STANDING TOGETHER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1941, Page 5

STANDING TOGETHER

ALL CLASSES IN BRITAIN MR CHURCHILL SUPPORTED BY WORKERS. MR W. HOLMES ENTERTAINED AT STATE LUNCHEON. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The national unity that existed in Great Britain was emphasised by ,\lr William Holmes, past-president, of the Trades Union Congress and general secretary of the National Union of Agricultural Workers in the United Kingdom, when replying yesterday to the welcome extended to him at, a. luncheon given by the Government in his honour. “The working-class movement stands with the Government—we do not ask what Government it is so long as it has been elected by the people in a democratic way,” said Mr Holmes. “Mr Winston Churchill may not belong to the party to which we belong but we are proud of him. He typifies the English outlook at present, and he will see us through if he gets the proper backing. So far as we are concerned we shall back him. for all we are worth. We are confident that he will bring us through.” The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, presided at the luncheon, which was attended by Ministers of the Crown, members of the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council, foreign consuls, trade commissioners, and representatives of the industrial labour and trade union movement. Two toasts were honoured, that of “The King” and “Our Guest.”

A cordial welcome was extended to Mr Holmes by the Prime Minister, who said it was the first time that they in New Zealand had had the pleasure of welcoming a past president of the British Trades Union Congress, which represented approximately 5,000,000 organised workers. When the families of those workers were -also taken into account it could be seen how great was the representation embodied in the Congress. FIGHT FOR FREEDOM. He had vivid recollections of his' visit to the opening of last year's congress, .when- Mr Holmes was president. The ringing speeches made by Mr Holmes and others on that occasion left no room for mistake as to the attitude of the congress in the present conflict. Its members were using every means in their power to help in the present struggle, because they knew that if they went down the trade union movement would be the first of their democratic institutions to go by the board, just as it had been overthrown in every country that Nazism had dominated. Mr Holmes, as the representative of millions of British people, was assured of a hearty welcome, not only by the trade union movement in this country, but also from everyone who had a love for freedom. BRITAIN’S NOBLE EXAMPLE. “We cannot find words to express our admiration of the people of Great Britain,” said Mr Fraser. “What they are doing in facing up to the ravages of death and destruction rained down on them from the skies transcends anything ever thought of, and their spirit is finer than anything in the whole history of mankind. There has been nothing nobler or grander than the stand of the British people at the present ■moment. It has convinced us that whatever may come nothing can ever conquer the spirit of the British people, which will finally overthrow all the forces of tyranny and injustice let loose by Nazism and Fascism.” Mr Fraser said that the people of Great Britain had set an example that they in New Zealand were.endeavouring to folow. Mr Holmes would carry back to the members of the trade union movement and to the people of the great democracy of Great Britain a message that the people of this country were with them in the United Kingdom to the very last penny, to the very last life, and down to the very last of their property. They would live to see in their day and generation those countries now dominated by a Nazi tyranny reassert themselves and to see the triumph of democracy. DIFFERENCES SET ASIDE. Mr Holmes, who was greeted with applause, said there had always been in this country a striking democratic thought. Whatever differences there might be among the people of Great Britain, there was one thing on which they were always united, and that was that the country that gave them their freedom and liberty came first. There had never been a time of crisis in British history when the people were so united as they were at present. From the highest to the lowest they were standing together to preserve their own standard of living. In this great contest they were absolutely united. All were sharing the same dangers. Whether rich or poor, none escaped. Buckingham Palace had been bombed in the same way as the working-class areas. When the blackout was introduced. the King and Queen had to have the windows of the palace covered just in the same way as their subjects had. The workers of Britain were in the front line today. There were many things the trade union movement disagreed with, but attempts to right them were being left to a more propitious occasion. The loss of property did not worrv them much, said Mr Holmes. One did not like to see fine old churches and buildings disappear. After all. the same skilful fingers of the working class and the brains of technical experts could raise great towns and cities once more, but human lives they could not replace. "We shall rebuild London and the other towns when we have settled the business with the Nazis on the Continent,” added Mr Holmes. “Great now factories are going up. and not only will these soon be producing munitions, of war, but 1 believe that before this year is out wo will be masters of the air, not only in the daytime, but also al night. I believe the day will come when we will rejoice in our principles and victory for democracy.” Mr Holmes resumed his seat amid applause. At the suggestion of the Prime Minister. all stood in silence for a moment as a tribute to the British. Australian and New Zealand troops fighting in Greece, and to the Greeks. The gathering concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.