SECOND FRONT

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1942, Page 6

SECOND FRONT

Sir S. Cripps DISCUSSES THE POSSIBILITY. 8.0.W. RUGBY, May 17. Sir Stafford Cripps, speaking at Bristol about British determination to defeat their enemies with the help of their friheds, referred particularly to Australia and Russia, and commented on the possibility of the formation of a second front. Australia, he said, was under great stress in the face of a possibility of a possible invasion, but the British authorities hoped that the splendid results of the Coral Sea battle would discourage a Japanese attempt to attack Australia. At the same time, Britain must do her utmost to help Australia, who had done great work for Britain. Sir S. Cripps, after referring to the support nf Russia, the United States, and China, said that Britain had done her utmost to help Russia with supplies and armaments. “Already, the Germans are getting uneasy at the militant offensive spirit of the British and American people in the matter of a second front, which the (Prime Minister welcomed in his recent broadcast. The Germans will, I believe, show something more than nervousness when our two Governments translate that militant spirit into offensive action, as they certainly will do the moment they judge it opportune.” Sir S'. Cripps said that when he got to know Marshal Timoshenko in Russia, he found that he had the qualities of a great leader, and the Germans round Kharkov would no doubt second that opinion. The much-heralded German offensive had been turned into a Russian offensive. Sir S. Cripps referred to American production, and said that the output of all classes of offensive material would soon become overwhelming. The Americans had a full task in dealing with Japan, but just as Britain was helping them in the Pacific, they were helping to deal with the other Axis partners. The Allies were also being helped by the great V army on many scattered fronts, and by guerrillas. Sir S. Cripps said that he would continue to work for self-govern-ment and self-determination for India. Referring again to the offensive spirit of the All Lies, Sir S. Cripps said the whole of Britain felt that the long defensive period necessitated by the fall of France was nearing the end, and that the time had come to prepare to take the offensive in the decisive stage of the war. “Let us remember that our advance will not be easy or uninterrupted. The power of our enemies, though diminished, is by no melans spent. We shall yet meet crushing difficulties, and maybe painful defeats in some theatres, but behind all there will be growing, day bv day. that vast air strength which w.ill sooner or later, and' must sooner in some fields, give us overwhelming superiority; but our air strength, and that of our American allies, has not nearly reached' its peak power. There is every reason for hope and confidence m the future, but none for easy optimism or stupid complacency/' Speaking of the future. Sir Sspirit of the Allies, Sir S. Cripps said Cripps said the war had proved that the common aim was of sufficient importance to make evreybody work together. Poverty, ill-health; unemployment. and bad housing were some of the principal enemies of the whole human race, and he believed there was a large body of people prepared to wage as ruthless and total war on these enemies as on Hitler and Mussolini. Nothing must be allowed to stand in the way of that

fight. Just as Bristol had been torn by the ravages of war, so too had much of the pre-war outlook gone, to be replaced by a deeper and more-significant vitality, which sought to prove itself in terms of actual social and economic experience. “Without that driving power of moral, religious, or ethical force, which is patent in our people to-day, we shall not be able to accomplish victory in war or peace. We must dedicate and sacrifice ourselves and our personal interests, not only in the effort to defeat and destroy our Nazi and Fascist enemies, but also to wip<-' out those foul enemies, poverty, disease, unemployment, and bad housing, which have destroyed so many of our people in the past, and which, unless we overcome them with every weapon we possess, will destroy them again, and even more terribly, in the future.”