PROGRESS OF WAR

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 226, 22 August 1940, Page 7

PROGRESS OF WAR

LORD HALIFAX’S SURVEY. DEFENCE OF FREEDOM. (British Official Wireless ) RUGBY, Aug. 20. The Foreign Secretary (Lord Halifax) in a statement to-day in the House of Lords on the progress of the war, said the Government recognised the importance of making the British position in the Mediterranean as strong as possible and of keeping open the trade routes. With this must come the fullest possible employment of the Air Force against Germany and Italy. Lord Halifax paid a tribute to the Czechs, Poles, Norwegians, Dutch, Belgians and French who were cooperating with the British. Ho also spoke of the steady flow of men and material coming across tlie seas from the Dominions, “and last, but by no means , least, the steady assistance from the United States, which is warmly appreciated.” Speaking of Germany', Lord Halifax said there was no one in Britain who wished to destroy her or deprive her of her legitimate place in Europe. Equally, there was no one who was not determined that Germany should not destroy Britain or the freedom of Europe. Germany must he ready to admit the right of other nations to live in peace and be free to live in peace. It was not human nature to suppose that the Germans were ready at present for anything except peace on their own terms.

“I cannot doubt that, whatever the cost, it is the duty as it is also the desire of this country to continue the war till the rulers of Germany are ready for such a settlement as can alone bring peace to Europe, aiid we have no doubt of our ability to convince them of it,” he said. WORKERS DETERMINED. The unswerving determination of British labour to make an end of Nazism was tlie keynote of tlie presidential address to the annual conference of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Trade unions, to which 1,500,000 workers are affiliated “Fundamentally, this is a worker’s war,” tbo president (Mr J. W. Stephenson) said. “Our soldiers, sailors, and airmen come in the main from work-ing-class homes. We will not Jet them down. There can he no peace or rest .till Nazism is utterly eliminated. The giant of British labour is awake in the full vigour of endeavour and we shall annihilate tlie enemy, no matter what the cost and sacrifice. Labour conquers all things, given the will and the cause. We shall win.” The Daily Telegraph comments: “These unions represent the skilled workers in some of the country’s key industries. They are not the least independent., democratic and influential section of British organised labour, whose i authentic voice could not be heard more faithfully through any other channel. Tlie president’s words are more impressive as coining from a representative of an organisation which has hitherto stoutly opposed all warlike policy. The transformation is is almost startling. Though Hitler would hate to know it- that transformation is his most signal achievement.” DOMINIONS’ PART. The Secretary for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair), in the House of Commons, referring to the suggested Dominion representation in tlie War Cabinet, said, “It would he difficult to include representation of all the Dominions Wo have an admirable method of association of tlie Dominions with the War Cabinet decisions and also with framing the policy on which the War Cabinet proceeds,” states the Press Association. “There is great force in the argument that inclusion of Imperial statesmen would be symbolic of Empire unity, but surely the contribution of each Dominion to our war effort is the greatest symbol of uuity.”