CAUTIONS MONTGOMERY

SEQUEL TO RECENT ADDRESS

' LONDON, March 19. It was entirely undesirable that Field-Marshal Lord Montgomery should make a political speech, said Mr Attlee in the House of Commons to-day, referring to a speech by FieldMarshal Montgomery in London on March 15.

“I have spoken to Field-Marshal Montgomery, telling him of the danger of making speeches which might be misinterpreted by persons whb want to make mischief,” said Mr Attlee.

, The London Association of Engineers had invited Field-Marshal Montgomery to say something about leadership, team yvork. and hard work, said Mr Attlee. Field-Marshal Montgomery had no intention of making a political speech, and he regretted that any criticism of the Government had been imputed to him.

Mr V. J. Collins (Labour) asked Mi; Attlee to convey to Field-Marshal Montgomery the thought that the best contribution he could make, to increase production would be to get rid of some of the waste manpower in the Army. [The special correspondent in London of the New Zealand Press Association reports, in another context, that at the end of last week Field-Marshal Montgomery made a speech in London in which he said: “It is vital to-day that we should have leaders at all levels in every walk of life who ase able to dominate the events that surround us. A leader who cannot do this but who lets events dominate him is useless. The answer to the present problem, stripped of all muckage. depends on leadership, the need to pull together as a team, and hard work.”]