CHURCHILL’S DAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 November 1942, Page 3

CHURCHILL’S DAY

IN HOUSE OF COMMONS CRITICS SILENCED. SECOND FRONT CONTROVERSY ENDED. (Special Correspondent.) LONDON, November 12. “This is Mr Churchill’s day,” said a member of the House of Commons, Mr A. G. Walkden, when moving the Address-in-Kepiy in the House. It certainly must have been a very satisfactory day for Mr Churchill, who related the preliminary stages of the victory in Egypt, and also furthei silenced the critics who participated with Sn John Wardlaw-Milne in the July censure debate. The Prime Minister, in addition, killed outright further clamour for a second front and gave the welcome assurance of complete understanding between the Allied leaders and Russia.! . His promise of further amazing feats, now that the main force of the enemy is broken” gives ground for renewed confidencce, while the announcement that the church bells will ring on Sunday ..s atouch of Churchillian romanticism and imagination which will hearten the nation. What a different atmosphere there was in the Commons from that when the censure motion was debated, and even from that when he recounted his visits to Egypt and Russia. The Commoners have rarely listened to him with closer interest, and yiey chorused “No!” when he suggested that he was taking too long. Mr Churchill, in his opening, remarked that the speeches of the mover and seconder of the Address-in-Reply were characterised by “extreme benevolence.” That just about summed up the House's attitude to Mr Churchill. The House welcomed his warm tributes to America providing tanks and then working with the British staff as “a happy band of brothers.” Mr Churchill was obviously pleased by M. Stalin's reference to his visit to Moscow, while his own very generous references to M. Stalin and Russia suggest that both men formed a high opinion of each other. The Commoners warmly acclaimed Mr Churchill’s refusal to yield to the popular clamour for a second front which might lead to a dozen Dieppes in one day, followed by a couple of Dunkirks.” For this sums ud the view of the majority throughout Untain; hence. Mr Churchill’s remarks will probably kill effectively further well-mean-ing impulses which stir in so many breasts. As usual, Mr Churchill’s humour was in evidence, and the members laughed with amusement at his cryptic instructions to General Alexander, and were greatly inteiested in his account of Generals Montgomeiy and Alexander revealing to him in a desert tent the plans for the attack against the El Alamein line, which was finally carried out by “this noble desert army.” Members shouted with laughter at Mr Churchill s comment, “Hitler is quite uncivil from time to time,” when referring to Hitler s remark about “military idiots.” Finally, members liked the note of caution on which he ended: “We are entitled to reioice only upon the condition that we do not relax.” It was a great occasion, witnessed by a full chamber, with Mrs Churchill General Smuts, M. Maisky, Mr Wmant, and Mr Jordan looking down from the gallery. the -last-mentioned making one of his rare’ appearances in the High Commissioner s seats. The speech will be a tonic to the man-in-the-street in Britain, who characteiistically has been somewhat, tardy to rejoice over victory.