Evening star., 1940-01-09

| lilies have been settled for genera
tions. And now 1t Is the turn of
Finland to be attacked by that power
with whom Germany made an un-
holy pact and whom she set the ex-
ample of aggression.
Finland today, amidst her SHOWS
and her frozen lakes, is fighting
against the forces Of |unscrupulous
violence just as we are, ourselves.
She is fighting for the same things
for liberty and for justice-and her
marvellous successes fill us with ad-
miration for her heroism, whilst her
need calls for our sympathy and our
aid. That valiant people can rest
assured that our response to that
resolution which was passed so re-
Gently at a meeting Of the League
in Geneva will be no mere formality
Sympathy for Turks.
There is another country, another
valued friend and to whom our SYM
pathy goes out today. I mean Tur-
key, Turkey who is not at war, but
who in a few days by floods and
earthquakes has suffered more cas-
ualties than have been sustained in
many weeks of war by all of the
belligerents together. Even now we
do not know the full extent of the
calamity of which every account
brings us fresh stories to illustrate
the horrors of the situation. Under
the personal direction of the Presi-
dent of the republic everything pos
sible Is being done to carry relief to
the scene of the disaster and the
Turks-those wonderful peasants
are taking their trials with that
stoical courage which has ever been
their national characteristic.
But naturally we, their friends, in
the face of such a tragedy, are
anxious to give not merely our SYM
pathy but our help. The British
and the French governments have
already contributed sums OF money
for the relief of the victims. They
have. moreover, informed the Turk
ish government OF their desire to
give further assistance, the form of
which is now being considered by
all three of US together.
You know, ladies and gentlemen,
this collaboration between France
and ourselves for humanitarian pur-
poses Is only just another instance
of that close, that intimate associa-
ton between us which now covers
every aspect of the war-military,
political. financial and economic.
can't help thinking that our expert
ence of this association during the
war will prove it to be so valuable
that when this war is over neither
of us will want to give it up.
To Aid Reconstruction.
And it might even develop into
something wider and deeper because
there is nothing which would do
-phore to facilitate the task of peace
ful reconstruction, which has got to
be undertaken some time.
There is nothing which would
contribute more toward the per-
manence of its results than the ex-
tinction of Anglo-French collab-
Grafton in finance and economics to
other nations in Europe and, indeed,
perhaps of the whole world.
was deeply sorry to see this
morning that my friend and COL
league, Daladier, had suffered an
accident and am sure every one in
this country will wish him a speedy
recovery.
In his last three speeches, which
I hope have been widely read in
this country, he has expressed with
his usual clarity and eloquence the
spirit of the French people. their
determination to achieve the Sc
curity which has been so long de-
MED to them, their readiness to ac-
cept any hardship or any sacrifice
that may be necessary in order to
attain it, and their unanimity in
the face of national danger.
am confident that we in this
country will not lag behind the
French in our resolution or in our
cheerful acceptance of the newt
able hardships of war.
Man Power Modified.
Let me now turn for a moment
to the home front. On the very
first day of war, Parliament passed
the National Service Armed Force
Act, which replaced the Military
Training Act of last spring and
which gave power to make liable
for service by royal proclamation
all men between the age limits of
18 and Al. Under the first and sec
ond proclamations, which took place
in october and December, respective
ly, nearly half a millian men were
registered. This year. we began
on the first day of it with a third
proclamation, which renders liable
to service 1,900,0 900 men between the
ages of 10 and %; SO that if you
include the numbers who are regis
tered last June under the Military
Training Act. some 100000, we find
that the total number of men, who,
since the introduction of compulsory
SCltlSC IldNC OSCAl Va VIC
come liable to be called up under
the proclamation, amounts to be-
tween two and a half and two and
three quarter millions.
And If you add to that those who
are members of the regular reserve
and auxiliary forces before the war
and the very large numbers OF VOL
unteers who entered the army since
the war and the great and grow
ing forces of the air force and the
royal navy, it can't be denied that
the mobilization of the man power
of this country for military pur-
poses is already on prodigious
scale.
Civil Defense System.
Then, a parallel with this devel-
opment of our military forces, we
have the great system of civil de-
fense which has been built up by
way of preparations against air
raids. Day and night our fighter
aircraft, our anti-aircraft guns, our