THE HOUSE RESPONDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 113, 14 May 1940, Page 8

THE HOUSE RESPONDS

BRIEF SPEECHES

UNITY OF THE NATION

REPLY TO HITLER

LLOYD GEORGE'S BLESSING

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received May 14, noon.)

RUGBY, May 13

Mr. H. B. Lees-Smith (Labour), speaking from the position normally occupied by ( Mr. Attlee on the Opposition side of the House, said: "I have been asked by my, colleagues to follow the Prime Minister, because it would be a pity if there should be no response to the striking, stirring, and noble words' he has addressed to the nation. Also, I have been asked to do so in order to state immediately that, of course, we support this resolution."

Mr. Lees-Smith informed the House J of the approval given by the Labour Party Conference by 2,400,000 votes to j 170,000 to the action of the Labour leaders in joining the new all-party Administration. "That does appear to jme as i striking demonstration of j national unity," he said. "If Hitler imagined for a moment that the debate and division last week snowed any sign of lack of unity, let him contemI plate what has happened in the last ft ■ days. I cannot think that in any part of our lives any of us can have imagined two days more dramatic than those that have occurred since the House last adjourned. On that day the tremendous moment had come. A death struggle had begun, and, while this has been going on, we have established a new War Cabinet, with new Defence Ministers all at their posts. Ido not believe that there is any other form of government which could have carried through so great a change so smoothly and in so short a I space of time. It convinced me that our form of Parliamentary Government is the most civilised in peace and is the most formidable weapon of conI trol in war. 4. SAFETY VALVE. Sir Percy Harris (Liberal) expressed the confidence of the Opposition Liberals in the new Government. The Government and the nation were showing the world that democracy could more effectively than its.enemies wage totalitarian war. "We are convinced," he said, "that a free Parliament, instead of being a weakness, is a strength, proving a safety valve lor the expressing of opinion and enabling th^ Government effectively to carry out its great duties. The Nazis will yet learn that it is dangerous to drive criticism underground." |

After Mr. Maxton had announced his opposition to the new Government, Mr. Lloyd George, as the father of the House, expressed his gratification at the elevation of Mr. Churchill to the Premiership at a very critical and terrible moment. In his judgment, the sacrifices of Britaim and the British Com-

monwealth could confidently be given with Mr. Churchill ir a position of supreme authority.

Moving the adjournment until May 21, Mr. Churchill promised to consider the possibility of an early debate on the military situation. He said: "I am most anxious, indeed resolved, to carry the House of Commons along with the Government at every stage of our fortunes as they unfold. It is by the strength of the House that we shall largely be sustained in the conflict."