DECISIVE BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1940, Page 5

DECISIVE BATTLE

NOW BEING FOUGHT OVER BRITAIN SPEECH BY LORD HALIFAX NEED OF UNREMITTING EFFORT. IN BACKING UP THE R.A.F. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 5. Speaking in the House of Lords, the Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, referring to the German air onslaughts on Britain, said one of the decisive battles of the world was now being fought out in the air over Britain. “The primary aim of those attacks is clearly to put down and trounce our air defence,” he said, “but so far these attempts have failed. The material damage inflicted has been small in relation to the size of the forces engaged and at no point have the defences failed to hold the enemy in check. ;'But while we may on those grounds feel confident, let us make no mistake —the battle is very far from over. While we have no doubt of the outcome. I also have no doubt that special and unremitting effort from every quarter of this country continues to be called for. We have every reason for continued confidence. We can, however, see no reason for complacency". Let us not forget that the whole effort of our people is required to back up the efforts of the R.A.F.” AXIS & RUMANIA. Lord Halifax traced the course of events in Rumania from the presentation of the ultimatum by Russia which resulted in the return of Bessarabia and the cession of the northern part of Bukovina and the repudiation of the British guarantee. The requital for throwing herself into Germany’s arms, Lord Halifax continued, was quick and bitter. He instanced the satisfaction with which the British Government regarded the conversations which had been proceeding between Rumania and Bulgaria and which they hoped would result in a final and amicable solution of the question at issue; “It equally follows,” Lord Halifax continued, “that the British Government is unable to accept the settlement now announced of the Hungarian and Rumanian dispute over Transylvania, since that settlement is the result of an award dictated by the Axis Powers and imposed under duress on Rumania. We do not propose during the war to recognise territorial changes unless these have been independently and freely agreed to by the parties concerned.” SUPPORT FOR GREECE. Lord Halifax praised the Greek Government and people for their calmness in the face of Italian provocation and for their resolve to preserve their integrity and independence. Lord Halifax said that Hitler's apprentice, Mussolini, appeared to have had it in mind to try out on his own the well-known Nazi policy of threats and intimidation. Mussolini had begun to develop an agitation against Greece at the time when Hitler was expected to launch his attack against Great Britain. Nothing could have been more devoid of substance than the trumpedup charge on which the Italian agitation against the Greeks was based, and it was greatly to the credit of the Greek Government and people that thev remained calm and friendly. Lord Halifax also said that in the event of any action which clearly threatened the independence of Greece, and which the Greek Government felt bound to resist with national forces, Britain would lend all the support in her i?ower.

REMINDER GIVEN TO JAPAN. Lord Halifax said after the receipt of reports of Japan’s demands on IndoChina, he instructed the British Ambassador in Tokio to remind the Japanese Government that Britain was interested in the preservation of the status quo in Indo-China.