Evening star., 1940-01-09
Chamberlain Pledges Finland
Material Aid, Declares War
Thus Far Merely Preliminary
Prime Minister Sees
Wider and Deeper
Bond With France
CHAMBERLAIN REPORTS on
war progress; text of address
on Page Az.
By the Associated Ere.

By the Associated Ere,
LONDON, Jan. 9 (via Radio). .
Prime Minister Chamberlain
in a militant address to the Brit
ish Empire today declared Brit
aims aid to Finland will be no
mere formality." and said that
events in the war with Germany
thus far were merely prelimin-
ary" to the main struggle to
come.
1T is only on the sea- he said,
that the war may be said to be
in full operation"
The prime minister. speaking in
q voice choked with emotion, de-
clared that the British French al
lance should become permanent in
the interests of peaceful recon-
struction" after the war is over.
For 55 minutes Britain's war
leader reviewed the progress of the
hostilities to date in an address at
the lord mayors luncheon at
Mansion House. 1t was Mr.. Cham
berlains first public appearance of
the new year, year which he said
would be a fateful one in the his
tory of the world.
He said the unbelievable" quiet
of the first months of the war could
only be interpreted as "the quiet
of the calm before the storm"
The solemn words of the prime
minister were frequently interrupted
by cheers and applause.
Aid No Mere Formality.
Speaking of Finland, Mr.. Cham
berlain said:
And now it is the turn of Fin
land to be attacked by the power
(Sovlet Russia with whom Ger
many made an unholy pact and
for whom she sets the example of
aggression. Finland = is fighting
against the forces of unscrupulous
violence just as we are ourselves.
She is fighting for the same thing,
for liberty and for justice.
That valiant people can rest as
sured that our response to that
resolution for aid to Finland)
which was passed so recently at
meeting of the League in Geneva
will be no mere formality'
Mr.. Chamberlain said bitterly
that the leaders of the German
peopie would like to treat the Brit
ish as they are treating their con-
quered people"
But we on our side have no such
vindictive designs" he said.
He labeled as a vicious inven-
ton of German propagandists the
thought that the British would at
tempt to annihilate the Germans.
He described Germanys policy as a
threat and a menace ito the moral
standards on which western civilia-
tion is built"
Mr. Chamberlain declared that
Britain's mastery of the seas was
unimpaired and that England was
ready to repel any invader from the
air
-Four months have gone by and
the air raids have not come he
said after mentioning blackouts and
other precautions.
He drew laughter a moment later
when he said:
Some people are disappointed,
perhaps
Il 90 not consider that the risk of
air raids is over or diminished" he
said, "and I am certain that we
should make a capital mistake if we
become lax in our policy or changed
it. 4
1T is only on the sea that the war
may be said to be in full operation"
he said.
A survey Of the war on the sea, he
declared, would show that the results
had been mot unsatisfactory"
The oceans of the world have
been swept clear of German ship
ping he said. The German fleet,
which at the beginning of the war
was less than a quarter of our own,
has lost, by capture, by sinking and.
above all, by scuttling, 228,0O0
tons. = /" y
IF we subtract from our losses
by enemy action or by the ordinary
marine casualties. onr gains, by cap
lures from the enemy, by new ships
or by transfers from foreign flags.
We have lost up to date $4,000 tons.
Most of the remaining German
fleet, he said, was "either bottled up
in foreign ports" or confined to the
Baltic.
There were reports that a new
(See LONDON, Page A-3)