MR CHURCHILL IN CANADA

Evening Star, Issue 24082, 31 December 1941, Page 7

MR CHURCHILL IN CANADA

Historic Speech To Parliament No Compromise Or Parley With Enemy

In introducing Mr Churchill helorc his historic speech to the members ol the Senate and the House ui Commons in Ottawa Mr -Mackenzie King said Mr Churchill was to them the personification of British greatness, which had never been more apparent than now. Mter expressing Canada’s unbounded admiration of the people of Britain, Mr Mackenzie, King said the Parliament of Canada had never been more sure ol its ground than when, at the beginning of tlie war. it toi.'k its place by the side of Britain in her determination to smash aggression and preserve Iroedoin. Canada, was resolved to put lorwartl her nlyiust efforts in the common cause. GRATEFUL MOTHERLAND. Acknowledging the welcome he had received in Canada. Mr Churchill said ho brought a message oi goodwill and affection from everyone in the Motherland. They wore most grateful for all Canada had done, and they knew she was resolved to do whatever more was possible as the need arose and tiro opportunity occurred. Tier contribution to the Imperial war effort had been magnificent. CANADIAN ARMY. The Canadian Army now stationed in England had not yet been in contact with the enemy, but it had stood and still stood in a key position to strike at the invader if and when he came, in the next few months, when the invasion season returned, the Canadian Army might lie engaged in one of the most frightful battles the world had over seoir. Although the long routine of training and preparation undoubtedly had been trying to the men, inspired by an eager and ardent desiro

“ The enemies ranged against us have asked for total war,” continued Mr Churchill. “ Let us make sure they ret it.” Mr Churchill reviewed the progress of the war since Britain honoured her undertaking to Poland and spoke ot the rnthlessness of the Nazis in their invasion of neutral countries, to which up to the last minute they had given guarantees and assurances. FRANCE’S DOWNFALL. Mo also dealt with the “ groat French catastrophe” and pointed out that if France had not been misled but had stood by (Britain she would have had overwhelming sea power, the recognition of the United States and the use of all the gold she had lodged beyond the seas. Had they done that Italy might have been driven out ot the war before the end of 1940. and France could have taken her place in the councils of the Allies and at the council tables of the victors. However, the Trench generals had misled the nation and had declared that in three weeks Britain would have her neck wrung like a chicken. “ Some chicken—some neck,” remarked Mr Churchill amid laughter. GALLANT DUTCH. He contrasted the French collapse with the behaviour of the valiant, stouthearted Dutch, who still stood firm as a strong living partner in the Allied cause? The British Empire and the United States were going to the aid of the Dutch, and they would fight out this new war against Japan together. They had suffered together, and would conquer together. (Loud applause.) Mr Churchill paid a tribute to the forces of Free France under General do Gaulle.

to fight, the value of the training -was unquestionable and in time of need the sacrifices involved would, he was sure, be cheerfully, or at least patiently, endured. The Canadian Government had imposed no limitation on the use of the Canadian Army whether on the Continent of Europe or elsewhere, said Ur Churchill, and he thought it extremely unlikely that the war would end without the Canadian Army coming to close quarters with the enemy, as their I fathers had done at Yprcs, the Somme, and Vimy Ridge. HONGKONG. Mr Churchill referred to the glorious part played by the Canadian forces in the defence of Hongkong as a valuable factor in gaining precious days, and said they had crowned with military honours the reputation of their native land. Another major contribution made by Canada to the Imperial war effort was the wonderful gigantic air training scheme which in 1942 and 1943 would provide the airmen in the numbers necessary to man the ever-growing air forces of the Allies. There were many other directions in which Canada was playing a vital part. FIGHT TO A FINISH. “ Wf; did not make this war” said Mr Churchill. “We did not seek it. We did all we could to avoid it. Wc did too much to avoid it. We went ■so far in trying to avoid it as to bo almost destroyed by it when it broke upon us, but that dangerous corner has been turned, and with every month and every year that passes we shall confront the evil-doers with weapons us plentiful, as sharp, and as destructive as those with which they sought to establish their hateful domination. AVc have not asked that the rules of the game shall bo modified. Wo shall never descend to the German or Japanese level, but if anybody likes to play rough we can plqy rough, too. (Cheers and applause.) Hitler and his Nazi gang have sown the wind—let them reap the whirlwind. Nothing in the renewal of the struggle _ nor in any form of severity which it may take will make us weary or make us quit.” Mr Churchill wont on to refer to the Washington talks which, he said, had but one aim—the total and final extirpation of tin l present regimes in the totalitarian States. There would be no halting or half-measures, and there would be no compromise or parleying. They had forced upon the democracies’ a task which the latter had been reluctant to undertake, but which they would now most faithfully and punctiliously discharge. The democracies had not yet won the war, and its crisis was upon them. If in any way they under-rated the strength, resources, and ruthless savagery of the enemy they would jeopardise, not only their lives—and those they had offered freely—but the cause of human freedom and progress to which they had pledged everything. They could not for a moment afford to relax their efforts. On the contrary, they must drive themselves forward with unrelenting zeal. There wa.s a task for everyone, from the highest to the humblest, and each task was of equal honour.

The tide had turned against the Nazis. Britain, whom the men of Bordeaux and Vichy had thought would soon be finished, Britain with her Empire behind her, had carried the weight of the war alone through the darkest part of the valley. She was growing stronger every day, and soon the Allies would be superior to the enemy in every form of equipment. RUSSIA AND LIBYA. The Russian armies were waging furious war with increasing success, and in Libya General Anchinleck was mopping up the German and Italian forces. In the air and on the sea the enemy was being dealt heavy blows. As he spoke an important battle was being fought around Agedabaya, and he had good confidence in its outcome. The fighting in Libya had proved that with equal weapons in their hands and proper support from the air our men were more than a match for the Nazi hordes. DEATH OR VICTORY, In Libya, as in Russia, events of 1 great importance had taken place, but, latest of all, the mighty republic of the United States had entered the conflict, and entered it in a manner which showed that for her there could be no escape and no withdrawal except by death or victory. it was now possible to take a broad forward view of the war. THREE PHASES. There were three main periods or phases in the struggle that lay ahead. The first was the period of consolidation of combination and of final preparation. In that period, which must bo marked by much heavy lighting, the Allies would still be gathering their strength, resisting assaults of the enemy, and acquiring the necessary overwhelming air superiority and shipping tonnage to give the forces all support. How long that period would take depended upon the rate of production in all war industries. The second phase plight bo called the phase of liberation, during which all the strength of the Allies would be applied to reinstating overrun and subjugated nations. Those nations must not relax their moral and physical efforts, and preparation for the day of deliverance. Those responsible for bringing about world suffering would be dealt with, and particular punishment would be reserved for the Quislings and traitors who had made themselves the tools of the enemy. They would be handed over to the judgment of their fellowcountrymen. The third phase would be devoted to determining the future of the guilty Powers, both in Europe and Asia. He was not attempting to assign any time limits to these phases, which depended upon the Allies’ efforts and achievements and upon the hazardous and uncertain course of the war. Nevertheless, said Mr Churchill, he felt it was right to make it dear that, while

an ever-increasing bombing offensive against Germany would remain one of the principal methods by which it was hoped to bring the war to an end, it was by no means the only effort which the Allies’ growing strength enabled ] them to take into account. He was not underrating the tremendous difficulties and perils, but, whatever the suffering, the Allied nations would in a spirit of sober confidence stand by one another as true and faithful comrades ami do their duty to the end. Towards the end of his speech, Mr Churchill, speaking in French, expressed the hope that one day France would again take her place among the great company of liberated and victorious nations. ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME GREETED BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE (Rec. 12.40 p.m.) OTTAWA, Dec. 30. The warmth and enthusiasm of Canada’s welcome to Mr Churchill were indicated by the fact that a crowd, estimated at 100,000, waited outside Parliament House in Ottawa while he was delivering to the Canadian Parliament the first speech he has made in person in any dominion as Prime Minister of Great Britain. , As his car arrived the crowd broke through the cordon and surged up to the steps of the building. Mr Churchill spoke 3-5 minutes, and his speech, which dealt particularly with Canada’s contribution to the war effort, held a message of confidence in the achievement of ultimate victory. It was stated in Washington that Mr Churchill will return to White House this week to resume his talks with President Roosevelt and other American and British war leaders.