MR ATTLEE’S BROADCAST

Grey River Argus, 8 September 1945, Page 7

MR ATTLEE’S BROADCAST

DEMOBILISATION AND RECONSTRUCTION LONDON, Sept. 4. Mi’ C Attlee, Prime Minister, m a stated: On Sunday the Japanese, the last one of oui enemies whose ambitions plunged the wox ia into so much bloodshed and o y, signed the surrender terms. Thus Japan’s, long course of military aggression has ei }ded. Jap . inpcp action in Manchuxxa staxtea a Lain of events which culminated m world war The failure to deal with Ihis first breach of peace destroying the authority of the League of tions, in which the generat on which frueht the first world wai put lann, The B lesson that peace Is ind.v.stble and can only be preserved by a ic solute maintenance of the xule of the law throughout the woiid shod d have been learnt m 1918. The after then experienced a ? sco £ d w 2,\ ld war, more grievous than the fix st. lesson that was not learnt in 1918 must be learnt to-day. We have seen , fruits of yeaxs of toil destroyed and dispersed in a few years. Unless we can set on the other side gains m the progiess of human spirit and in 'the giowth of a new conception of human sowill be our task, in closest association ciety, those losses will be in vain. It with other nations, to seek to estab lish a world order in which wax shall be for ever banished. I never encouraged you to think that t end of hostilities would mean the immediate release of. all the men and women in the armed forces. While conditions are so unsettled in Europe wa must continue to find large forces for the occupation of the British zone in Germany. The most difficult period of the occupation is likely to be during the coming winter, when the inevitable shortages of food, i. Lie l and • raw materials will be disturbing influences. We must take oui shaie in’establishing conditions in Europe which will allow reconstruction without violence. We must take our share in establishing conditions in Europe which will allow reconstruction without violence. We have commitments in south-east Europe, the Mediterranean and Middle East. These responsibilities fell on us. as the victor. Oui’ sole endeavoui’ is to enable the will of the people to prevail and to assist in the establishment everywhere of Governments resting on popular consent. It is a difficult, perhaps thankless, task, but we have to perform it. “One of the prime difficulties of the situation after the last war, was the inability of the Powers who won to provide necessary forces for the prevention of violent action by sectional interests pending the completion of negotiations for a world peace. We must not fail the world. We fought for democracy and we must ensure that conditions for its exercise exist. Men and women already are being released from the forces twice as fast as last month, and an average of 45,000 weekly can be discharged for the rest of the year. I ask all men and women who may have to stay to do routine duties fox’ some lease you as soon as possible, but do time yet to be patient. We will renot be apprehensive that you will be kept longer than absolutely necessary. We are desperately short of man power. To meet the continuing needs of the Services men aged from 18 to 30 are being called up unless urgently needed as key men in the vital work of reconstruction. In particular, we are calling- up those now being released from munitions industries. To restore employment in civilian and export manufacture and in non-manufacturing industries, and to bring the Services to the 1939 pre-war level, we x'equire an increase of about 5,000,000 workers. There will need be no doubt, therefore that there is ample room for absorbing the maximum number of releasable .from the forces. A review of military requirements is being pursued with all speed. We have to consult the Dominions and oui' Allies and also beai’ in mind the transport facilities. Workers’ managements must improvise as they did during the war if we are to avoid unnecessary suffering on one hand and hold our own in the world on the other. Wei fought a great fight and we gave oui’ all fox' victory. Ovex’ all the hardships and dangers the future may hold, by the co-operation of the people and the Government Britain will triumph.”