TWO WARS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 November 1940, Page 6

TWO WARS

WAGED IN MEDITERRANEAN MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL'S SURVEY. TRIBUTE TO VALIANT GREEKS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) RUGBY, November 21. “Up to the present the war has been waged between a fully-armed Germany and a quarter-armed or half-armed British Empire.”— These words came towards the end of Mr. Winston Churchill’s House of Commons statement at the opening of the new sesssion of Parliament. Mr. Churchill spoke of the two wars being waged in the Mediterranean theatre, one of which—the defence of Egypt and the Suez Canal—looked rather doubtful and difficult a few months ago, but at present gave a measure of confidence that Britain would give a good account of herself when the invading forces advanced, numerically superior though they might be. “Then,” said Mr. Churchill, “there is is the valiant and sudden uprising of the Greek nation, who although taken by surprise and struck a felon’s blow have already almost entirely purged their soil of the conscript invaders who have been launched upon them in an enterprise which cannot be described as other than pure and unmitigated brigandage. I feel that deeds and not words are what are expected of us, and I certainly hope we shall be able to give from our resources, which are always heavily strained, a helpful measure of assistance to the Greeks, and that we shall be able to discharge our responsibilities to Egypt in defending its soil and guarding that vital artery, the Suez Canal.” Indicating the business of the House, Mr. Churchill said he saw no reason why the process of general debates should not be continued. He recalled that this was really a revival of ancient Parliamentary practice, when Government business was disposed of with considerable expedition and the House devoted itself to debate on large and general topics of public interest. The great questions interesting the nation and occupying the Press should also be the subject of current discussion in the House of Commons. “This time-honoured ceremonial procedure in which the Crown and Parliament have played their parts today carries with it to anxious minds the balm of confidence,” said the Prime Minister. “Certainly when our beloved Sovereign and the Queen come from their battered palace to this building, wh|ch is not without evidence of the strokes of war, when the Sovereign’ comes to open Parliament in person and calls on his faithful subjects to discharge their duties, we touch at every step—in every measure, in every formality, in every resolution we pass—we touch customs and traditions which go back far beyond the Parliamentary conflicts of the seventeenth century.”