NO TREATY OR NEGOTIATION

Southland Times, Issue 24166, 1 July 1940, Page 6

NO TREATY OR NEGOTIATION

Britain Ready To Face Germany

TIDE IS AGAINST HITLER

(British Official Wireless) RUGBY, June 28. Mr Neville Chamberlain, a member of the War Cabinet, in an interview with an American journalist, the excerpts from which have been telegraphed to London, warned Herr Hitler that he faced a formidable undertaking if he intends to try to conquer Britain. Mr Chamberlain declared that there was no one anywhere in Britain who was thinking of compromise or peace. His words found an echo in a stirring speech delivered at Cheltenham tonight by the Financial Secretary to the War Office, Mr Richard Law, who is a son of Mr Andrew Bonar Law, a member of Mr Lloyd George’s War Cabinet in the last war and later Prime Minister. Mr Law said that there could be no question of treating with the enemy. There could be no question of treaty or negotiation. There was only victory or extinction. In challenging sentences he claimed that the tide had turned against Herr Hitler. ENGLAND’S DANGER

“From the moment Marshal Petain was deluded into seeking the humiliating armistice of Compeigne the tide began to turn against Hitler," he said. “The tide turned against him because from that moment England awakened to the measure of her danger and her opportunity. When England is awake England is invincible. “No longer do we conceive of victory as an automatic process or of time as a complacent ally. We know that time, if it is to serve us, must indeed be our servant. We have taken the measure at last of our adversary and having measured him we shall destroy him.

“We are fighting for the ideal of England, for courage, kindliness, honour and truth; for the ideal of human decency. We know that ideal will prevail against all the perversions of Nazidom. Our position may be desperate. There is comfort in that, for desperate men have nothing to lose and everything to gain. “The days of safety first are finished. There is no longer any question of safety. There is no safety for investments, for pensions, for homes, for ourselves. There is no choice between safety and danger. The choice is between death and life and we will choose life however dangerous. THREAT OF INVASION “We can no longer consider ouf’own susceptibilities or those of other people. We are fighting our own battle and we are fighting the battle of civilized peoples all over the world. For the first time in 100 years we are faced with the threat of invasion. There is nothing there for dismay. “The events of the past few weeks have brought Germany nearer to us, but they have brought us nearer to Germany. Now at last we can face the hordes of Hitler as man to man. When we meet the enemy on these terms there can be only one result. Man to man, we are better than the Germans. That has been proved time and time again—on the sea, in the air and now on the battlefield. Man to man, we will beat him here. “And then we will attack him and attack again and again until we have swept back for ever the foul tide that has submerged Europe. Hitler has never been up against the people of England before. There is a lesson coming to him.”

GERMANS’ “MEDIAEVAL BARBARISM” FORMER PRIME MINISTER IN SUPOPRT OF WAR

NEW YORK, June 28.

The American Press features a copyright United Press interview with Mr Neville Chamberlain as leader of the Conservative Party. “We are just ..beginning the struggle,’ said Mr Chamberlain. “This is the worst possible moment to enter peace negotiations, just when Herr Hitler seems to hold all the cards. We do not believe he holds all the cards. We are going to put that to the test. I know that no section of the Conservatives wants peace. We are absolutely united.” Mr Chamberlain waved aside reports that Sir Samuel Hoare, Ambassador in Madrid, had suggested that General Franco should sound Herr Hitter about peace terms. He denied American reports of differences with Mr Churchill. “Most emphatically there is not a word of truth in that,” he said. “Our relations are harmonious and cordial. Our minds run in the same channel.” If he resigned the Conservative leader ship the party would unhesitatingly elect Mr Churchill. He added that he had no intention of resigning. Mr Chamberlain heatedly ridiculed foreign reports that he was intriguing against Mr Churchill. He said. “I have been scoffed at for saying so, but I still believe that time is on our side. Herr Hitler is gambling on a short war. He is not sure of his people’s morale if they have to go through another war-time winter, but for a win he must conquer this island. That is a formidable undertaking, requiring a reckless audacity. He is very rash if he tries, but I think he will try. “He will find us a tough nut to crack —too tough. We have a fighting spirit in this country. We are not only fighting for ourselves, but feel ourselves the trustees for civilization. The Germans have no civilization: it is mediaeval barbarism. We are not going to disgrace our ancestors by allowing that to sweep the world. “Mr Churchill agrees that the tempo of British war preparations has increased since May 10, but Herr Hitler was the chief factor in this. I always knew we would not get a 100 per cent, effort here until the bombs started falling. “By invading Belgium and Holland, Herr Hitler changed the war from a static to a dynamic one. Every workman suddenly realized that the necessary supplies depended on his individual efforts. The man at the bench, if he puts his all into his work, does more than any Government or Minister in speeding up production.”