NEW AMBASSADOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23861, 11 January 1941, Page 10

NEW AMBASSADOR

LORD HALIFAX'S TASK VITAL IMPORTANCE DUTIES IN WASHINGTON DETAINING FULL STATUS 3jy T.'*'graph—Press Association —Copyright (Received January 10, 5.;?5 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 9 Tn a speech at the Pilgrims' luncheon farewelling Viscount Halifax, newlv-appointed British Ambassador to Washington, the Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, declared that it was no exaggeraton to say that the future of the whole world and ft civilisation founded on Christian ethics depended on the relations between the British Empire and the United States. "The identity of purpose and the persistence and resolve prevailing throughout the English-speaking world will, more than any other fact, determine the way of life open to generations, perhaps to centuries, which will tollow our own," he said. Mr. Churchill, says a British official wireless message, expressed the hope that Lord Halifax might prosper "in n mission as momentous as any monarchy has entrusted to an Englishman in the lifetime of the oldest of us." Co-operation Essential It the co-operation between Britain and America were to fail the British Empire, rugged and embattled, might hew its way through against the spirit of totalitarianism and preserve its life and. strength for an inevitable renewal of the..Conflict on worse terms after an uneasy truce. But the chance of setting the march of mankind clearly and surely along the high roads of human progress would be lost and might never return. "I hold it as a most fortunate occurrence that at this awe-inspiring climax in world affairs there should be at the head of the American Republic a famous statesman long versed and experienced, in the work of government, in whose heart burns the fire of resistance to aggression and whoso sympathies and nature make him the sincere and undoubted champion of justice and freedom and of the victims of wrongdoing wherever they may dwell," Mr. Churchill said. "Not less do I rejoice that this prominent figure should newly ■have received the unprecedented honour of being called for the third time to lead the American Democrats." The death of the Marquess of Lothian ■was a loss of the highest consequence *nd to fill the gap left they thought it .their duty to send without to the derangement of the British forces the best-man agreeable to the President that could be found, without regard to any other consideration, added Mr. Churchill. "We send to the United States an envoy who comes from the very centre of our countries and knows Jill our secrets." Unprecedented Position

Lord Halifax said he could claim none of the special qualifications of personal experience of the United States which had made Lord Lothian an ideal ambassador, but on the other hand he thought there was no precedent for the advantage he enjoyed in passing directly from the counsel of the War Cabinet and the chair of Foreign Secretary to represent Britain in Washington. Referring to this point Mr. Churchill had said he hoped that when he returned to London at any time for consultation he would resume his full functions as a Minister of the Crown. "My duty as I see it will not be confined to the business of one-way traffic in thought by the interpretation of the United States to the British Government and people," he said. "Not less j g rital will , be - the transplantation of British thoughts and purposes to the Government and peojjles of America. Events., indeed, have spoken more loudly than any words, and have had the effect both of making the attitude of our people unmistakably plain, and of bringing the people of America to the same awakening to the full significance of this struggle as has already ■come to us."

Necessities lor Victory After recalling the dark days of the collapse of France, when "we saw working at its best the spirit of democracy—a great Prime Minister and a great people working in complete mutual trust," Lord Halifax added: "Three things are necessary for victory—a good cause, materia] and strength to support it, and people with a spirit not ■unworthy of it. As to the first issues, they have been restated with penetrating simplicity by Mr. Roosevelt. As regards material, there has been steady development in. this country and all parts of the Empire, and wo are able to count increasingly on the massive industrial strength of America, the value of which it would be impossible to over-estimate. Of the spirit of our people .it is hardly necessary to speak. "There is no hope for a free human civilisation unless the foundations of its life, now challenged, can be secured. We,are encouraged by the knowledge that' the, will to resist this Gerinan attempt to secure world domination is as strong on the other side of the Atlantic as here, and we do not doubt that the achievement of our purpose .is within the power of Englishspeaking peoples."

BROADCAST NEWS VOLUNTARY CENSORSHIP BLUNDERS ALLEGED LOXDOX, Jan. 9 Ine British press is clamouring for compulsory censorship of British ISroad- . casting Corporation news bulletins. The newspapers must submit all eenBorablc matter, but the corporation is allowed to practise voluntary censorship of lis news releases. Ihe Daily Herald says: "The British Broadcasting- Corporation's degree of iioeriy and n licence is causlne concern to ihe cehsor.sh ip. Nines whiMi the censorsinp reasonably refused to release to newspapers lias repeatedly been 'broadcast, but recently there have been flagrant- blunders which have led to more vigorous protests, and remedial action is likely to follow. The British .broadcasting Corporation cannot be allowed to indulge in careless talk." -Dominion correspondents in London complain that the present system delays news cables for the Dominions, but fi'lows the British Broadcasting Corporatkm a clear field for instantaneous j