SATISFIED WITH VISIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 5 February 1942, Page 5

SATISFIED WITH VISIT

RUSSIAN TRADE UNION DELEGATION BRITISH INDUSTRY WORKING WELL (Rec., 11.25 a.m.) Rugby, Feb., 4. M. N. M. Shvernik. leader of the Soviet Trade Union delegation which hrs been visiting Britain, said to-day the. the delegation was entirely satisfied with its stay in Britain and with the opportunities it had for fulfilling the purpose:: for which it came. It visited more than ten cities and about 60 factories, works, mines and shipyards. The delegation stressed in particular the hearty welcome received everyI where, and considered these facts, { taken together, as an expression of the | warmest feelings for the Soviet Union and the most profound and sincere apj preciation of the very serious help j which the Soviet Union had afforded iand was still affording to Britain, by (drawing off the main German forces j to the east. The delegation considered that if industry as a whole could be judged by 1 the work of those factories and plants i which it had visited. British industry was working well. It saw a good organisation of production and excel ; lent equipment, but the most striking ! fact of all was the splendid morale of \ , the British working men and women, i In the delegation’s opinion, the Brij tish working men and women under- l j stood very well, all the seriousness of the international situation to-day and j the magnitude of the peril which hung j ' over the liberty and independence of I millions like a black cloud. FRIENDSHIP STRENGTHENED The delegation was convinced that its [meetings with British working men and ' women would serve to re inforce friendship between the British working i class and the working class of the [Soviet Union. Hearty greetings had been received from British workers, j and an assurance that they were deter - J mined to carry on the fight until comIplete victory over Hitlerism was obtained. The delegation was of the opin- | ion that the difference of political j systems between the Soviet Union and Britain could not constitute an obstacle to the working classes of both countries for the struggle against Hitlerism and to them giving full support in that struggle to Comrade Stalin and Mr Churchill. “The Soviet Trade Union delegation expresses its confidence that its stay ip Britain, and its personal contact with the leaders of the general council I of the British Trade Union will have a beneficial influence for a further deep- j ening of friendship between Soviet and j British trade unions, and thereby for a 1 greater success of our joint activities in | the fight against Hitlerite Germany.” M. Schvernik added: “The high morale of the British working class is particularly important because the industry of Britain must in one way or another reach an increasingly greater tempo in its work. British industry must do this because war demands it. and because the interests of all freedom-loving peoples demand it and the interests of Britain herself first and foremost. British industry possesses all that is requisite to an increase of output in all forms of armaments, and the delegation asserts that there is still in the industry very considerable reserves not yet utilised.”—B.O.W.