Evening star., 1941-12-27
England Can Repe|
Invader, Churchill
Says al Luncheon
Mojor-ScoIe Attack
Expected in Spring,
Congress Group Told

| any enemy force that tries to invade
the island, Prime Minister Churchill
told members OF Congress who
lunched with him yesterday at the
Capitol after his historic address
in the Senate chamber.
Some of the luncheon guests said
the Prime Minister expressed the
view it is quite likely Germany will
attempt a major-scale invasion next
spring.
In his Senate address he said the
Allies will be able to carry the of1en-
sive in 1943.
Mr.. Churchill was said to have
made clear his confidence Germany
would be unsuccessful in any inva-
| sion attempt. He told the group the
| Royal Air Force has attained day.
time superiority over Great Britain
and is still expanding its strength.
German Movements Known.
He also was said to have explained
that British information about en-
envy troop concentrations has i'm
proved greatly. 1t would be i'm
possible, he was quoted as saying. for
the Nazis to send any large force
across the English Channel without
undergoing terrific punishment from
the r. A. F. before the expedition
ever got started.
Pieced together, reports from the
legislators gave this picture:
Mr.. Churchill's information was
La it,
had been orderly in general al
though the Nazis may have been
routed at few points.
In Libya. the Prime Minister was
convinced that British soldiers had
proved themselves more than equal
to the Germans. man-to-man, when
they had comparable equipment.
The Prime Minister expressed
hope that Singapore could be held
against the Japanese.
He told his listeners that the chief
weakness of the German people was
| the lack of a sense of humor and an
inability to grasp the problems Of
humanity.
Materiel Fills Ships.
Mr.. Churchill declared that all
American and British shipping now
is needed to carry food and NUM-
tions to men already on the vari-
Gus battlefronts. But by l943. he
added. the Allies would have enough
ships to carry additional men to the
various war theaters and thus take
the offensive.
The British, he asserted have
! learned much about combating the
submarine menace in the last few
months. Virtually all American war
materiel shipments now are reach
| ing the British Isles, he declared,
but submarines may continue to
sink some vessels in the future
Warning against impatience, he
said that this Nation should not
undertake any campaign without
adequate preparation. He added
that the British had made that
mistake in launching the first Libyan
campaign.
In his address the Prime Minister
saw reason to hope that the end OF
1912 will see us quite definitely in a
better position than We are now" and
that the year 1943 will enable us to
assume the initiative upon an ample
scale"
Interim for Preparation.
The interim. he said. will be one
Of preparation. period of mar
shalling our forces. of prodding TO
topmost speed the production of the
weapons essential to the victory
and-"a time of tribulation'
Some ground will be lost which it
will be hard and costly to regain. +"
he said. Many disappointments and
unpleasant surprises await u.s. Many
of them will affect us before the full
marshalling of our latent and total
power can be accomplished"
The British war leader addressed
a Senate chamber jam-packed with
members of both houses and of the
Supreme Court. 1t was an attentive
and demonstrative audience which
time and again interrupted his re-
marks with applause that was loud
and prolonged. 1t cheered him en-
Enthusiastically as he entered, and
when, on leaving, he raised his hand
with fingers spread in the w for
Victory" sign, it roared its applause
again.
1t was a message of hope and
cheer and confidence that Mr..
Churchill brought and clothed with
his incompatible gift of language.
But it was also a sharp reminder
that things might grow worse, much
worse. before they take a turn for
the better.
Enemy Power Emphasized.
1t was a speech which emphasized
the vast stores of war implements
and the huge and highly disciplined
forces at the disposal of an enemy
who stops "at nothing that violence
and treachery can suggest
Some people may be startled or
momentarily depressed when, like
your President, I speak of a long,
hard war" Mr. Churchill said. Our
peoples would rather know the truth,
somber though it be: and, after all,
when we are doing the most blessed
WOTk III JIle WOTlu, IlOI Only Qc1eIlO-
ing our hearths and homes, but the
cause of freedom in every land, the
question of whether deliverance
comes in 1912 or 1943 falls into its
proper place in the grand proper
tions Of human history.
Sure I am that this day now we
are the masters of our fate; that the
task which has been set us is not
above our strength"
The Premier dwelt at some length
on the difficulties of deciding where
available supplies of war materials
should be sent.
THE onslaught upon us. so long
and SO completely planned by ia
pan. has presented both our coun-
tries with grievous problems for
which We could not be fully pre-
pared" he said. IF people asked
me. and they have a right to ask me
IN England, Why is it that you have
not got an ample equipment of mod