NO SURRENDER

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21676, 10 June 1940, Page 4

NO SURRENDER

Call To The Dominions Great Need For Unity Address By Hon. R. Semple ‘‘Let us bury our petty differences. Let us forget about party politics and concentrate our thoughts and energies on the task in front of us. In the conflict which has been forced on us we had no choice but to take the stand we have taken. Are we going to measure up and do our duty; work harder, think harder and fight harder than ever before? My answer is a thousand times yes.” These were remarks made by the Hon. R. Semple, Minister of Public Works, in a broadcast last night, in which he reviewed the international situation and emphasised need for unity.

In emphasising the need for unity. Mr Semple said that had New Zealand taken any stand other than the one she had, the country’ would have gone down in history as a nation of cowards. The liberty which the people enjoyed could not be sacrificed on any account. “This is a titanic struggle, one which has engulfed the whole world,” he said, “and the methods used for destruction have shocked the world. Hitler has snatched the liberty of his own people and has destroyed their right to worship either ip their own churches or in the secret corners of their own homes. There is nothing left in that country but slavery and obedience to a man with a bloodthirsty mind. Surely every Britisher, wherever he may be. will rally to the call to save the British people from such brutality as that.

“We in this little country, far-flung though we may be, have to ask ourselves a question,” continued Mr Semple. “Are we going to measure up and do our duty; work harder, think harder and fight harder than ever before? My answer is a thousand times yes. We will not lag behind. We will be there not some of the time but all the time to defend, preserve and perpetuate those liberties so dear to us. “Let us put our backs to the wall, and let us face the sun with brave hearts and unconquerable souls and take this solemn oath and vow before God and man that there will be no compromise to a gang of international invaders, burglars, murderers and perjurers,” said the Minister. “There can be no compromise with them and above and beyond that there will be no surrender. Let us send out this clarion call; let it be re-echoed throughout New Zealand—no surrender.’* Mr Semple continued: “We will speak up. We will be heard and not one single word or one letter will we take back. Let lions roar and traitors turn away. What we have dared to think let us also say and do.” Liberties Snatched Mr Semple prefaced his call for unity with a review of the world situation, stating that the hopes of nations for the settlement of disputes by peaceful means had been dashed by the dream of world domination by international invaders and murderers. Hitler had snatched the liberties of his own people and in Germany nothing sacred was left. Trade unions had been smashed, property confiscated and little organisations destroyed. The nation had been regimented like a gang of slaves in ancient Rome. He had also stepped outside his own country’ and enslaved Czechoslovakia, Poland, Denmark. Norway, Holland and Belgium. Tills dream of world conquest had brought Britain into conflict, and when the call came. New Zealand had instantly fallen into her rightful place alongside the Mother Country. "Our first line of defence is in France and England, and our bounden duty is to do all we can as a small nation to protect with our strength and our wealth the Mother Country and ourselves.” The Minister referred to the prompt action taken by the Government at the outbreak of the war and referred to the “all-in” legislation passed H y Parliament last week. The two big Labour organisations in the Dominion had responded magnificently, and Lad dec ’ded to sacrifice the things they had fought for all their lives. “Labour Has Spoken” “Labour has spoken in this conflict, and has said to New Zealand and the rest of the world we will do 100 per cent. Labour has said we will work, we will pay and if need be we will die in the interests of this country,” said Mr Semple. “They could not have said more than that.” The people knew the magnitude of the crisis and the great danger of losing their cherished liberty, he added, and they were prepared to defend it to the last ounce. If they did not exercise their powers and do all they could then they would stand condemned in the eyes of posterity. The decision had been made, and he was sure that every man and woman in the country would take up their pasts and defend their country. “There can be no ifs or buts. There is no time to ponder over things. If we do we might miss the bus. This is a time for action, for work and more work. Unless the people give the maximum service and produce the foodstuffs, England may go short. Our duty first is to fee' our own people and then work for the Mother Country whase people are fighting and bleeding and dying to-night in your defence and mine.” The Minister said that i p to the present the Dominion had responded magnificently, recruits for all services totalling 51,900, while 600 New Zealanders were now fighting in the Royal Air Force and proving themselves equal in courage and skill to the best. The Government considered that air defence was New Zealand’s first line, and since 1935, 99 aerodromes had been built at a cost of £3.269.000. These aerodromes had been constructed by ; mechanical means, which had resulted in a saving to the country of £2,500,000. If these lines had not been fallowed, the aerodromes would not have been finished for another two or three years.