“MUST WIN THE WAR”

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21689, 27 March 1942, Page 3

“MUST WIN THE WAR”

. WINSTON CHURCHILL’S CONFIDENC STORY OF MISFORTUNES NOT SHIRKED ENORMOUS IMPROVEMENT IN ALOES’ POSITION --.Jr, (Official Wireless) (Received March 27, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, March 26 Speaking at the annual meeting of the Central Council of the Conservative and Unionist Associations in London Mr Winston Churchill said it was almost a year since he had addressed them. The country had then made its great recovery after the collapse of France. The Air Force had won the Battle of Britain. We had endured, and still endured, the full fury of the German air raider. The position in Egypt was secure and we were cheered by a long series of victories by which General Wavell had destroyed the Italian army in North Africa. Perhaps they would remember that he went out of his way to warn them that we could not expect to have successes uncheckered by reverses. Since then we have had almost an unbroken series of military misfortunes. We had been driven out of Cyrenaica, we were driven out of Greece and Crete, we had been attacked in the Far East, Hongkong had fallen, the Malay Peninsula and the possessions of our brave Dutch Allies in the East Indies had been overrun, Singapore had been a scene of the greatest disaster to the British Army, Burma had been invaded and Rangoon had fallen. The battle of the Atlantic, after turning markedly in our favour for five or six months, had now for the time being, but only for the time being, worsened again. 66 Can you wonder that such a melancholy tale, which I do not fear to tell or face, should have caused widespread distress and anxiety throughout our country and Empire ? Yet it is at such moments that fortitude and courage are the only means of safety.

[ Successes To Be Expected “I cannot offer any guarantee that we. are at the end ot our misfortunes. We are engaged in a deadly grapple with two heavily-armed op- ; ponents, both of whom had been preparing for years and bending their • whole national life to the fulfilment of the gospel of war. “Beginning, as we did, ill-prepared, we gathered and engaged and employed all our resources to make head against these two Powers, Germany and Italy, when suddenly a third great Power, armed to the teeth, with a population of 80,000,000, with 3,000,000 or 4,000,000 trained soldiers formed into an army of at least 2,000,000, with a powerful and efficient navy and air force, and heavy output of munitions, fell upon our Eastern possessions, which our bitter needs in the West had forced us to leave so insufficiently guarded. “In such a situation it would be foolish not to be prepared for further heavy blows, and I am not here to speak smooth words or make cheery promises. But this I will venture to say, that just as last year I warned you that we cannot expect to have success uncheckered by reverses so now in 1942 we need not expect reverses unrelieved by successes. There is another side -to the picture, another column in the account which will have to be added up. When we look back over the sombre year which has passed and forward to the many trials which lie before, none can doubt for a moment the enormous improvement in our war position. “Cannot Lose This War” “A year ago,” continued Mr Churchill, “we were alone. Now three of the greatest nations in the world are sworn to us in close alliance and are fighting at our side in ail their growing power. “It now seems very likely that we and our Allies, the United Nations as we proclaim ourselves, cannot lose this war.” Dealing with criticism of the Government Mr Churchill said: “We have succeeded in preserving our traditional free institutions, free speech, full and active Parliamentary Government and a free press. We have done that under conditions which at times were more strained and convulsive than had ever beset a civilised state. “But there is only one limit which I must ask must be respected. I cannot allow, while I bear responsibility, propaganda to disturb the Army, which is now strong and solid, or to weaken the confidence of the country or the armed forces in the quality and character of their devoted corps officers, guard or line, staff or regimental, to whom we must all look as leaders of an audacious enterprise abroad and an indispensable weapon against invasion at home.” Rebuilding Post-war World In reference to rebuilding the postwar world, Mr Churchill said: “Two weeks ago one of our leading intellectuals asked in public whether I was working for a new England or the old. We are working lor both. It is a new England or a new Britain, and it is by the union and inter-play of new impulses and of great traditions, both working together, that we have managed to solve peacefully the problems which have rent ! rhe unity for ever of many a lamous ; state. “It is by this dual process that we have tried to build up over generations individual rights and tolerance, individual freedom and collective association, and, above all, with its infinite power of self-improvement, the national progress of our island life which the broad masses of our people cherish and for which they now themselves are prepared to fignt and, if need be, die. “This is a very hard war. Its enormous and fearful problems reach down to the very foundations of human society. It involves all nations and every man, woman and child in them. Strategy and economics are interwoven. Sea, land and air are but a single service. To Endure and Dare “The latest refinements of science are linked with cruelties of the Stone Age. “The workshop and the fighting line are one. We must confront them with resilience and ingenuity which are fearless and, above ail, with the inflexible will-power to endure and yet dare for which our island race has long been renowned. “Thus, and thus alone, can we be worthy champions of the grand alliance of nearly 30 States and nations which, without our assistance, would never have come into being but which have now only to march on together till tyranny is trampled down. . “As your leader I shall hope that

HEAVY BOMBING BRITISH AIR ATTACKS GERMANY AND FRANCE LONDON, March 26 A resumption of the day and night air attacks on Germany and Germanoccupied territory from Britain is indicated by the latest communique*. Following what is described as a very heavy attack on the Ruhr last night fighters and bombers were over Northern France today and they destroyed eight German fighters during the course of combats. A fresh heavy Royal Air Fore# attack on the Ruhr last night is recorded in the following Air Ministry communique: The Bomber Command continued its offensive against Germany last night when the industrial area of the Ruhr was again very heavily bombed. A large number of night photographs were taken and are being examined. The photographs confirm the crews’ reports on the results achieved in recent raids, particularly in the Ruhr on the night of March 9, and on Colongne on the night of March 13. The docks at St. Nazaire were also bombed last night and many Tninn* were laid in enemy waters. From all these operations eleven of our bombers are missing. British bombers, escorted by fighters, attacked enemy shipping at Le Havre this afternoon. VICHY CABINET PETAIN MEETS LAVAL , (Unitea Press Assn.—Elec. TeL Copyrlgfctf (Received March 27, 1 pm.) LONDON, March 26 It is reported from Vichy that Marshal Pctain and M. Laval met today in a forest outside Vichy and discussed M. Laval’s return to the Cabinet and the strengthening of Marshal Petain’s position. M. Laval is reported to have advanced stiff terms and Marshal Petain is reported to have ordered Admiral Darlan to see M. Laval. TRAWLERS SUNK ADMIRALTY ANNOUNCEMENT (Official Wlreie,,, (Received March 27, 11.30 aju.) RUGBY, March 26 The Admiralty announces that the trawlers Botanic and Warland have been sunk. KING BORIS INTERVIEW WITH HITLER (UnUed Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrignt) LONDON, March 26 Hitler yesterday received ""King Boris of Bulgaria. King Boris was also received by Ribbentrop and * Goering. EXTENDED HOME GUARD ENROLMENT IN BRITAIN WHOLE COUNTRY COVERED , (Official Wireless) (Received March 27, 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, March 26 Mr Duncan Sandys stated in the House of Commons that it had been decided on the request of the Com-mander-in-Chief of the Home Forces ; General Paget, to extend the application of the powers of compulsory enrolment for the Home Guard to to all remaining regions in England, Scotland and Wales, The measure would be brought into operation as soon as possible. The numbers to be enrolled would depend upon the military operational needs of the districts. “I trust this measure will not only meet the operational needs of the military situation, but will also have the effect of impressing on the country at large the important part in our defence system assigned to the Home Guard,” Mr Sandys added. when the whole story has been told it will be said of the Conservative Party in Parliament and throughout the land that they strove for peace too long and that when war came they proved themselves the main part of the rock upon which the salvation of Britain was founded and the freedom of regained.** •