MR. CHAMBERLAIN SPEAKS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 10 January 1940, Page 6

MR. CHAMBERLAIN SPEAKS

His Own Dedication To Victory

THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS DIRECTED TO ONE PURPOSE ONLY

ADDRESS TO DISTINGUISHED GATHERING AT MANSION HOUSE

THE WAR SITUATION [British Official Wireless] (Received 10th January, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, 9th January. In his speech in the city to-day inaugurating the great nation-wide campaign in which members of the War Cabinet addressing the people directly will renew the asservation of the objects for which the Allies have taken up arms and steel the resolution of the public for the sacrifices which lie ahead, the Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, referred to his own dedication to victory. After a brief allusion to his own efforts to avert warbrief, but eloquent to the sympathetic audience of so much of the diplomatic history of the past three years—Mr Chamberlain declared in ringing tones: “Since that day when war was declared my sole thoughts and all my actions have been directed to one purpose only, namely to do all I could in the closest conjunction with our dauntless French allies to bring this war to a successful conclusion. To that end I have subordinated everything else—all thought of rest or relaxation —all partial effections, to use the word of the daily prayer in the House of Commons —all personal feelings and considerations whatsoever. “From that purpose, so long as I hold my present office and until the war comes to an end, I will not be deflected, nor will I shirk my inevitable responsibilties in what I feel to be right, no matter how difficult or even disagreeable they may be.” The distinguished gathering at the Mansion House greeted these words with cheers which bespoke their own readiness to shoulder the burdens of which the Prime Minister spoke frankly in later passages of the speech. ORGANISATION OF FORCES The Prime Minister then proceeded to review the war situation. In the part of his speech directed to events abroad, in which he denounced the unpricipled attack on Finland, Mr Chamberlain summed up his view of the organisation of forces in the following words: “When I look beyond the boundaries of this country I cannot fail to observe how easily and rapidly these evil things of which I have spoken before, spread unless they are checked. Germany used brute force upon unhappy Poland and to-day we can see how she is treating the Poles and Czechs, exploiting their resources, carrying off their food, starving and shooting their people, tearing them and uprooting them from their homes in order to make way for Germans who in their turn have been forced to leave the lands where they and their children and families had been settled for generations.” But given an Allied victory he saw hopeful possibilities in the outcome of the Anglo-French co-operation which had already been the subject of observations by the French Premier. OPERATIONS OF WAR AT SEA Mr Chamberlain said that it was only on the sea that the war could be said to be in full operation, and it was on the sea that we could discern most clearly the trend of hostilities. The oceans had been swept clear of German shipping. At sea Germany had lost by capture, sinking, and above all by scuttling, 228,000 tons of shipping. The rest of her merchant fleet was either bottled up in foreign ports or confined to the Baltic. “On the other side, if we subtract from our losses our gains by captures, by new ships, or by transfers from foreign flags, we have lost to date 122,000 tons—less than one per cent of our merchant fleet. Meanwhile, every day there are passing on the world’s oceans no less than 11,000,000 tons of British shipping.” In reference to the aggression on Finland he said that Britain’s response to the League resolution would be no mere formality. A LASTING ASSOCIATION French and British co-operation in rendering assistance to Turkey after the terrible earthquake there was an example of the intimate association between the two nations. Mr Chamberlain added: “I cannot help thinking that our experience of this association during the war will prove so valuable that when the war is over neither will want to give it up. It might even develop into something wider and deeper because there is nothing which would more facilitate the task of peaceful reconstruction which has got to be undertaken sometime.” “There is nothing which would contribute more towards the permanence of its results than the extension of the Anglo-French collaboration in finance and economics to the other nations in Europe and indeed perhaps to the whole world.” The Prime Minister dealt in great detail with the sacrifices which would fall upon all classes as the war effort increased in intensity. No people was more patriotic than the British or more ready to sacrifice themselves for their principles. After denying in the strongest terms what, he described as a vindictive, malicious invention, namely the suggestion that the Allies sought the annihilation of the German people, Mr Chamberlain continued: “On the other hand the German people must realise that the responsibility for the prolongation of this war and of the suffering it may bring in the coming years is theirs as well as that of the tyrants who stand over them. They must realise that the desire of the Allies for an essentially humane and just Christian settlement cannot be satisfied by assurances which experience has proved to be worthless. The methods that are pursued by the Government of Hitler are a standing threat to the independence of every small State of Europe. They are a constant menace to the moral standards on which the whole of Western Civilisation is founded. FOR SO GREAT AN END Nowhere have they aroused greater detestation than throughout the continents of North and South America. In his recent message to the Pope President Roosevelt declared that only by the friendly association of seekers of the light and seekers of peace everywhere could the forces of evil be overcome. I profoundly agree with that. I would add that if the forces of right are to prevail we must not hesitate to risk our blood or our treasure for so great an end."

Turning to the home front the Prime .Minister said that with the numbers registered last June the total number of men who had since the introduction of compulsory service been registered or become liable to be called up was between two and a half and two and three-quarter millions. Adding those already members of the regular reserve and auxiliary forces before the war Britain’s mobilisation of man-power clearly was on a prodigious scale.

“The total of men registered or liable to calling up under the proclamation is two and a half to three and a half millions. “Every day there are upon the oceans of the world no fewer than eleven million tons of British shipping. We have lost two large warships and a certain number of smaller vessels, and a number of valuable lives, yet our comamnd of the sea is unimpaired. The defeat of the Graf Spee was one of the

finest naval actions in all our history. It was followed by her self-destruction rather than face the renewal of the fight. The South Atlantic was cleared of the raider and irreparable damage was inflicted on German naval prestige throughout the world.

Speaking of civil defence Mr Chamberlain said it was not surprising that some asked whether all the air raid precautions were necessary and whether we had not gone too far in the direction of safety. I wish I could take that view. I do not consider the risk of air raids is over or diminished. It certainly would be a capital mistake if we reversed our policy. “Although we are not actually fighting on land we are preparing to do so to the greatest effect at the right moment, for which reason we are devoting more and more manpower to armament production.

“This New Year, which is probably a fateful one in the history of the world, opened quietly but it is the quiet of the calm before the storm. We know that what is happening in the air and on land is merely a preliminary to the main struggle."