DUTIES SHARED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 March 1941, Page 6

DUTIES SHARED

BRITAIN & AMERICA RESTORING FREEDOM TO WORLD SPEECHES AT GATHERING IN LONDON. MR. CHURCHILL ON BATTLE OF ATLANTIC. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.8 p.m.) RUGBY, March 18. Proposing the health of the new American Ambassador (Mr. J. G. Winant) at the Pilgrims’ Club luncheon, Mr. Winston Churchill took the opportunity “to express on behalf of the British nation and Empire the sense of encouragement and fortifications in our resolve,” which comes from ‘the stirring and historic declaration by F’resident Roosevelt on Saturday. The British, said Mr. Churchill, could t now feel that they were no longer alone. “We kftow that other hearts in scores of millions beat with ours,” he added. “Their voices proclaim the cause for which we strive, other strong hands wield hammers and shape the weapons we need, other keen and gleaming eyes are fixed in hard conviction upon the tyrannies that must and will be destroyed.” The Premier proceeded to speak of the Battle of the Atlantic and announced the destruction of three German U-boats yesterday—a triple success in a single day not recorded since the second month of the war. Describing how this great battle was now developing with full severity he referred to the fact that not only U-boats, but German battle-cruisers had crossed to the American side of the Atlantic and already had sunk some ships not in convoy and independently routed. They had sunk ships as far west as the 42nd meridian. "We must regard this' Battle of the Atlantic as one of the most momentous ever fought in all the annals of war,” said Mr. Churchill. He concluded: “Mr. Ambassador, you share our purpose, you will share our dangers and interests, you shall share our secrets and the day will come when the United States and Britain will share together the solemn but splendid duties which are the crown of victory.” Mr. Winant stressed that the policies I upon which the peoples of the United States and Britain were being drawn together in face of a common peril were policies on which the American people as a whole had solemnly committed themselves. Freedom was not the cause of any one nation or group of nations. It was the cause of all men everywhere. Its history was the history of civilisation, to which all nations. not excepting those now enthralled by dictators, had made their notable contribution in the past. But never, in any struggle between barbarism and civilisation, had so much been at stake.

Mr. Winant went on to say that on every continent and in every country, wherever there were men and women who valued freedom, Britain had friends and allies. Throughout Europe there were legions who yearned for Britain’s victory. The great mass of common men the world over, Mr. Winant declared were not deceived by the Nazis’ talk of a “new order.” They realised that there was no order or security in tyranny. They wanted what the British people wanted, they wanted what the American people wanted a friendly and civilised world of free peoples.” Mr. Winant concluded on the note that free peoples were again co-operat-ing to win a free world and that no tyranny can frustrate their hopes.