UNITY OF VIEW

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19979, 3 July 1939, Page 5

UNITY OF VIEW

KEEPING PLEDGES FULL BRITISH STRENGTH ALL PARTIES CONCURRING INTENT BEYOND DOUBT PRAISE FOR HALIFAX (Klee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) - (British Official Wireless.) Rocd. 12 noon RUGBY, July 2. The remarkable rallying of national .sentiment behind the declaraiion by the Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, that 'in the event of further aggression Britain is resolved to use the whole of her strength in the fulfilment of her -pledges to resist It —a declaration to whuch special point has been given by the developments and rumours of the last few days concerning Danzig—was illus'trated'in" a notable"senies of • speeches■ yesterday.

The Leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons, Sir Archibald Sinclair, said: “If anyone forces war upon this country, or on some •other -country the independence of which we are pledged to defend, he will find there rwill be no defeatists there.”

Mr. Ram-say Muir, the vice-presi-dent of the Liberal Party organisation, expressed ,th-e view thla'-t the British people were united and resolute to resist any further attack on democracy a-nd upon Ithe freedom of other nations.

The former Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, declared -that the British people were determined henceforth that there should 'be neither -hesitation before threats, nor concession to fo-rce.

Other speeches were by Lord 'Trendhard, and Sir Stafford CrippsDemonstration of Unity

This demonstration of identity of view in all palries, combined with the firm’, clear statement by Lord Halifax last week, leads the Sunday newspapers to emphasise, in their comment on the international situation, that now there is no excuse for anyone anywhere to misunderstand the position of Britain,

The Sunday Times heads its leading article: "British intentions placed beyond -doubt," and, like several other commentators in the last 48 hours, it raises the memory of 1914 and the uncertainty which is alleged to have surrounded -the British policy at that time.

The Sunday Times also makes the point of how different the position is to-day following the series of declarations by the Government and Lord Halifax's frank and forceful definition of British purposes. Mr. J. L. Garvin, writing in the Observer, says regarding this speech that Lord Halifax “has done what was most needed if there is to ibe the faintest chance this summer and this month for any peace that would not be a peace of disgrace and disaster.”