MEETING SITUATION

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 40, 17 February 1942, Page 5

MEETING SITUATION

BRITAIN STEADFAST

(Rec. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Feb. 16. There is no suggestion in Press comment here of minimising the gravity of the Far Eastern Situation* and Mr. Churchill's descrip* tion of the fall of Singapore as "a heavy and far-reaching military defeat" is echoed in every quarter. At the same time there is no question that the general feeling is of unabated confidence in Mr. Churchill and of firm determination to act in the spirit of his words: "The same qualities which brought us through the awful jeopardy of the summer of 1940 and the long autumn and winter bombardments from the air will bring us through this other new ordeal, though it may be more costly and will certainly be longer." The "News Chronicle" . says: "At such mOmeftts the first riebd bf the nation is to reaffirm its faith in itself, and its unalterable determination to gain victory. Mr. Churchill is the toughest arid most tenacious warribr Of the Empire, and has been in this respect a perfect, example to ail. "Carrying ari incalculable load Of responsibility, he has never wavered, and when times- were bad he has never dissembled.' The news is grave, but we must keep it in perspective. ' "The war may go still worse fbr us before it begiris to go firially and de-

cisiveiy better. But we kribw" . withcertainty that, given, fidelity, of puifpbse -and unsparing individual effort, the united hatibhs Contain withiri their maturing capacity the means 6f absolute victbry'.". -..-;•• Both the "Daily fiei-ald" .ahd the "Daily Mail", feel that; Mr. Churchill is bearing a lieaviei? burden bf responsibilityl than ariy brie riiari should be expected . to , caifry, and the • "Daily Mail" concludes its comment: "The fortunes and mistakes of war will not be taken advantage of by anyone. Mt. Churchill can rest,assured of this. But nothing will deter us from probing into weaknesses in our war direction and derharidihg that the . Obvernment put them right. "Only thus shall we steer bur Way, riot only into the stdrrri, But thrbugh it."—B.O.W.