Cities of Britain Still Stand

Evening Star, Issue 23726, 6 November 1940, Page 7

Cities of Britain Still Stand

Hitler’s Boast Not Fulfilled DWINDLING SCALE OF ATTACK / Mr Churchill Reviews War Situation (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, November 5. (Received November 6, at 10. u a.in.) Mr Churchill began his eagerly-awaited House of Commons statement on the war situation by a review of the progress of the German air attacks since September 4 when Hitler declared his will to wipe out the cities of Britain. Mr Churchill said he did not doubt that the Nazi leader at that time sincerely believed that it was in his power to carry his will into effect, but the cities of Britain were still standing, although 14,000 civilians had been killed and 20,000 seriously injured —nearly four-fifths of them in the capital. A great deal of house property had been destroyed and damaged, but nothing which could not be covered by the Government’s insurance scheme.. Very little damage had been done to munition and aircraft production, although a certain amount of time had been lost through air raid warnings. This lost time would have to be made up as the country settled down to the new conditions. None of the services upon which the life of the great cities depended—water, fuel, electricity, gas, and' sewerage—had broken down. On the contrary, although there must inevitably be local shortages, all the authorities concerned with these vital functions of a modern community felt on top of their job. Transport had presented a greater difficulty, but the problems were being solved in a manner tolerable to the great numbers of people who came in and out of the great cities evexy day. Shelters were being multiplied and improved. Of the spirit of the people the Prime Minister said: “ In these vicissitudes the bearing of our people, not only in London, but in Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and other places, has gained the unstinted admiration of all classes throughout the British Empire and the United States, and so far as they have been allowed to hear about it, many of the peoples of captive countries. ” The House heard with particular interest in view of the caution in his earlier statements the following declaration of Mr Churchill: — • “ There is no doubt that the full malice and power of the enemy and his bombing force have been employed against us They have tried their best to obey Hitler’s orders, but the scale of their attack has dwindled.”