STATE OPENING

Evening Star, Issue 25564, 17 August 1945, Page 11

STATE OPENING

BRITISH PARLIAMENT GOVERNMENT PLEDGED TO PEACE (Rec. 9 a.m.) LONDON, August 15. As the King and Queen drove out of tho grand entrance at Buckingham Palace for the triumphal procession to Westminster for the opening of Parliament they were greeted by a mighty shout from a crowd which jostled against the khaki-clad guards and bent the lines of police. This was inspired by a spirit of triumph. The people had waited hours for this instant. The King saluted the crowds, and the Queen raised a gloved hand in a characteristic gesture. The greatness of the occasion and the spirit of rejoicing compensated for any absence of pomp or traditional ceremony. The cavalry escort was there in khaki, but as impressive as ever. Swords gleamed in the drizzle as the escort trotted by two hours before their Majesties arrived at the House of Lords for the first opening of a Parliament with a Labour majority Distinguished visitors had tafcen their reserved seats, and sat looking down on the glittering, beautifully-enwrought twin thrones on the red carpeted dais. Golden clusters of soft lights lit up the scene. The King said the surrender of Japan had brought to an end six years of warfare causing untold loss and misery. "It is fitting that we should give humble and solemn thanks to God, by Whose grace we had beeii brought final victory. Gratitude is due to the forces in every part of the Commonwealth and the Empire who fought with steady courage and endurance. "We remember especially those who laid down their lives in 'the fight for freedom." The King referred to the Berlin conference as laying the foundations on which the peoples of Europe after the long nightmare of war might restore their shattered lands. " I welcome the ostablishmetit of tho Council of Foreign Ministers." he said. "My ministers will submit to you the United Nations Charter expressing the determination of the United Nations to maintain peace in accordance with justice, the respect of human rights, and to promote the welfare of all peoples by international co-operation. It is the firm purpose of my Government to work in the closest co-operation with the Governments of my dominions and in concert with all peace-loving peoples to attain a world of freedom, peace, and justice, in which the sacrifices of war shall not have been in vain.

" The devastating new weapon which science has now placed in the hands of humanity should bring home to all lessons that the nations of the world must abolish the recourse to war or perish by mutual destruction. To this end my Government is determined to promote throughout the world conditions under which all countries may face- with confidence the urgent tasks of reconstruction, and to carry out in this country those policies which have received the approval of the people." The Government would take up .energetically the tasks of demobilisation and resettlement of service men and women and the reconversion of industry to peace-time production. The Government would take up the extension of public ownership. Machinery would be established for the effective planning of investment Bills brought forward to bring the. Bank of England, under public ownership"-a'ud to nationalise the coal industry. A measure would- be brought down for the reorganisation of air-transport. The Gpvernment would continue to work in close consultation with other members of the Commonwealth on all matters of mutual concern. The Government would do its utmost to promote a full Tndian self-government.

or dare to fall upon each other for the sake of vulgar, out-dated ambition or passionate differences in ideologies, and that an international supremo authority may give ; peace on earth and justice among men " Mr Churchill denied that the use of the atomic bomb hastened Russia's entry into the Far Eastern-war. " My understanding with Generalissimo Stalin for a considerable time past had been that Russia would declare war on Japan within three months of the German surrender. Delay was needed in order to move over the transsiberian railway large reinforcements to convert the Russian Manchurian army from a defensive army to an offensive army."