PRESS COMMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 17 February 1942, Page 5

PRESS COMMENT

UNABATED CONFIDENCE IN CHURCHILL GRAVITY OF SITUATION NOT j MINIMISED i Rec. 9.45 a.m.) Rugby, Feb. 16.1 There is not any suggestion in ' Press comment here of minimising the gravity of the Far Eastern situation; and Mr Churchill’s description of the fall of Singapore as ‘‘a heavy and far-reaching military defeat” is echoed in every quarter. At the same time there is no question . that the general feeling is of unabated j confidence in Mr Churchill and of the i firm determination to act in the spirit of his words, “the same quality which had brought us out of the awful jeopardy of the summer of 1940 and I through the long autumn and winter bombardments from the air would bring us through this new ordeal, though it j must be more costly and certainly would be longer.” “The News-Chronicle ’ says: “At such moments the first need of the nation is to reaffirm its faith in itself and its unalterable determination upon victory. Mr Churchill, the toughest and most tenacious warrior of the Empire, has been in this respect a perfect example to all. Carrying an incalculable load of responsibility he has never wavered and when times were bad has never dissembled. The news is grave but we must keep it in perspective. The war may go still worse for us before it begins to go finally and decisively betl ter. But we know with certainty that given fidelity of purpose and unsparing individual effort the United Nations contain within their maturing capacity the means of absolute victory.” Both the “Daily Herald” and the “Daily Mail” feel that Mr Churchill is bearing a heavier burden of responsibility than any one man should be expected to carry and the "Daily Mail” concludes its comment: “The fortunes and mistakes of war will not be taken advantage of by anyone. Mr Churchill can rest assured of this. But nothing will deter us from probing into weaknesses in our war direction and demanding that the Government put them right. Only thus shall we steer our way not only into the storm but through it.”—8.0. W.