FREEDOM’S GUARDIAN

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 259, 31 July 1942, Page 6

FREEDOM’S GUARDIAN

Britain’s Role In The War TRUE PERSPECTIVE NEEDED

The need for prayers to be intelligent, and based on a clear aud unprejudiced understanding of the situation, was stressed by the Rev. Gladstone Hughes at this week’s intercessory service in the Town Hall, Wellington. “Our thoughts,” he said, “turn naturally these days to India, whose future Is in the balance. All freedom-loving people are prepared to welcome the prospect thaG India will one day become self-governing. But India is a land of teeming millions, separated from one another by deep racial and religious divisions, which make the peace of India depend on the presence of the British there. “For many years the leftists, of whom Sir Stafford Cripps is the most distinguished representative, were in close sympathy with the Congress Party. Their views on the Indian problem and on the British occupation were an echo of the views of the Congress Party. They were very critical of British rule. The U.S.A, was also largely influenced by the views of the same party. ■ “The Congress Party is- made up of politically ambitious men, who wish to secure the reins of power by means of the Hindu majority and to dominate the rest of India. The rest of India is made up of 80,000,000 Moslems, 60,000.000 outcasts, aud several millions who belong to other minorities and who will not submit to Hindu domination. The men of the Congress Party are not democrats. They are more akin to the Nazis and Fascists, and their aim is political power. These are the men with whom the leftists have been in close alliance. “To abandon the minorities of India to the tender mercy of the Congress Party would be an-act- of treason against the freedom of India., We must remain in India till the danger of the establishment of an intolerable tyranny is. removed. We must honour our sacred trust and continue in India as well as in the rest of the world -to be the guardians of human freedom. Till we set onr ideas right on this question how can we pray intelligently that God may defend the right?” Help to Russia.

No one could watch unmoved the magnificent resistance of the Russian people to the invasion of their native soil, the speaker continued. They had fought with unexcelled skill and courage. They had suffered unspeakable cruelties and' had made incalculable sacrifices and they remained unbroken. But full appreciation of their courage did not call for the belittling of the service and sacrifice-of Great Britain and the Empire. “A fortnight or. three weeks ago there was a great chorus of tributes to Russia paid in the House of Representatives, the total effect of which was to belittle the Empire’s contribution to the cause,” Mr. Hughes proceeded. “The whole chorus was broadcast to the people of New Zealand and tended to undermine the confidence of the people in British leadership. .... . “Who challenged the might of the Nazis when Russia had an understanding with them? Who carried on the struggle alone after the collapse of France? Which country stood up to the Luftwaffe aud beat it nt the cost of 43,000 civilian lives —men, women and little children. Who from the entry of Russia into the war has consistently sent help to Russia, when help was so much needed elsewhere? Who, while the outposts of her Empire were calling • desperately for munitions and planes, kept her promise and more than kept her promise to Russia? To answer these questions' you must look to that little group of islands set in the misty northern sea, the home, ot our forbears, the nursery of our liberties, and the guardian of human freedom—‘Home,’ from which hits spread to the uttermost parts of the earth the love of freedom. c “To answer them you must think ot the men who manned the outposts.of Empire against great odds, of the men of the Navy who by their eternal vigil kept open the highways of the seven seas, and who with the Air Force, protected the convoys 'through Arctic seas. You will have to think of the superb courage ot the men of the Mercantile Marine who have braved the rigours of the Arctic and the terrible menace of the U-boats and the Luftwaffe. “When you do that you will have no reason to belittle the part which our Empire has plaved and I challenge you or any member of the House of Representatives to blush at the glorious part which the Empire has played. Lou will rather thank God that the love.of liberty glows with air undying liame in the hearts of our people.”