STILL BEING WAGED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 7 August 1941, Page 5

STILL BEING WAGED

DEMOCRACIES' FIGHT FOR EXISTENCE Mr Attlee's Statement on War BRITISH ASSISTANCE FOR RUSSIA |! (Rec. 12.55 p.m.) Rugby, Aug. (> I he Lord Privy Seal, Mr C. R. Attlee, opened the debate on the Consolidated Fund Bill with a statement on the war. He stated that the democracies were still fighting for their existence against a strong and ruthless enemy. e On the Russian front, he said, it was clear that the plans of the Nazi High Command for rapid advance had not succeeded and 1 recalled that as long ago as I 3th July they claimed the Stalin line d has been pierced at all points and the roads to Moscow and Kiev arc 5 open." In the far north Murmansk was still in Russian hands. On the s other Baltic shore there had been no progress recently. Licrce fight • ing had taken place in the Smolensk area, but the road to Moscow ' was far from open. Kiev remains the bastion in the Russian defences and the Soviet Air Force continued to play its great part, t “I am sure everybody in this country has been stirred by this 1 splendid resistance to invasion," said Mr Attlee. "Britain," he addi ed, "is taking urgent steps to furnish Russia with supplies for which . she asked and no time has been lost in making contact by the fleet - at Kirkenes and other northern places where physical contact with the Russians is possible.

BOMBING OF GERMANY , The bombing of Germany had increased and would increase as the ; nights lengthened He revealed that during July alone 70 attacks were made on German towns and 75 on towns in (Occupied territory. “I don’t think there , is any doubt as to the effect these attacks are having on German morale. •' communications and industry." In the Middle East 126 attacks had been made, during which 410 units of the enemy air fleet had been destroy ed for certain for the loss of 285. “The House will not expect me to give any indications of other steps we : have taken to help our ally, but it may rest assured that within the limits of practicability everything possible will be done. The essential feature of the aid we can give is that it will be spectacular but that it will be effective.” BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC Reviewing the Battle of the Atlantic.! Mr Attlee said an increasing number of 1 U-boats had been operating since the ■ spring but provision had been made to meet this danger by providing more anti-submarine craft. Corvettes had been doing valuable escort service, and i 1 heavy scale defence in home waters '

had turned the enemy further afield so that the battle was now being fought over an area which stretched far out towards the United States coasts and far south in the tropical African seas.

“In this battle we have suffered severe losses and we shall not be satisfied while these losses continue, but we can look back on the last two months with reasonable satisfaction. I cannot give the House detailed figures without presenting to the enemy information which he would very much like to have, but I can say our imports have been maintained at a satisfactory figure in spite of all the enemy’s efforts.” j Mr Attlee pointed out that the enenr j was unable to broadcast a single clain i for a successful attack by U-boats be (tween 11th July and 28th July, but ii the last few days the Nazis had madi ; contact with one south-bound Atlanta convoy and claimed to have sun) 140,000 tons of shipping as well as j i corvette and a destroyer. In fact then ! were no destroyers present as th< convoy was escorted by corvette which gave a very good account o i themselves, “as U-boats had reason t< kr iw.” Although unable to give exac details of the tonnage sunk Mr Attlet said he was able to state that th( enemy’s claims represent an exagger ation of at least 350 per cent and prob ably 700 per cent. I The war at sea, Mr Attlee said, hac an offensive as well as a defensive side j and enemy shipping was continually j being attacked. July was a gooc month. Apart from attacks on war’ships and small units 92 enemy ship: jof a tonnage of 459.000 tons were sunk damaged or put out of action during the month. NAVAL ASSISTANCE IN SYRIA ! Mr Attlee then turned to naval j assistance rendered in the Syrian campaign where the primary task was to prevent supplies from reaching the i Vichy forces. In this they had beer ■ completely successful and no single British ship was lost in these anc other operations against Vichy warships. Turning to the African theatre Mi ;Attlee said that only a small pocket oi I Italians assisted by bad weather wa: ; still holding out in Abyssinia but else (where in the country Haile Selassie j with his cabinet of ministers was begin. In ing to reconstruct his country—the | first one to be rescued from the aggressors’ yoke. Officers had beer placed at his disposal by His Majesty’s Government and financial assistance was being afforded. INCREASED AMERICAN AID “A great factor differentiates out , situation from that of last year—the vastly increased scale of assistance from the United States. Not only doe: 'this flow of material exceed anything ' received from America during the lasi war, but it is sent to us under the ex i traordinarily generous terms of the Lease and Lend Act. - ' EUROPE LOOKS TO BRITAIN Mr Attlee then spoke of the rising j tide of resentment against the Nazi: which was appearing in the occupiec [territories and again urged the necessity for continued effort against the i very powerful enemy. The nations ol Europe look to us not only to destroy (Hitlerism but to show by practice a? well as precept, that wc offer a true alternative to Hitler’s new order, i In the British Commonwealth, the I policy wherein the freedom of every part does not detract from the unity of the whole, we demonstrate how it is possible for peoples diverse in race, (religion and language to work together oi the basis of the comrno i way of ; life—B.O.W.