FAITH—1916 & 1942

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1942, Page 6

FAITH—1916 & 1942

Mr Churchill's Angle LONDON, February 24. In his speech in the House of Commons on the war, Mr Churchill said. “Beyond this phase of tribulation, which may be snorter or longer m accordance with our exertions and behaviour, arises the prospect of the ultimate victory of Britain, the Umted States, Russia and China; indeed, for all tiie united nations, a victorj complete over all the forces that have fallen upon us. lhe ordeal through which we still have to pass will be tormenting and protracted, but if every one bends to the task with untiring effort and unconquerable resolve, if we do not weary by the way or fall out among ourselves or fail our Allies, we have the right to look forward across a great many months of sorrow and suffering; to a sober and' reasonable prospect of complete final victory.” The Prime Minister ended by repeating the words he used when he resigned from the ' Asquith Government on November 15, 1916. H(i said then: “There is no reason to be discouraged about the progress .of the war. We are passing through a bad time now.i and it will probably be worse before it is better, but that u twill be better, if only we endure and persevere, I have no doubt whatever. Old wars were decided by episodes .rather than tendencies. In this war, tendencies are far more important ' than episodes. Without winning any sensation we mav win this war. We may win it even through the continuance of extremely disappointing and vexatious events. To win the war, it is not necessary to push the German line back over the territories they havo absorbed, or to nierce them. While the German lines extend far beyond their frontier, while their flag flies over conquered capitals and subjugated provinces, and military successes attend their armies, Germany mav be defeated- far more: fatally in

the third year of the war than if the Allied armies had entered Berlin in the first year.” Mr Churchill continued: “Actually. Germany was not defeated until the fifth year, and we are already far advanced in the third year of the present struggle, except in this respect, provided vou add Japan to Germany. In this case, . I derive comfort from this passage. which comes back to me like an echo from the past, and I commend it especially to the consideration the House.”