REQUISITES FOR VICTORY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 9, 11 January 1941, Page 7

REQUISITES FOR VICTORY

VIEWS OF LORD HALIFAX TRANSPLANTATION OF BRITISH THOUGHTS [ British Official Wireless. ] RUGBY, Jan. 9. Lord Halifax, newly appointed Britiish Ambassador to the United States, speaking at the Pilgrims’ luncheon, said he could claim none of the special qualifications of personal experience in the United States which made Lord Lothian an ideal Ambassador, but on the other hand he thought there was no precedent for the advantage he enjoyed in passing directly from the War Cabinet and the chair of the Foreign Secretary to represent Britain in Washington. “My duty, as I see it,” he said, “will not be confined to the business of oneway traffic in thought by interpretation of the United States to the British Government and people. Not less vital is the transplantation of British thoughts and purposes to the Government and peoples of America. 1 Events, indeed, have spoken more' loudly than any words and have had the effect both of making the atti-1 tude of our people unmistakably plain and of bringing the people of America. to the same awakening to the full significance of this struggle as has already come to us.” After recalling the dark days of the collapse of France when “we saw working at its best the spirit of democracy—a great Prime Minister and a great people working in complete mutual trust,” Lord Halifax added : “Three things are necessary for victory—a good cause, the material strength to support it, and a people with a spirit not unworthy of it. As to the first issues, they have been j restated with penetrating simplicity by Mr. Roosevelt. As regards material, apart from the steady develop- j ment in this country and all parts of the Empire, we are able to count in-! creasingly on the massive industrial strength of America, the value Of which it is impossible to over-estimate. Of the spirit of our people it is hardly necessary to speak.” Lord Halifax concluded: “There is no hope for free human civilisation unless the foundations of its life, now challenged, can be secured. We arei encouraged by the knowledge that the I will to resist this German attempt to I secure world domination is as strong on the other side of the Atlantic as it is here, and we do not doubt that the achievement of our purpose is within the power of the English-speaking peoples.” “I hope he will prosper in a mission as momentous as any monarchy has entrusted'to an Englishman in the lifetime of the oldest of us,” said the 1 .ime Minister.

‘‘lt is no exaggeration to say that the future of the whole world and n broadcasting civilisation founded on Christian ethics depends on the relations betwee.'i die British Empire and America," he said. The identity of purpose and persistence of resolve prevailing throughout the Englishspeaking world would, more than any other fact, determine the way of life open to the generations and perhaps to the centuries which would follow the present.” | If that co-operation were to fail, land the British Empire, rugged, and embattled, might hew' its way through | against the spirit of totalitarianism i and preserve its life and strength for [an inevitable renewal of the conflict |on worse terms, after an uneasy i truce. i But the chance of setting the march ■ of mankind, clearly and surely along hlie high roads of human progress, | would be lost and might never return. I "I regard it as a most fortunate ' occurrence that in 'this awe-inspiring climax in world affairs there should ibe at the head of the American Rc- | public a famous statesman long versed and experienced in the work of gov1 ernment and in whose heart burns the fire of resistance to aggression and oppression, and whose sympathies and nature make him sincere to the undoubted champion o£ justice and freedom, and of the victims of wrongdoing wherever they may dwell,’’ he said. “Not less do I rejoice that this prominent figure should newly have received the unprecedented honour of being called for the third time to lead the American Democrats.” The death of Lord Lothian, former Ambassador, was a loss of the highest consequence, and to fill the gap left they thought it their duty to send, without regard to derangement of the British forces, the best man that could be found, agreeable to the President