PREMIER’S CALL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 267, 9 October 1940, Page 8

PREMIER’S CALL

UNITED NATION. BEACON IN EUROPE. (United Press Association —Copyright.) | (lice. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 8. “Long, dark months ot trial and tribulation lie betore us. We must be united. We must be undaunted. We must be indexible. “Our Quality and deeds must burn auu glow through the gloom ot Europe till they become the veritable beacon ot its salvation,” declared the Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) in his speech in the House or Commons. Mr Churchill said 8500 had been killed and . 13,000 injured between September 7 and October 5 (not since the outbreak as cabled earlier). The figures of killed and seriously injured since September 7 had declined steadily each, week from over 6000 in the first week, 5000 in the second week, aud 4000 in the third week to 3000 last week. “We must not exaggerate the damage to property. No one standing on tne eminences of London would know any harm had been done to the city,” declared the Premier. . At the present rate of demolition half of London’s houses would take ten years, and the progress would be much slower after that, but a lot of things were going to happen to Hitler and the Nazi regime betore even ten years were past. Mussolini, also had experiences ahead which he did not foresee when he thought it safe and profitable to stab stricken and prostrate Era lice in the back. “It is satisfactory to be able to announce that we are at present substantially stronger actually relatively in fighters and bombers than in the month of May, when heavy fighting began. The pilot situation is also rapidly improving.” BLOWS AT GERMANY. Referring to reprisals, Mr Churchill said: “Our object must be to millet the maximum harm upon the warmaking capacity of Germany. 1 hat is the only ooiect we shall pursue. \Ve are continually battering with stead-ily-increasing forces those points in Germany which we believe will do the Germans most injury and most speedily lessen their power to strike agains US.”

SAFEGUARDING HEALTH. Mr Churchill said large schemes were already afoot tor providing ood and hot drinks lor siießerers. 1 arreaclung measures were bomg taken to safeguard- the people's health under these novel, primordial conditions. A Bill had been prepared tor nationwide, compulsory insurance against damage to property from enemy hre. An appropriate charge would be levied against the capital value of buildings and would provide a tund which, supplemented by the Government it necessary, could cover everyone retrospectively from the outbreak of war. “Everyone can be sure that compensation for his home or place ot business will be made at the end of the ■ war, if 'not sooner,” said the l re-4 mier. “It is also proposed Ho provide insurance against risk of war damage for all forms of moveable property. “Meanwhile what has happened regarding the invasion? Don't let us be lured into supposing the danger rs past. The enemy has certainly prepared enough shipping and barges to throw half a million men in a single night on to the salt water—or into rtl The Home Guard, totalling 1,/00,000, must nurse its weapons and sharpen its bayonets. Training must proceed during the whole winter, and tne building-up of a great and well-equip-ped army, not necessarily always being confined to this island, must proceed. BRILLIANT VICTORIES. “The main reason why the invasion has not been attempted is the succession of brilliant victories by our fighter aircraft over greatly superior numbers. Three great days August 15, September lo and September 27—proved that here at home we have the mastery of the air. That is a tremendous fact, marking Su Cvril Newall’s laying down of an ' office he has held with such distinction. enabling us to record our admiration for services rendered.

“These air victories enable the Navy, •which is receiving great reinforcements, to insert its sure and'well-tried power. No one had ever pretended we could overtake the Germans with their immense aircraft lead in the first year or so of the war. We must give ourselves a chance, but don t forget the resources of the enemy have been substantially increased from captive.countm6‘ SHIPPING SITUATION. Professor H.‘ 11. Lees-Smith, following Mr Churchill, referred to the shipping losses. He said the whole of the naval situation would be changed if "e could have the ports on the west coast of Ireland. He ventured to say the City of Benares accident would probably not have happened if we had been able to use Loughswilly for our children. A hundred sailors were drowned and ships were sunk weekly because the Navy was refused access to ports of a part of our Commonwealth which but lor the navy would be where Denmark, Norway, and Holland were today.