GENERAL SMUTS ACCLAIMED

Southland Times, Issue 24883, 24 October 1942, Page 5

GENERAL SMUTS ACCLAIMED

SPEECH HAS TONIC EFFECT (Special Correspondent, N.Z.PA.) (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, October 22. The speech of the South African Prime Minister, General J. C. Smuts, had a tonic effect throughout Britain. Millions heard the broadcast and the general comment on all sides in London today is that the people were thrilled and impressed. The Press universally hails it with superlatives. The Times refers to Genetai Smuts as the “imperial voice” and to “authoritative judgment.” The Manchester Guardian says: “General Smuts encourages us all.” The Daily Mail called his speech “noble.” The Daily Telegraph says: “The speech was an anti-dote to the denigration of the past, to doubting at present and to frustration in the future.”

Following so closely Mr Churchill’s and President Roosevelt’s encouraging speeches, in comparison with those of the German leaders, it endorses the innate feeling of confidence among the general public that the Allied Nations will win the war, although it is realized that a bloody, 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 the winter will bring the Allies no respite. SCENE OF SPEECH Meanwhile, those privileged to see and hear General Smuts will long remember the scene of his speech. One of the most impressive points was the simplicity of the proceedings, which were traditionally parliamentary. They will remember the colourful figure of General Smuts standing in front of a large maroon curtain under the glare of brilliant arc lights, a striking figure with his thinning white hair and sharppointed beard, with his field-marshal’s uniform splashed with crimson tabs and rows of decorations. How characteristically he frequently rubbed his right hand on the back of the left. Then, when he warmed up to his speech, he held the typescript in his right hand while he read from it occasionally, emphasizing by lightly tapping the table with the palm of his left hand. They will also remember the delightful scene when Mr Churchill expressed “thanks and graitude for all he (General Smuts) has done” and the peers and commoners singing “For he’s a Jolly Good Fellow” while Mr David Lloyd George, Mr Churchill and the Speaker (Captain E. A. Fitzßoy) with beaming smiles warmly shook hands with General Smuts.

BRITISH PRESS INDIGNANT BROADCAST BEFORE RELEASE TIME (Rec. 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 22. The British Broadcasting Corporation’s “live” broadcast of General Smut’s speech before the official release time has caused widespread dissatisfaction among overseas news agencies, also the British afternoon papers. The Press Association, representing the Home news service of the entire British Press, says:— “The British evening 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 meeting started. It was officially urged that the need for security was so important that the world must not be aware of the proceedings before General Smuts sat down. South African journalists were among those waiting to flash the release 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 British Broadcasting Corporation was put in a preferential position and while the evening papers loyally abstained for security reasons from publication, their self-denial was negatived by a short-wave broadcast. The decision that a live broadcast was important apparently was taken during the day and there was plenty of time to inform the censorship and the News Division of the Ministry of Information, who were vitally concerned, but somehow someone forgot. “This is typical of the lack of coordination between the departments and today the resentment and annoyance of the Press as a whole is swelled