Evening star., 1940-05-20
London
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LOuOUu
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/ the spokesman declared, and insisted
there was mo reason to lose heart
or courage
The Belgians have been fighting
magnificently, he said. and there
has been no break through their
lines. Liege and Namur, important
railroad centers in Belgium, still
are holding out, he declared.
But he admitted that there has
been some progress with resultant
miXups where the French
were behind the Germans and
others where the situation was re-
verSed.
The German mechanical forces
no longer pack such terrific punch
he said and French 75s have
proved extraordinarily effective
at stopping the Nazis' huge tanks
with the result that they have
lost momentum.
Thousands of these famous guns
which can fire Is times a minute
when handled by a well-trained
crew, have been rushed to defensive
positions.
The spokesman said the arrival of
French Gen. Maxine Weygand as
commander in chief has given
everybody tremendous confidence"
British troops on the allied left
wing were retiring to conform to
the shifting southern situation, he
said, but no gap has been punched
in the allies front.
Every time the Germans have
met our boys they have gotten a
bloody nose," the spokesman said.
They now have the greatest re-
spect and caution for the British.
Despite what the Germans might
have said, we have not abandoned
any material. Our boys are now
getting used to bombing and are
protecting themselves accordingly.
1--WE are not losing many men
through these bombings now, but the
noise is great and unpleasant
The British, ready in the words of
Prime Minister Churchill, to face
endure and retaliate against" the
air might of Nazi Germany, con-
centrated their efforts at home on
combating that power and its
threat to the British Isles.
Stricter control of industry, no
tably the airplane industry, was be-
lieved indicated by Prime Minister
Churchill's statement last night that
considerations of private property
would not be allowed to interfere
with the governments war effort.
British held that the government
would assume control of a large
number of privately owned factories
now producing war equipment in
order to intensity production.
Mr.. Churchill may discuss plans
for stepped-up production when he
makes statement in the House of
Commons, expected tomorrow.
At the same time, Lord Beaver
brook, new minister of air produc-
ton, issued an appeal to garage
workers employed in servicing civil
ian cars to accept employment i'm
mediately in aircraft factories for
assembly work.
Observers pointed out that cities
like Rotterdam-where, the Dutch
Legation in Paris announced, at
least 100000 persons were killed by
methodical German air attacks
lacked London's balloon barrage and
her organization to combat fires
started by incendiary bombs.
Mr.. Churchill, in his first broad
cast to the empire as prime minis
ter, said he counted on "dogged en-
durance" to stabilize the western
front with the help of the, French
genius for recovery and counter
attack"
Mr.. Churchills declaration that
mastery can be gained only by
furious, unrelenting assault" coin
cided with the appointment Of Gen.
Weygand, a master OF offensive
warfare, to the supreme command
OF the allied armies.
Mr.. Churchill indicated new
allied strategy by asserting:
THE armies must cast away the
idea of resisting attack behind con-
crete lines or natural obstacles"
He voiced confidence the western
front would be stabilized in time to
draw on the full resources of the
allied empires to check the German
"blitzkrieg. At the same time he
grimly warned his countrymen that,
once the front was stabilized, ''the
bulk of that hideous apparatus of
aggression which dashed Holland
into ruin and slavery in a few days
will be turned upon u.s."
Referring to the air power which
crushed Holland, he said:
I'VE are ready to face it, to endure
it and to retaliate against it to any
extent that the unwritten laws Of
war permit
Then Mr.. Churchill added:
There will be many men and
women in this island who, when the
ordeal comes upon them, as come it
will, will feel comfort and even q
pride that they are sharing the
perils of our lads at the front -