EUROPEAN WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25796, 17 March 1945, Page 7

EUROPEAN WAR

MAY END THIS SUMMER MR CHURCHILL’S HINT RUGBY, Mar. 15. Hints that the war iiwj ena in the summer, ana mat ne may iUn.. u..juitr Uoainiun Croveiinnciu ueiore me next cienerai Eiecuon were given oy ivir c-nuicmil, • addressing me eouoei vauve cany conieienct.. He saia me continuance and ever more rapid progieos or me war against uermaiiy anu nnzi lyi-nny nau led us an lo hope tnai the giain ioe would ue lorcea imo uueouanmnai surrenuer or beaten to tne ground in cnaos. "it will aiways be me giory ot our island race tnat in tne teem of wnat seemed to outsiders overwnelming odas its people never swerved from the patn of auiy, never lost faith in their mission to ftght against tyranny to the death. We Held aioft the flaming toren of freedom when all around was jet black. Then we gained time ana space for the United Nations to begin marshalling the forces of power and science. “ In those terrible days the whole of our Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations, with one melancholy exception round the corner, stood together with us of their own free will, from the greatest dominion to the smallest colony, in a spontaneous resolve to die or conquer with us in the righteous cause. This outstanding union of communities around the globe sprang not from legal or physical obligations, but from a mysterious, unfathomable belief that has raised our world-wide association to a height never attained or even dreamt of by any empire of the past. “ Certainly with this unparalleled record,” Mr Churchill said, “we have no need to seek advice even of our most honoured Allies as to how we should conduct ourselves. Without freedom there is no foundation for our Empire. There is no safeguard for our freedom. By this we mean freedom for all States and nations withm the circle of the Crown and also freedom for individuals withir? the broad and ever-advancing conception of the British Constitution and the way of life. We have no use for totalitarian schemes and Governments in their various forms. The right of free speech and political opposition has been resolved in our national parliament to an extent incredible outside the English-speaking world.” General Election Mr Churchill pointed out that the present Parliament was nearly 10 years old, and the executive Government must refresh itself by direct contact with the electors. He added: “Should the war in Europe end before summer or even sooner, as it may well do, we shall have reached a considerable milestone on our journey, and war conditions will no lpnger prevent us holding general elections.” Referring to the decisions of the Labour and Liberal Parties to resume their full liberty of action, he said: “We cannot blind ourselves to the fact that the strength of His Majesty’s Government, which has borne us thus far through the struggle, will be seri-, ously weakened.” He indicated that in the event of a break-up of the present Government before the election another Government would have to be formed, and he said: “ Should it fall to me, as it may do, to form a Government before the election, I shall seek the aid, not only of Conservatives, but of all men of goodwill, of any party or no party, who are willing to serve and thus invest our Administration with the national character. If the verdict of the nation should still leave us the responsible Government after the election it will be further reformed with the sole idea of leaving the strongest forces available to carry our cause to the final victory peak.” War Against Japan “After the war in Europe ends,” said the Prime Minister, “ our tasks are severally and precisely defined;'' We have to finish the war against Japan to play our part as loyal allies, and also to regain, as we are regaining, the territories which Japan wrested from us. We have to repair the injuries they have inflicted and the infernal cruelties they have perpetrated upon our subjects—British, Australian, Indian, Burman, and Malayan alike. These will require an internal effort, and no mood of war weariness must prevent us doing our duty to the last inch and to the last minute. “However, the scale of the war against the Japanese is limited, not by man-power, for that will be readily forthcoming, but by shipping and other means of transport over the vast ocean span and the steaming jungles. Although it will be our ceaseless endeavour to hurl our*utmost strength into the Japanese war, we have to provide for the garrisoning zone in Germany which has been assigned to us, and to provide for a return of very large numbers of our soldiers now serving abroad, many of whom have been separated from their families for years.

“We will have to get our dear country on the move again and into its full swing /of natural health and life. There will be plenty of time for politics when these grim fundamental tasks have been discharged. “ When that time comes we shall not show ourselves incapable of expressing our point of view in a free discussion of our democracy. We shall not have to live on the charity or the generosity of any nation. We have given our all in the common cause, and we may claim assistance to recover our normal economy from those whom we have helped to victory. But we must never agree to found our economic life upon the indulgence or favour even of those Allies we most dearly cherish.

“Blood, sweat, toil, and tears—there may be less blood and fewer tears. We thank God for that hope, but there will be mental toil and physical sweat. The conscious united resolve of every man and woman to give all that is within them will be required from us long after the last bomb or cannon has ceased to function.” “A Deliverance ”

Concluding, Mr Churchill said: “ Victory lies before us. certain, and perhaps near. But years of cruel torment and destruction have wasted the earth, and victory with all its brilliant trappings appears to our experienced eye a deliverance rather than a triumph. Our hearts go out in thankfulness that we have been saved from annihilation and from ruin. We shall come through once again, with life and honour, a convulsion that has ravaged the globe. We shall show a gratitude for these mercies by the zeal and faithfulness with which we devote ourselves to our duty, and prove ourselves worthy in strength and spirit of the place we hold in the hearts of man and in the vanguard of the modern world.”

At the conclusion of his speech the audience gave the Prime Minister resounding cheers.