VICTORY AGAINST COMMON FOE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 51, 24 November 1941, Page 7

VICTORY AGAINST COMMON FOE

Unity Essential BRITISH AND SOVIET

PEOPLES (British Official Wireless.) (Received November 23, 8.10,p.m.) RUGBY, November 22. “Our common foe is strong, and we must face the fact that it will take a long time and. a hard, effort to smash, completely the Nazi war machine, but it must be done and it will be done,’ said a message .from, the Soviet Ambassador to Britain, M. Maisky, read at the opening of the Bristol “aid to Russia” week today. “Victory will be won all the sooner if the closest possible collaboration is maintained between our two countries, and that is why I welcome the efforts of all those who are doing so much to strengthen the bonds between the Soviet and British peoples.” In an earlier speech at a luncheon of the Anglo-Soviet Public Relations Committee, M. Maisky- declared that the Russian winter would not stop operations, though, it would- affect their character. He said it would be a hard winter for both sides, but more so for the invaders than for the defenders. M Maisky, referring to post-war policy, said that the Soviet Government would like the closest possible collaboration with Great Britain. He said that with goodwill on both sides all difficulties could and should be overcome. The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, snake in agreement with M. Maisky, and also paid, a tribute to the courage and endurance of the Russian soldiers and to the unity of the Soviet people. He revealed that the ships which carry munitions to Russia are now: bringing back to Britain valuable war materials for Britain’s war effort. In War and in Peace. In a message also read at the opening of the Bristol “aid-to-Russia week, Sir Stafford Cripps, the British Ambassador in Russia, said: “The understanding and friendship between the peoples of Great Britain and the Soviet Union, based upon appreciation of each other’s hopes and ideals, is one sure guarantee of victory in the war, and, of what may prove even more important m the lon run, of a successful outcome to the P6 “ln the past we have had many discussions upon the political and economic merits of the Soviet system, and I well remember times when feeling ran and bitter things were said on this subject. Now all that is past Our differences have been buried by Hitler deep beneath our common hatred of his Nazi domination. “The Soviet people do not ask us to accept their political beliefs, but they recognize in us, as we appreciate them, stubborn and heroic determination to prevent the world from bein„ destroyed by the bestial brutes of Nazism. Out of this common reality ot liberty comes mutual respect and sym patliy strengthened by sufferings shared in the cause of the future liberty and. happiness of all mankind. “Here in this very town each day brings home the tragic grandeur of the sacrifices that are being ma de hourlv bv the Soviet people. . I feel the intensity of the need for our most. actne and immediate help.. Already enormous casualties inflicted upon Germans at the cost of hundreds of thousands of Soviet lives, of great .industrial destruction and of very large territorial losses, have begun to sap the vitals of Hitler’s armies. “We must help the Soviet people to push this advantage home till rhe moment when we can together assume the Initiative and drive the German hordes back from the gates of Moscow as Napoleon was driven back a century ago. To make the most of our alliance we must learn to know one another s merits, as I hope we are to share with the Soviet people the task of a new Europe and a new world of peace after our victory. M e must gain mutual understanding of one another s “ us and purposes. I welcome every step taken in Great Britain to deepen tiie comradeship between our two peoples and to increase the drive foi immediate aid to the Soviet people.