VICTORY FIRST NEED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 75, 25 September 1941, Page 9

VICTORY FIRST NEED

SPEECH BY M. MAISKYi

RUSSIA AND THE NEW ORDER

(Rec. 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 24.

At the opening session of the InterAllied Conference, the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, recalled tha hope he had expressed at the meeting on June 12 that the gathering might represent the inauguration of a. new phase of collaboration, and form part of the machinery through whicltj Victory would be won and peace main-' tamed. ■ ■ ; ■ ■ ■ Mr. Eden extended a welcome to the Greek Prime Minister, stating that the council was proud to have with it a representative of the gallant Greek nation. Mr. Eden also welcomed the Soviet Ambassador, M. Maisky, who is representing his Government on the council. \ ' M. Maisky said that war had been imposed on the freedom-loving nations by Hitler and Fascism. Many countries had been violated, and the destiny, of humanity itself, for-many decades to come, was now being decided. NATIONS MUST STRIVE. It could not be tolerated that a gang of Hitlerite marauders, proclaiming themselves a "master race," should raze villages and towns and exterminate hundreds of thousands ... of peaceful people. "The first task of all nations and of all States who are compelled to wage war against Hitler's Germany and her allies is to bring about the speediest and most decisive defeat of the aggressor," he said. "In the full accomplishment of that task they must assemble and devote all their strength and their resources to the achievement of their goal." The U.S.S.R. was convinced that the task would be successfully accomplished, and that as a result of a complete and final victory there would be the birth of international co-opera-tion and friendship and a realisation of the ideals of 'the freedom-loving peoples. "That is what the people of my;country are striving for—the self-de-termination of nations," M. Maisky added. Recognition of the sovereignty of nations was one of the keystones on which the Soviet Union was built. He emphasised that the independence and territorial integrity of countries : would be honoured. The Soviet has consistently advocated. these principles and condemned aggressors for endeavouring to impose their will oh other peoples. . The Soviet Union had striven for complete disarmament, but while desiring to maintain peaceful relations with, all countries was prepared to answer aggressors. Its course was inspired by those principles which v/ere part of the Soviet Union's policy, and which had been expressed in numer-' ous acts and covenants. CHARTER ACCEPTED. The Soviet Union was in complete agreement with the charter drawn up by President Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill. Those principles were important in the present circumstances, and the 'application of them would secure most energetic support from the Government and people of the Soviet Union. . At the same time, the Soviet Govern- ' ment laid particular emphasis on the fact that all peoples which recognised the necessity of smashing Hitlerite aggression and annihilating the yoke of Nazidom today had one main tasteto mobilise all their economic an 4 military resources in order to attain full and complete emancipation of the nations groaning under the oppression of the Hitlerite hordes.—B.O.W.