DRAMATIC SPEECH BY ME CHURCHILL

Southland Times, Issue 25668, 10 May 1945, Page 5

DRAMATIC SPEECH BY ME CHURCHILL

ENTHUSIASM SHOWN BY LONDON CROWDS (United Press Association —Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, May 9. Mr Churchill made an appearance on the Ministry of health balcony. After giving the V sign and conducting the singing of “Land of Hope and Glory,” he said, “We were the first in this ancient island to draw the sword against tyranny. We, after a while, were left all alone against the most tremendous military Power ever seen. For a whole year we stood alone. Did anybody want to give in?”

The crowd roared back a terrific “No.” The Prime Minister continued, “Were we downhearted?” and back came the answer, “No.”

Mr Churchill went on, “The lights went out and the bombers came down, but every man, woman and child in this country had no thought of quitting the struggle. London can take it. We came back after long months from the jaws of death, from the mouth of hell, while all the world wondered. When shall the reputation and faith of this generation of Englishmen and women fail? I say that in the long years to come not only the people of this island, but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, will look back on what we have done and say: ‘Do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny. March straight forward and die, if need be-—unconquered.’ ’

Referring to the Japanese war Mr Churchill said: “There is another foe who occupies large portions of the British Empire, a foe stained with cruelty and greed—the Japanese. (The crowd booed). “They would give us more than that,” Mr Churchill commented, and went on to say, “Our great Russian Allies are also celebrating victory tomorrow, and after that we must begin the task of rebuilding our hearths and homes and doing our utmost to make Britain a land in which all will have a chance. We must turn ourselves to fulfil our duty to our gallant Allies of the United States, who Japan so foully and treacherously attacked, We will go hand-in-hand with them. We will not be the ones who fail even if it is a hard struggle. God bless you all.”