BRITISH CONFIDENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 January 1941, Page 9

BRITISH CONFIDENCE

DECLARED BY MINISTER OF INFORMATION j __ ■ MESSAGE TO LATIN ■ AMERICA. — j WORST PHASE OF WAR OVER, j i ■British Official Wireless.! RUGBY. January 10. j A message broadcast to Latin ! America by the Mini-tor of Informs- ; tion today was eno of good wishes for 1941 to all the British coinmtmi■ ies liv- ! ing there and to the countries whose! j hospitality they enjoyed. Mr Duff; i Cooper's message was al<o .me of good.' hope- ! : "We now feel." he said "'hat we ■

i have seen the worst, been tested and ’ j not found wanting, and that there is 1 nothing further that man can d. f against us which, we shall no.', be able' t.> support with fortitude and survive with triumph." People living away from Britain, the Minister wen; on might have formed 100 gloomy a picture of Britain in war time, and he emphasised the fact that the normal life of ordinary men and women continues with all its old accompaniments of work and relaxation and he assured his listeners that the theatres, cinemas, and restaurants continued to be full of happy people. Turning to post-war plans. Mr Duff Cooper stressed the importance of the Willingdon Mission to Latin America, and added that though Britain, because of the stress of war was unable t > spend as much as she would like in t’n< markets there, it was of th< first importance that the difficulties should be j explained to the peoples of Latin America "in order that they may be | assured that »h* \- arise through no lack | < f good will on the part of the pcopk t of Britain.'

It was impossible to overestimate the vast debt which humanity owed to thv Latin races but the condition of these races in Europe today was pitiable, and a greater responsibiligv rested upon the Latin republics of the New World to carry high the torch of Imtin culture and reaffirm the devotion of Latin people to the cause <>f freedom. "It may well be." the Minister declared, “that the New World, including the Latin American continent, will be called upon to play a far greater part in the development of civilisation and the control of human destiny." Mr Duff Cooper closed by thanking the senders of many gifts, large and small. "These." he said, "are not only valuable in themselves, but remind us constantly of the hosts of friends who are daily watching and working for our victory."