Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1941. THE LEADER OF THE NATION.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1941. THE LEADER OF THE NATION.

THOUGH it was not the full review of the war situation lie is expected to make in the House of Commons when Parliament reassembles shortly, Mr Churchill’s speech at the London Mansion House on Monday was a memorable utterance and one which will strengthen the confidence felt in him, not only as head of the United Kingdom Government, but as leader of the whole British nation, in all its lands, in the life and death struggle in which it is at present engaged.

Powerful as is his hold on the trust of the nation, Mr Churchill is not and has not been entirely immune from criticism, and still less has the Government over which he presides been granted any such immunity. Not long ago it seemed likely that a crisis might arise over the question of the adequacy or otherwise of British aid to Russia. Though it has died down for the moment, this question has perhaps not been disposed of finally. The most serious aspect of the position probably is that there are some more or less influential sections in Britain, not all of them left-wing sections, which acknowledge freely Mr Churchill’s unrivalled qualifications as Prime Minister, but would very much like to see him discard several of his Ministerial colleagues. Rightly or wrongly these Ministers are . suspected by critics of the Government of having imperfectly abjured the doctrine and policy of appeasement they formerly had a hand in shaping. At times they are accused of having turned over from appeasement to complacency. The degree of disfavour with which some of Mr Churchill’s colleagues are regarded may be unwarranted and may take insufficient account of the fact that a large part of the British nation, at home and overseas, has changed over, within a brief period of years, from illfounded hopes of peace to a recognition of the necessity of fighting for life. In any case, Mr Churchill, who fought for years valiantly but vainly against the policy of appeasement, holds personally, on that account and others, an immensely strong position as leader of the nation. That position should be made stronger still, as has been said, by his Mansion. House speech and not least by what he had to say abojut the situation in the Pacific. His observations as a whole on Monday were marked by studied moderation 'and so much the more emphasis was thereby given to the decisive fashion on which he clarified and dealt with overshadowing war issues. From the point of view of the people of the South Pacific Dominions, the speech was above all of moment in raising sharply with Japan the issue of peace or war in the Pacific. Mr Churchill dealt with that question not only in his intimation that if the United States became involved in war with Japan, a British declaration would follow within the hour, but in his affirmation, that:— It would be a disaster of the first magnitude to world civilisation if the noble resistance to invasion and exploitation which has been, made by the whole Chinese race were not to result in the liberation of their hearths and homes. That, I feel, is a sentiment' deep in all our hearts. It may be hoped that a determination to make no agreement with japan which does not provide for the liberation of China is deep in American as well as British hearts. In that case, however, unless it is to be supposed that the militarist rulers of Japan are bluffing in their expressed determination to press forward with the subjugation of China as part of their policy of aggression and expansion, the British Prime Minister’s warning to Japan brings war in the Pacific into very near prospect. ■ For Australia and New Zealand, the realisation of that prospect would, mean war at their doors and new and dangerous threats to their sea communications. It may be affirmed with full confidence, however, that few indeed in these South Pacific Dominions, and certainly none of whom account need be taken in the shaping of national outlook and policy, will regard with anything elsp than unqualified approval the stand taken by the British Prime Minister and the warning he addressed to Japan. An extension of the war into this ocean is the last thing to be desired, but no sane and unprejudiced human being can wish to see the policy of appeasement, and thejsacrifice of weak nations, adopted in the Pacific after the experience we have had of the ghastly failure of that policy in Europe. If war is the only alternative, war it must be.