GOOD HEART

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20259, 29 May 1940, Page 7

GOOD HEART

ALLIED FORCES DISCIPLINE KEPT CHURCHILL MESSAGE CHEERS IN COMMONS DUTY REAFFIRMED CONFIDENCE IN CAUSE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. May 29, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 28. The House of Commons assembled calmly to-day. The Russian Ambassador, } M. Maisky, was present. The Belgian Ambassador was absent.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill, was loudly cheered when he rose to speak: “The House will be aware,” he said, “that the King of the Belgians yesterday sent a plenipotentiary to the German command asking for the cessation of arms on the Belgian front. (Cries of “Shame.’ ”)

“Trie -pritisn and French Governments instructed their generals immediately to dissociate themselves from the procedure and persevere with the operations in which they are now engaged. “The German command agreed to the Belgian proposal and the Belgian Army ceased to resist at four o’clock this morning.

“I have no of suggesting that we attempt at this moment to pass judgment upon King Leopold’s action in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Belgian army. The Belgian Government has dissociated itself from King Leopold’s act. (Cheers.) The Belgian Government has declared itself to be the only legal Government of Belgium and has formally announced the resolve to continue the war by the side of the Allies who came to Belgium’s aid m response to her urgent appeal. Beset on Three Sides “The situation of the British and French armies now engaged is very severe. The battle is beset on three sides and from the air and the position is evidently extremely grave. The surrender of the Belgian army in this manner adds appreciably to theii grievous peril, but the troops are in good heart and fighting with the utmost discipline. (Cheers.)

“I expect to make a 'statement to the House on the general position when the result of the intense struggle now going on can be known and measured. This may not be until the beginning of next week. Meanwhile the House must prepare itself for hard and heavy tidings.

“Nothing which may happen in this battle can in any way relieve us from the duty to defend the world cause to which we have bound ourselves, nor should the events destroy confidence in our powers to make our way, as formerly in history, through disaster and grief to the ultimate defeat of the enemy.” (Loud cheers.) Gallant Belgian Fight

Mr. ChurcTiill paid a tribute to The Belgian aimy. He said it had fought very bravely and suffered and inflicted heavy losses. (Cheers.) He added that the sense of brotherhood among those conquered would play its part in days better than those through which we were passing. Mr. Churchill also said he would not state what action, in conjunction with the powerful assistance of the navy, the air force would have taken or it was hoped would be taken. Mr. H. B. Lees-Smith (Lab., Keighley) thanked Mr. Churchill, and said: “Whatever may be the news of the next few days and weeks we have not yet touched the fringe of this country’s resolution. Sir Percy Harris (Lib., West Bethnal Green) said that the dignified statement reflected the feeling or the House and the whole nation. The House thereupon proceeded to other business