A TONIC EFFECT

Evening Star, Issue 24334, 24 October 1942, Page 5

A TONIC EFFECT

GENERAL SMUTS'S SPEECH PEOPLE TKSiLLED AHO IfoPhlibSED (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) LONDON, October 22. General Smuts's speecii had a tonic effect tjirougnout Britain. Millions heard tno broadcast, and the general comment on ail sides in iionuou co-day is tnat the people were turilled and impressed. rue I'ress universally hails the speech with superlatives. ‘ The Times ’ refers to Gcncril Smuts's “ imperial voice ” and Ills “ authoritative judgment.” Trio ‘ Manchester Guardian' .says: “ General Smuts encourages us all.” The ‘Daily Mail’ called his speech ” noble.” The ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ says the speech was an antidote to the denigration of the past, to the doubting at present, and to ‘frustration in the future.” Following so closely on Mr Churchill’s and i President Roosevelt’s encouraging speeches, in. comparison with those of the German leaders, it re-endorses the innate feeling of confidence among the general public that the Allied nations will win the war, although it is realised that a bloody and perhaps sacrificial period lies ahead. There is a general feeling that hard blows will be struck against the Axis in the coming months and that winter will bring the Axis no respite. Meanwhile those privileged to see and hear General Smuts will long remember the scene at his speech. One of the most impressive points was the simplicity of the proceedings, which were traditionally parliamentary. They will remember the commanding figure of General Smuts standing in front of a largo maroon curtain ’under the glare of brilliant arc lights..a striking figure with his thinning white, hair, his sharp pointed board, and his Field Marshal’s uniform splashed with crimson tabs and rows of decorations—and they will remember how characteristically he frequently rubbed his right hand on the back of the left, then when warmed up to his speech held the typescript in his right hand while he read from it, occasionally emphasising his words by lightly tapping the table with the palm of the left hand. They will also remember the delightful scene when Mr Churchill expressed “ thanks and gratitude for all ho (General Smuts) has done, and members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons sang ‘ For He’s a Jolly Good -Fellow.’ while Mr Lloyd George, Mr Churchill, and the Speaker (Captain A. Fitzßoy), with beaming smiles, warmly> shook hands with General Smuts.

8.8. G. BROADCAST PRESS BADLY LET DOWN .LONDON, October 22. The 8.8. C. “ live ” broadcast of General Smuts’e speech before the official release time has caused widespread dissatisfaction among overseas, news agencies and the British afternoon papers. The Press Association, representing the home news service and tbo entire British Press, says: “ The British eveuing papers, ‘ on the grounds of security,’ were denied permission to refer to the event before the end of the speech, which was 59 minutes after the nieeting started. 'lt was officially urged that the need for security was so, important that the world must not bo aware of the proceedings before General Smuts sat down. South African journalists were among those waiting to flash release of the speech overseas. The text had been in every newspaper office for hours, and if it had been released directly General Smuts began it would have been displayed prominently in the 5 o’clock editions throughout Britain. “ Once again, by one of those ‘ mischances,’ accidents, or coincidences, of which there have been so many since the outbreak, the 8.8. C. was put in a preferential position, and while evening papers were loyally abstaining for security reasons from publication, their self-denial was negatived by a prominent short wave broadcast. The decision that a live broadcast was important was apparently taken during the day, and there was plenty of time to inform the censorship and news divisions of the Ministry of Information, which were vitally concerned, but somehow someone forgot. ‘ “ This is typical of the lack of coordination between departments, and to-day the resentment and annoyance of the Press as a whole is swelled by the consternation and indignation of officials of the censorship and news divisions. who feel that their honour is involved and that they were badly let dowm. They would, if they 'bad been aware of the decision, have taken steps to place the evening papers in Britain and the oversea? Press on equal t.erms