BRITAIN'S WAR AIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 November 1939, Page 5

BRITAIN'S WAR AIMS

APPRECIATED BY GREAT MAJORITY . OF NATIONS

Mr Chamberlain Comments on Russian Premier’s Speech

WAR AT SEA COMPARATIVELY UNEVENTFUL

GALLANT WORK BY ROYAL AIR FORCE

(British Official Wireless.) ( Heeoi veil This Day, 10.15 a.nt.) RUGBY, .November 2. The Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain), in his weekly war survey in the House of Commons, referring to M. Molotov’s speech, which he said he imagined had occasioned some disappointment in Berlin, said that Britain had considered with interest the definition of the Soviet’s future aims, which it contained. Recalling M. Moloiov’s speech on May til, in which M. Mololov pronounced Russia’s intention Io “stand for peace and lhe prevent ion of any sori of development of aggression” Mr Chamberlain said Britain had staled her war aims in plain terms and added: “I am confident they are fully appreciated by a great majority of the nations of the world.” Referring to the war situation, Mr Chamberlain said: “Activity on the French and German frontier has been confined lo lhe action of local raiding parlies and occasional artillery lire. Despile lhe exceptional cold and wet, the British Expeditionary Force has coniimied to work diligently at the task of strengthening lhe defences of their section of the line, “We must not forget our numerous garrisons overseas. Though distant from the immediate scene of war and without the stimulus which its proximity provides, they have to maintain constant vigilance and Io perform a routine of duly which can never be relaxed. “The war al sea has been eomparalively uneventful. Nothing has occurred to shake our confidence in our ability to overcome, the submarine menace. “During the week there have been a number of encounters with German aircraft, either engaged in reconnaissance or in attempted attacks on convoys. No damage was sustained in these encounters either by our aircraft or ships. The enemy, on the other hand, suffered some loss and the net result has been to confirm the high opinion we already entertained of the quality of our tighter aircraft and the skill and courage of their crews. “A particularly gallant exploit was a successful reconnaissance flight over North-West Germany during the week when valuable photographs were secured, some of them taken at a height of no more than two hundred feet, despite a heavy and concentrated barrage by anti aircraft guns.”