MR ROOSEVELT’S SPEECH

Grey River Argus, 19 March 1941, Page 6

MR ROOSEVELT’S SPEECH

Puts New Heart INTO DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] WASHINGTON, March 17. Lord Halifax (British Ambassador) described Mr Roosevelt’s speech as magnificent, and said that it put new heart into all those countries that intend to remain free. The Australian Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) has declared that the speech will put heart into all lovers of freedom. South American newspapers feature the speech on their front pages with huge headlines. One Argentine newspaper says that Mr Roosevelt has confronted Fascism and reaffirmed his faith in democracy. The Turkish radio said Mr Roosevelt’s speech was the strongest utterance ever made by a President of the United States. The hopes of the Axis that United States aid would arrive too late had now been dispelled. , , , , Herr Hitler is now left m no doubt that he is facing not only the might of Britain and the Empire, with their Allies, but also the whole of the vast resources of the United States. Soviet Russia frankly admits the value of American aid. The whole of a Russian radio news bulletin was devoted to an explanation of the Lease and Lend Act and of help which it will bring to Britain. AXIS VIEWS OF SPEECH BERLIN, March 17.* While the Wilhelmstrasse declines to comment on Mr Roosevelt’s speech, on the ground that it has far. more important matters under consideration, the “Diplomatische Korrespondenz” says that American intervention in the European conflict would be dangerous, and would be met with more-vigorous measures. TOKIO, March 17. The Japanese Government-con-trolled “Times” said: Mr Roosevelt’s speech meant a world war. By alarmist oratory, employed with force and flower, the United States President disclosed an attempt to unite under one,banner all the democracies not at present engaged in hostilities. Plainly, it is now a world war —the totalitarian nations with the Axis on one side, and the democratic totalitarian nations on the other. Whichever side wins, the world will get a new order of regimentation.

ENGLISH PRESS COMMENT

MR ROOSEVELT’S SPEECH HAILED AS DECISIVE. (Received March 18, 7.0 p.m.) < RUGBY, March 17. President Roosevelt’s historical address at Washington, in which he declared that Americans recognised the danger which confronted them, and had gone into action as a united nation, has been received here with appreciation and thankfulness. “Tne Times” says: “This great speech was more than a speech. It was rather a. political event of the first order. Recalling that it was broadcast: in 14 different languages, including those of all the countries now occopied and enslaved by Germany. “The Times” adds: “No matter what may be done by the Gestapo to prevent its contents from becoming known, it is bound to hav e an enormous effect, bringing new hope and confidence to all who love freedom General Smuts, on his return from Northern Africa, and} his discussion with Mr Eden and Sir John- Dill, hailed th G passage of the Lease and Lend Bill as ranging the forces of democracy against the totalitar-an dictators of Europe. The year 1941, he says, may be the grimmest year in history, but the issue is now certain In that certainty, now fortified by the President’s categorical undertakings, we can face and overcome whatever assault may be mad e upon us.” The immense significance of tne speech is recognised throughout th* entire press, which finds great encouragement in Mr Roosevelt’s declaration. In a typical comment, the Daily Telegraph’” says: “An outspoken statement of policy of this vital and far-reaching effect will prove the main determinant of the course or the war. This is plain speaking, and the world knows that the will and power to fulfil every word, are ample, and must assure- the victory of freedom, be the conflict short or long.” • , ~ The “News Chronicle” says.— “America is all out to win. In the technical sense, she still is not in fh e war, but in every real sense she is in up to the hilt.”

U.S.A. War Production SPEED UP IN WORKERS’ TRAINING URGED. (Received March 8, 10.0 p.m.). WASHINGTON, March 18. Mr Knlidsen, at a conference representative of management and labour, predicted that there would be soon an increase of over 60 per com. in the number of man hours of labour devoted to defence production. He estimated that th e defence programme would require eighteen thousand million man hours. • r urged a speed up in the training oi defence workers. ’BUS STRIKE. NEW YORK, March 17. The ’bus strike, affecting 95 per cent of Manhattan’s surface transportation, .threatens to continue indefinitely. Negotiations have been broken off, and neither side shows signs of yielding. RAILWAY SABOTAGE. ♦ BADEN (Pennsylvania), March 17. Definite evidence of sabotage was found after a Cleveland to Pittsburgh passenger train was wrecked, killing four and injuring 108, of whom 69 are seriously hurt. Railroad officials said that someone familia r with the block signal system loosened the rails without breaking the electric signal circuit, which 'would have halted the train. Travelling at 65 miles an hour, the train struck a loosened rail, and plunked over a 40-ft. embankment. | U.S.A. WHEAT. ! CHICAGO, March 17. Wheat fell one and a-quarter cents

but rallied slightly partly caused the but the late buying that the market was attributed to shorts and mills. LORD HALIFAX CONFIDENT. WASHINGTON, March 17. Lord Halifax asserted to-day, that Germany would be unable substantially to interrupt the flow of American supplies to Britain. He indicated that only a small percentage of American goods was now failing to reach England. He expected the intensified German submarine campaign to make little difference in deliveries. MEXICAN LABOUR STATEMENT (Received March 18, 7.15 p.m.). MEXICO CITY. March 17. Th e Mexican Confederation of Labour made a very strong pro-Ameri-can declaration, when it issued a lengthy manifesto stingingly denouncing the Axis. and warned Mexicans to beware of “false patriots” who were l working as Firth Columnists. The manifesto called on all popular organisations throughout the nation to sever whatever relations they might have with European institutions in order to reinforce bonds of friendship with the American Continent,

Wellington Citizens EXPRESS APPRECIATION. [Per Press Association] WELLINGTON, March 16. The deep appreciation of the Government and citizens of Wellington for the assistance given to Great Britain and the Allies by the United States in the passing, and carrying into effect of the Act, was expressed by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) and other speakers at a' meeting in the Town Hall convened by the New Zealand section of the British-American Co-operation Movement. “In 1847 Abraham Lincoln, one of America's greatest Presidents and one of the greatest statesmen of all time, uttered these memorable words that have come down in history with undimmed brightness and will resound through the corridors of time as long as people love freedom,” said Mr. Fraser. “Lincoln’s words were: ‘We are here that the dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ ” Seventy-seven years afterwards, said Mr." Fraser, another great President of the United States had put into effect the sentiments of Lincoln by introducing a measure that would mean so much not only to the British Commonwealth of Nations but to the entire world and humanity in general—the Lease-Lend Bill. On March 12. President Roosevelt sent a message to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which read: “This nation has found it imperative to the security of the United States that we encourage the democracies in their heroic resistance to aggression by not only maintaining but also increasing' the flow of material assistance from this country. Therefore Congress enacted and I signed the LeaseLend Bill. 'Through this legislation our country is determined to do its full part in creating an adequate arsenal of democracy.” The effect of those words, Mr. Fraser said, would be to create from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Circle a living and vital fighting force for democracy and human freedom. Britain, and America were united m their determination to stamp out the tyrannies of Nazism and Fascism anc. whatever men could do to fuithei this none would do more than those who hadV gone overseas from New Zealand. . “It is to express appreciation and gratitude to the American people and their President that we are meeting here this afternoon,” he said, “and that same spirit which has fired the British people, since faced with the most cruel tvrannv that ever blackened, mankind. is the spirit that is emanating from the great demociacv of the United States. Shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, both democracies will go forward to final triumph of freedom, liberty, and democracy.”