MR ATTLEE’S QUESTIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 May 1940, Page 5

MR ATTLEE’S QUESTIONS

Mr C. R. Attlee, Leader of the Labour Opposition, acknowledged the courage skill and devotion of the troops in Norway. He said the IStst speech of the Prime Minister was overcomplacent and Mr Churchill’s last speech was far too optimistic, while he regarded Mr Chamberlain’s speech that day as being one more of excuses than explanation. People had been led to believe that the Norwegian campaign was one of major importance. He aske ( d why the Allied froce for Finland was disbanded, • whether the troops sent to Norway were adequately and properly equipped, what information came from the intelligence service and was that service used as it should have been used; did they recognise the importance of the air weapon. He said he did not think the Government had acted on a plan that had been thought out beforehand, and he did not think it was fair to put Mr Chamberlain in the position described. The Government, he said, did not realise that the people demanded a more vigorous prosecution of the war, and that it was not satisfied. The Government leaders had missed all peace buses since 1931, but had caught the war bus. It had been consistently wrong in its judgment, and this had its effect on the national morale. There was a wide feeling that to win the war they needed different people at the helm. STRONGER ACTION NEEDED Sir Archibald Sinclair Liberal leader, said the Liberal Party’s chief criticism was: Why had the Government ever allowed themselves to get into such a position? The withdrawal from Norway was not a military disaster; but there was something that suggested the need of a stronger and more ruthless way to victory. He regarded the results as sufficiently serious in the economic field. Britain had lost supplies from all Scandinavian countries and the Baltic was sealed to her. Diplomatically, our position had weakened in almost every country in the world. In war the only thing that counted was results. The people had been misled about the way things were going in Southern Norway. Support for the Government came from Sir Henry Page Croft (Conservative) who said the Allies had given Norway all the aid possible. The strategic effect might be one which Germany had not bargained for. Mr J. C. Wedgwood (Independent) was concerned that the Government should learn its lessons from Norway, and should recognise that an army could not be moved in day without command of the air. The Government should follow the German example by making lightning strokes.