MIXED REACTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26544, 20 August 1947, Page 5

MIXED REACTIONS

MR CHURCHILL’S BROADCAST PARTY LINE FOLLOWED N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent LONDON, Aug. 18. Mr Churchill’s Saturday night broadcast undoubtedly received a better press than Mr Attlee's earlier broadcast, but praise and blame are expressed almost entirely on strictly newspaper party lines. , The Daily Herald heads its comment: “Anti-climax,” refers to “..dusty cliches ” and “ ancient slogans,” and says that the speech revealed that the Conservatives have nothing urjder the counter. The Daily Worker describes the broadcast as an “extraordinarily damp squib,” and says that the general opinion is that if was the Conservative leader’s "poorest ever oratorical offering.” Dbouts Cast oh Understanding The Daily Mirror says it was £ charming experience for the nation to hear Mr Churchill broadcast again and to know “ that the grand old man has lost none of his power of making vivid phrases,” but goes on to hope that none will waste time in harking back 41 years, as Mr Churchill advocated “Any politician who broadcasts to-day has a two-fold duty to perform. He must explain the nature of the crisis, which Mr Churchill obviously does not understand. He must also explain his plan for conquering the crisis, which ’ Mr Churchill cannot do, since he has no plan. We ask all who heard his last broadcast to forget it. Don’t let it spoil our memory of his speeches in days when he really mattered.” .The Manchester Guardian and the News Chronicle, as the main organs of Liberal opinion, were less condemnatory, but equally critical. The Guardian says it was a strong fighting speech, and undeniably effective in its criticism of the Government, but it was hardly construction. ‘ Mr Churchill had one sovereign • remedy—private enterprise, or, in his picturesque words, “ marching along the path to ..freedom.” This sounded well enough as a peroration to a party speech, but as an economic policy at the present time it lacked something of clarity. The News Chronicle says: “Much o 1 what Mr Clnyrchill said was above party level, and in expressing his profound and unshaken belief in the future of Britain he made vocal sentiments which lie often unformulgted but very near the heart of most of us. But when he cries l‘ Wolf’ where no wolf is, he is blunting the temper of public vigilance. The truth is thal Britain at the moment must fear not a Government which will do too much, but one which will do wrong things in a muddled way. Britain’s danger is from sawdust, not from Caesars.” Voice Welcomed The Observer said: “It is good for all to hear Mr Churchill's voice again, and even the ranks of Tuscany could scarce forbear to cheer —or at least to be deeply moved by this grand roll of drums.” The Observer continued: “ However disappointed many people must be with Mr Attlee’s Socialism, there is little wish anywhere to return to the Conservative capitalism of Chamberlain and Baldwin. There is a new Conservatism in the making, but it has never been clear how far Mr ( Churchill favours these progressive moves. If he is to make an effective challenge to Socialism he must cut free from the diehards in his own party and start to expound a modern Con-, servative policy.” Chorus of Praise The Daily Express, as the chief organ of anti-Government opinion, says that all find more to applaud and less to criticise in the speech. The Telegraph says Mr Churchill’s appeal to those who want to emigrate to stay and fight it out must become the rallying cry of the nation, and the Daily Mail says Mr Churchill was not harking back, but recalling that 41 years ago he sounded a deep note of duty towards the poor and the unfortunate. The Daily Express finds the speech . a rallying cry for “free enterprise, vigorous and unfettered, as the way to salvation.”