Public Will Approve, Says Sir J. Simon

Northern Advocate, 4 May 1940, Page 7

Public Will Approve, Says Sir J. Simon

(Received 3 p.m.) RUGBY, May 3. In a speech in London tonight, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon) referring to the decision to withdraw from Trondheim, said: “Speaking with complete information which only members of the War Cabinet can at this stage have, I am quite confident that when the whole situation is laid • before an impartial public its judgment will be that the action decided upon was wisely taken upon the best advantage.” Speaking of the lessons which could be drawn from the past eight months, Sir John referred to the unparalleled unity and determination with which the British people are meeting the challenge. He added that there could be no vestige of doubt concerning the nature of the issues for which we are fighting.

“It is as plain as anything can be in this tangled story of human life on this planet that this is a conflict in defence of the ordinary liberties and of the ordinary common rights which free people know to be threatened with destruction,” he said. “The whole idea of freedom is inimical to Nazi ideals. It is therefore not merely a rhetorical phrase which declares that a German victory means the end of liberty.”