Evening star., 1940-05-08

Government Attacked
For Failure of Its
Norway Policy
CONTINUED From First Page.)
any personal consideration" but be-
cause of the menace of Germany.
None of U.s." he said, desire to
hold onto office for moment longer
than we retain the confidence Of
this House."
Division on House Asked.
Mr.. Morrison's parliamentary pro-
cedure was to ask for division of
the House" on the motion for ad-
journment, when the debate ends
tonight: in effect, q vote of nom
confidence on the governments con-
duct of the Norwegian campaign.
He charged Mr.. Chamberlain,
Hoare and Simon, long the real inner
circle of ministers, with lack Of
courage, initiative. imagination,
psychological understanding, liveli-
ness and self-respect in the con-
duct of foreign policy"
AS Britain faced her first govern
mental crisis in eight months Of war,
Dominions Secretary Anthony Eden
told the National Defense Public IN
terest Committee the war was reach
Ing IAN active phase" and the nation
was ready for a harsh conflict which
may be long,"
1--WE must not underrate the en-
emy's strength" Mr.. Eden warned
I'VE have to marshal the whole
strength Of our resources and employ
them, and we have to conduct the
war with all the vision, courage and
resolution at our command"
Free Denmark War Aim.
Answering a Questioner in the
House of Commons. R. A. Butler,
underSecretary for foreign affairs,
declared that one allied war aim Is
the restoration of the independence
OF German-occupied Denmark.
Mr.. Chamberlain. replying to a
question, declared that the govern
ment was keeping fully in mind"
consideration that British forces at
Narvik, Norway's northern iron ore
port. should not be exposed to risks
without air supremacy.
The Prime Minister. however,
made no reply to Laborite Hugh
Dalton's question, Have we also in
mind the possibility of Narvik being
evacuated in the next week or two?"
Cries of Shame! Shame!" were
reused by Mr.. Dalton's question.
Fifth Vote Of Confidence.
The vote on confidence will be the
fifth test the government has faced
since the start of the war, but the
first under such adverse circum-
stances. All the others, on issues
such as Labor's criticism of the ma
tion's organization of manpower and
resources and on British policy in
Palestine. upheld the administra-
ton overwhelmingly.
Lord Strabolgi, the Labor peer.
told the House of Lords, meanwhile.
that he had informed Foreign Sec
retary Lord Halifax that the Labor
party did not intend to wash dirty
linen in public unless there were
bloodstains on It,"
But, he declared the "mishan-
ding" of the Norwegian campaign
indicated there were defects both
in personnel and the methods of the
government" in its conduct of the
war.
Nevertheless, it was generally be-
lieved that the cabinet, despite its
weakened prestige and the bitterness
of criticism the Norwegian setback
has evoked, would ride out the
storm.
"Duty to Make Way"
Lord Strabolgi, opening debate In
the House of Lords, declared that
II the Chamberlain government is
not capable of drawing up plans
and reversing this setback" in Nor
way "it is their duty to make way
for Others"
He charged there were faults
in Britain's war personnel and
methods.
Lord 'Strabolgi, who was 1t.
Comdr. Joseph Montague Ken
worthy before he was raised to the
peerage, was on the Admiralty war
staff in 1916 and commanded the
wirships Bullfnch and Common
wealth in the World War.
He asserted that Mr.. Chamber
lain's "complacency" was the be
setting sin of our nation"
The British Grand Fleet could
have gone Immediately to Oslo
Fjord and driven of the lighter
German warcraft in the two days
between the capture of Oslo and
the arrival Of Nazi reinforcements,
he declared.
'Why Not Capture IT."
In Commons, Mr.. Morrison said
1t appeared Britain had not sur
veyed Norway for airdromes, gaso-
line dumps or means to check Ger
man sea communications.
Even now, if the Germans have
an airdrome near Arctic Narvik
which fighter planes can use, "Why
do We not capture 1t and use it?"
he asked.
Sir Samuel asserted that German
air losses were three times those
OF Britain in the last month Of
the war in Scandinavia.
In Is hours, 80 German planes
were put out of operation, the Air
Minister declared, by a British
squadron of 18 planes.
mot one of the British machines
was brought down in the air." he
said, "but the greater part were aft
erwards put out of action on the
ground"
Lost Ship Upset" Plans.
Describing establishment of the
first British fighter airdome on q
frozen Norwegian Lake, Sir Samuel
disclosed that 80 German bombers
hod OFT a ckod ~ Hfor 1E I,o,,~r