COMMONS CHEERS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20033, 4 September 1939, Page 4

COMMONS CHEERS

DRAMATIC APPEAL PRIME MINISTER’S PART (Reed. Sept. 4, 11 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 3. The announcement of the British ultimatum was the signal for intense excitement in Downing Street. The whole south side of the street was packed with men and women, and when the radio was heard announcing that* war was inevitable, a woman waving a Union Jack led an outbuftt of enthusiasm There was a renewed demonstration as Sir Samuel Hoare left for the House of Commons. The crowds cheered and cheered the announcement of the declaration of war from No. 10. The House of Commons met _at noon, and members cheered the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, as ne enteredEnding a momentous five-minute speech, amid terrific cheering, the Prime Minister said: — “I cannot tell what part be allowed to play myself, but I hope I may live to see the day when Hitlerism has been' destroyed, and a restored and liberated Europe re-estab-lished.” He then related events leading to the sending of the British Ambassador to Berlin with a time limit for Germany's reply to the FrancoBritish demand that it suspend all aggressive action against Poland. It was earlier explained that if Britain decided to fight she would not declare wdr, but the King would proclaim that a slate of war existed. It is considered that Germany already had declared war by attacking Poland, which Britain was pledged to defend.