EYES ON RUSSIA

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 5, 5 July 1940, Page 9

EYES ON RUSSIA

AID FOR BRITAIN

HOPE OF DEMOCRACIES

The view that Russia would eventually come into the war to aid Britain was expressed in the House today by Mr. C. M. Williams (Government, Kaiapoi), who drew a parallel between the situation now and that which existed in the Napoleonic wars. He said that too many people were inclined to be pessimistic. He had always been a keen student of history, and he had been impressed by the remarkable parallel between the situation now and in the time of Napoleon. Britain was in an almost identical position, except that she had no great dominions to help'her and that the United States was hostile. Yet Britain won out in spite of the fact that the whole of Europe was dominated by Napoleon.

"A lot of people are turning their eyes to Russia and are doing a good deal of wishful thinking," said Mr. Williams. "There is a hope that Russia may come in to help Britain. It may happen. There will be no final decision until Russia does come. Her navy and air force may give Britain supremacy in those directions, but Britain will have difficulty in' finding sufficient man-power to invade the Continent and drive the Germans back to Berlin unless Russia comes in.

"That is the hope of the democracies today. Russia came in and saved Europe from Napoleon. I believe that will be the solution of the present war, if we can get rid of that foolish hostility to Russia because she has a different political system from our own."