GEN. SMUTS’ ADDRESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 October 1942, Page 5

GEN. SMUTS’ ADDRESS

TO LORDS AND COMMONS INSPIRING REVIEW OF WAR Confidence In Allies’ Victory

RUGBY, October 21. Addressing the united assembly of the Houses of Lords and Commons. General Smuts said: “When we survey the world heaving to-day in its agony, we see everywhere the same spirit lighting up the sombre scene. The spirit of man, neither dead nor decadent. It will never bend the knee before the new slavery. The light of freedom which guided our slow, faltering advance through the ages, still shines m the night which has overtaken us. Glory is still with us. and we shall follow it with all our strength and devotion to the new dawn, which surely aw’aits our race. But the rough, terrible passage before us calls for all our combined resources, all our concentrated will and effort, am.’ all our highest leadership to carry us to our goal. There is no place ior complacency and wishful thinking. The mortal struggle is on and will become more cruel and. desperate as the end draws nearer. - ' General Smuts said tne people of Britain were the real heroes of this epic world-wide drama. Their spirit was unbending and unbreakable. Though they had suffered greatly and had lost many things, they had not lost the most precious thing of all. Rather had it increased. The soul of the country remained. Glory had not departed from the land. Britain's glory was to have stood in the breach, and kept the way open to man’s vast future. This was the glory of the spirit which saw and knew no defeat or loss, but increasingly nerved, nourished, and sustained the will to final victory. “But." said General Smuts, “the spirit, resolution, endurance and sacrifice is not confined to Britain. Other Allied nations, each in, its own degree, shared this spirit.” • Examining the war situation. General Smuts said :“Our role m the first three years has necessarily been defensive. We could barely maintain our self defence against the terrible odds. In cases where we were in honour bound to take the offensive in support of other small peoples we suffered reverses which still further weakened us. However we should never regret the help we did our best to bring to Norway. Holland and Greece in their hour of need. In those common sufferings, the united Nations were born, but these efforts were indeed beyond our resources at the time, arid we suffered discouraging reverses. Only in Africa could we assume the offensive. “The most deadly catastrophe of ah had been the fall of France It was an awful moment m history. J he slki■<jn fall of a great nation and world Power was a phenomenon almost unknown in history, and this particular blow was as unexpected as it was deadly. The enemy looked upon it, as also for us, the end, and this infatuation providentially saved us.

RUSSIAN RESISTANCE • “Instead of immediately turning on London, the enemy persevered m his planned course to Paris, ana gave us lhe opportunity to recover our breedn and prepare for the blitz on Rondon The defeat of the 1 m supreme crisis saved nut only London and Britain, but I firm believe the whole Allied cause and the fiuuie Gt the world. The fall of Prance was followed by another fatal mistake on tiw part of Hitler. Baulked in his air attack on London, he saw it was unsafe to attempt an invasion of Biilam before first clearing ms rear in sia magnitude and duration 01 rhe Russian resistance surprised not only Hitler, but probably everybody else. Probably no such I'lyws nn bom sides have ever been suffered in the history of war. H the Russian losses were terrible, it was equally utiu mm the German Army was bleeding m death in Russia. Tne appalling blood-letting, which was necessary for Hitler's ultimate dcleai, was be.ng administered by the Russians, and they alone could do it. m spue ci their losses of men, material and ritorv, the Russians showed, not. bie least sign of giving in, and me bi.x'i defence would go on to the hitter end. 'This impression was cqnli'inco oy tm inside information. Hitler had done his best to avoid Napoleon’s example, but history might yet record Ike course he actually adopted was even more fatal than Napoleons I'enecn from Moscow. The course for all olw> to follow was clear. Whatever hep and in whatever form we cwid give Russia to sustain her in ner colossal effort should be given m tne lUllesl measure with the utmost speed, She was bearing more than her share 01. lhe common burden.

FAR. EAST After the fall of France, said General Smuts, the Vichy regime opened the door to Japan in Indo-China, and the flood poured into Siam, Malaya and Burma. The Dutch East Indies and other island groups in the Far East were doomed to fall before the Japanese and the flood had been stopped just shore of the shores of Australia and New Zealand. The Allies had been blamed for these tremendous set-backs, which had been hinted at as a sign of the approaching downfall of the British Commonwealth. As a matter of fact, the situation developed as a logical sequence to the downfall of France and nothing else. They mourned the series of losses of territory, particularly the great Dutch East Indies and deplored | their lack of greater opportunity to help China, but those things , would pass. For Japan, as for Hitler’s Germany, the writing was on the wall, and all that would remain would be Japan for the Japanese. Japan had sealed her own doom, through her attack on Pearl Harbour which had | consolidated and crystallised American opinion as nothing else could nave done. , , , x, Three steps which had marked the climb of the Democracies out of the abyss were the defeat of the Luftwaffe over London, the treacherous attack by Germany on Russia, despite the peace treaty between them, and Pearl Harbour, in its timely effort in carrying America into war. “We have much to be thankful for,” said General Smuts, “but no less than for the colossal mistakes of our enemies. Will a fourth blunder be committed? Will Japan, in spite of her peace treaty with Russia, launch a treacherous attack against her? Only time will show.” . . Turning to the question of a second front, General Smuts said he would not discuss the future strategy of the war but would leave the subject to amateur strategists. He would emphasise however, that one phase of the war had ended, and another begun. The final alignment of the two sides had been completed. The resources of the United Nations were on the increase, while those of the enemy were on the decline. The United Nations’ manpower was steadily growing while those of the enemy was being constantly depleted The spectre of want and starvation had appeared in subject countries, and there was growing unrest against the totalitarian masters. The situation was ripening for great developments. Time hitherto had been on the side of the United Nations, and once the time

came to take the offensive, it would be folly to hesitate. Nor were the United Nations likely to so so. l On this point,” added General Smuts, it. would be unwise for me to say more. Contrasting Nazi ideology with the principles of Democracy, General Smuts said the real issue m the struggle had become perfectly clear. There was the challenge to all that the Democratic peoples held dear. This war was a new crusade, a new fight to the death for man’s rights and liberties. j , ■ Envisaging the post-war world, he said that with the experiences of die last war, they ought this time to hammer out something more clear and practicable than before. They could not hope to establish a new order at once in the bleak post-war world, but there were certain social economic problems that could be tackled almost at once on an international scale, to make a better world, and a richer life for man. There was no reason why they should not thankfully and sincerely attempt to carry out the task which would lie before them. People were searching their souls for the causes of war, and one of the post-war tasks would be to build a new kind, of human solidarity and a new spirit among men that would remove those causes. HOME LEADERS’ TRIBUTES RUGBY, October 21. Mr David Lloyd George, “Father of the House of Commons,” presided at the joint meeting of the Commons and Lords, addressed by General Smuts. . n ~ x ~ Mr Lloyd George said that they greeted one of the foremost statesmen of his generation, who was exceeded m calmness and discernment by no one in his age. “No one knows bettei than I General Smuts’ great experience of the last war, or the value oi his judgment on that occasion. He will tell us something about this war, and from his words of wisdom we may gather some comfort and some confidence of deliverance from our present difficulties.”

Churchill, expressing the Members’ thanks after General Smuts had spoken, said he had tried hard, when in Cairo, to persuade General Smuts to visit Britain. “I felt his presence hero at the time the war hangs heavily noon us, would be a great reinforcement to our councils and our spirit. His wisdom, knowledge and experience are invaluable to those charged with the executive responsibility. All he said arises from calm, profound reflection from knowledge and resolute unflinching, inflexible conviction and courage, in your name I express to him our most profound acknowledgment, our gratitude, and our thanks for all he has done in long years that have gone. Also, for the impressive statement he delivered to us to-day on what in many ways was an unprecedented occasion.” Tremendous applause was given General Smuts, while Mr Churchill and Mr Lloyd George were also cheered. SCENES oFeNTHUSIASM. (Rec 11.25) LONDON, October 21. Nearly 1000 Peers and Members of the Commons, including all the Cabinet Members, met secretly in London, to-day, to hear General Smuts’ speech. The High Commissioners, including Mr. Jordan, sat facing General Smuts, divided by a gangway from the Cabinet Members, behind whom were the Lords, then Members of the Commons. There were thunderous cheers and clapping as the Speaker, the Lord Chancellor, Mr. Churchill and Mr. Lloyd George walked down the aisle, followed by General Smuts, who walked alone. General Smuts wore a Field Marshal’s uniform, his breatst ablaze with medal ribbons. The hall seated about 800. Many Members of the Commons found standing room only. The audience frequently cheered and applauded General Smuts throughout his speech, especially when he made reference to China, Holland. Greece and other oppressed nations, but the loudest cheering followed his praise for Russia. When General Smuts sat down, Mr. Churchill rose to thank him. The proceedings then moved to a tumultuous climax. Mr. Churchill asked everyone to rise and accord General Smuts the acclamation he deserved, and the audience cheered and applauded for over a minute while Mr. Lloyod George and Mr. Churchill warmly shook his hand. Then someone started “He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” whereupon Mr. Churchill motioned the audience to join in. Three cheers followed.