BRITISH BACK TO WALL

Southland Times, Issue 24158, 21 June 1940, Page 7

BRITISH BACK TO WALL

Future Problem Is Grave

(British Official Wireless) (Received June 20, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 19. . The Minister of Information (Mr A. Duff Cooper, broadcasting, said that in the great battle in which the French had been defeated the armies of France fought with great heroism and suffered terrible losses. Whatever the terms of the armistice which France had demanded, the French people would riot allow themselves to be reduced permanently to a state of slavery. The blow to Britain was great; her problem henceforth was a grave one, but it was also’ a more simple one. The front had been considerably reduced. The bombardment or invasion of England would be the next phase of the war. “We feel confident that the people of this island will be able to defend it against all the might and malice of Germany,” he said. They would be fighting with their backs to the wall, but it was a very substantial wall—the Atlantic Ocean. On the other side of that ocean, Canada was throwing herself heart and soul into the task of producing armaments and training men. There was also the United States, the greatest source of supply in the world. “The Government and people of that country are .our friends,” said the Minister. “We have it from their own President that they are redoubling their efforts to provide us with all the means we desire for the prosecution of the war. South

of the United States lie a series of American republics, closely bound to the United States in policy and well disposed towards Britain, and productive, fruitful. countries. We have, therefore, behind us an inexhaustible source of supply, which has been generously placed at our disposal. We have only to beat off the invader for a few months and our supplies will begin to increase as rapidly as his diminish. “We know that he risked all this great effort to obtain a swift victory,” said Mr Duff Cooper. “We know that he cannot face a long war. We can face it and we will face it in confidence. “The fact that we now are all within the fortress,” said Mr Duff Cooper, “is a further advantage.” Pointing out that this was not the first time that Britain had been threatened with invasion from a powerful foe, the Minister recalled the destruction of the great Spanish Armada by a relatively tiny English fleet. He proceeded to declaim with much dramatic effect the famous lines of Macauley in which this victory is celebrated. Today, he concluded, as in the past, we should wipe out the vile invader.