BATTLE OF BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1940, Page 7

BATTLE OF BRITAIN

British Official Wireless.

i TURNING POINT OF WAR i ' . CAUSE FOR CONFIDENCE

Reef! 5.30 p.m. Rugby, Sept. 21. The "Battle of Britain" was the subject of a broadcast to-night by the Lord Privy Seal, Mr. C. R. Attlce, in which he said all the world was watching. The hopes and fears of millions were involved in the result and all were asking " How goes the fight?" Stating that he was one of those charged with the duty of working at the centre and was thus able to survey the whole field with full knowledge of what was happening, Mr. Attlee said: "I speak with a deep sense of confidence in the success of our cause." After a tribute to the work of the Royal Air Force the Lord Privy Seal continued: "Our forces on land are in I good heart. I include in these forces not only the navy, army, air force and home guard, but also civil defence services, police, workers in industries, and, inde^d, all the men, women and children of our nation. Attacks on Pcople's Spirit. "We are all in this war. Those who have been killed in air raids have died for their country no less than the soldiers killed in battle, for this present air attack is not directed primarily on our factories, docks and public services, but on the spirit of our people. "It is here that Herr Hitler is sustaining his heaviest defeat. I have just been visiting some of the great works whose output is vital to our war effort. If Herr Hitler by his attacks could cut that output by half he would have an important success, but he will not succeed. The workers refuse to be intimidated. I have been visiting, whenever possible, our people whose relatives are being

killed, whose homes are being destroyed, whose lives are being subjected to constant danger Their answer is always the same, 'Hitler has not got us down.' "I believe the battle for Britain is the turning point of the war. Defeat of this attack marks the turning of the tide. We may have to endure worse things yet. There is no room for easy optimism, but there is every cause for confidence." The unexpected problems, Mr,. Attlee continued, which had arisen from the attack on London were being tackled with vigour. He concluded: "Nazisrn stands for the destruction of not only the old and beautiful thing which we have inherited from the past, but the homes and lives of kindly men and women. We here in Britain are standing for the future of mankind. When Herr Hitler is defeated we will join together with all men and women of goodwill and build up a new world and a new Britain on better and closer foundations than the old world which is passing away for ever."