TURN OF THE TIDE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 226, 23 September 1940, Page 7

TURN OF THE TIDE

BATTLE OF BRITAIN. Resolute Resistance Dashing Nazi Hopes. British Official Wireless. (Reed. 10 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 22. The "Battle of Britain" was the subject of a broadcast by Mr. C. R. Attlee, Lord Privy Seal, which he said all the world was watching. The hopes and fears of millions were involved in the result, and all were asking, "How goes the fight?" Stating that he was one of those charged with the duty of working at the centre, and thus able to survey the whole field with a full knowledge of what is happening, Mr. Attlee said: "I speak with a deep sense of confidence in the success of our cause." After paying a tribute to the work of the Royal Air Force, the Lord Privy Seal continued: '"Our forces on land are in good heart. I include in those forces not only the navy, army, air force and home guard, but also civil defence services, police, workers in industries, and, indeed, all men, women and children of our nation. "We are all in this war. Those have been killed in air raids have (Jed for their country no less than soldiers killed in battle. For this present air attack is not directed primarily on our factories, docks and public service's, but on the spirit of our people. It is here that Hitler is sustaining his heaviest defeat. u "I have just been visiting some great works whose output is vital to our war effort. If Hitler by his attacks could cut that output by half he would have an important success, but he will not succeed. Workers refuse to be intimidated. "I have also been visiting, whenever possible, our people whose relatives are being killed, whose homes * are being destroyed, whose lives are being subjected to constant danger. Their answer is always the same, 'Hitler has not got us down.' Turning Point in the War. "I believe the Battle of Britain is the turning point in the war. Defeat in this attack marks the turning of the tide. We may have to endure worse things yet, there is no room for easy optimism, but there is every cause for confidence."

Unexpected problems which had arisen from the attack on London were being tackled with vigour, he said, and concluded: "What Nazi-ism stands for is the destruction, not only of old and beautiful things, which we inherited from the past, but the homes and lives of kindly men and women. We here in Britain are standing for the future of mankind. "When Hitler is defeated we will join together with all men and women of goodwill and build up a new world and a new Britain on better and closer foundations than that old world which is passing away for ever."