WAR SITUATION

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21415, 8 May 1941, Page 7

WAR SITUATION

LLOYD GEORGE’S VIEWS FULLER DETAILS WANTED IMPREGNABLE EMPIRE £•>lli ci a 1 Wireless; (Received May 8, 11.40 a.m.) RUGBY, May 7 Mr Lloyd George, whose speeches in the House of Commons are now infrequent, opened the renewed debate on the war situation. He admitted that there was complete agreement as to the obligation of honour to run every risk to support the valiant Greek Army, but there never had been a war where diplomacy had counted for so much, and he expected from Mr Anthony Eden a full and frank statement of the Government’s foreign policy. Our worst defeats had been defeats in diplomacy and our greatest triumph had been diplomatic triumph—the work of the late Lord Lothian. He had hoped that Mr Eden would have more to say about the relations with Turkey, about Spain and about Vichy. Why withhold the perfectly well-known fact that Turkey had allowed German ships to pass through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, to seize Greek islands? We had now trouble in Irak and Libya, the seizure of Greek islands, and the tremendous havoc amongst our ships. We had also very dazzling

successes. The victory of September was very and very thrilling, and for the time being conclusive. Sir Archibald Wavell’s campaign was one of the most brilliant series of successes won by any British General in any long and continuous war. Referring to the Battle of the Atlantic, Mr Lloyd George said our position was that we had practically no allies and had to hold the position until there was such a change effected in the reorientation of the nations as would enable us to secure victory. Until then our duty was to make Britain and the Empire impregnable, and resist the siege until our opportunity came. Long War Likely In this connection he referred to the epoch-making speech of Mr Stimson, the American Secretary of War. He had alv/ays thought it was going to be a long war, and the longer the better our chances, but we have to get over a very dark chasm. He warned his countrymen against impatience and urged them to do their job until America was ready more thoroughly than they were doing it now. If she was going to enable us to catch up and then get beyond Germany, America had to do infinitely more than any indication he had heard up to the present. Meanwhile manpower must be reorganised and food supplies must be assured. As to administration, Mr Churchill ought to have three or four absolutely independent men of experience and commonsense —a small War Council which would help him in counsel, in advice and in action.