Evening star., 1941-06-10
Ey the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 10.-FollotUinq Is
the tert OF Prime Minister Church
ills remarks in toddy'S House OF
Commons debate on conduct OF the
aCdr.:
No one, however ministerially
minded, could possibly complain OF
the tone and temper and the matter
Of this debate.
The kind of criticism we have had
today-some of it very searching
is the kind that the government
not only accept but welcome.
However, the way in which this
debate came about was calculated
to give one the feeling of challenge
to the security of the administration.
From the point of view of ad-
vantage of the country that rises
serious considerations. There are
all kinds Of paragraphs and reports
in the newspapers that there is
bound to take a serious view be-
cause of the interests confided to
cur care.
I would be a mistake for the
house to get into the habit of
calling for explanations on the
various viciSSitudeS of this dangerous
and widespread struggle.
In the first place. no full eXplana-
ton can possibly be given without
revealing valuable information to
the enemy, and information not
only about the particular operation
which is over but also about the
general position and processes of
thought which are followed by our
war direction and our high COM
mand.
Dictat0rs Are Not Under
Pressure to Explain
There is always danger that a
minister in my position may be seek
ing to vindicate a course we have
pursued and say something which
may supply the enemy with some
information about which he is in
doubt.
The heads of the dictator govern
ments are not under similar pres
sure to excuse any i'll success that
may befall them.
But I am in the service of the
crown and I am always at the dis
posal of the House of Commons.
The House and the country have
placed very considerable respon-
sibilities upon me; I am sure they
would not wish me to be at dis
advantage.
I have not heard that Hitler had
to attend the Reichstag when he
sent the Bismarck on her disastrous
cruise when, after waiting a few
weeks, she might have gone out &C
companied by Tirpitz.
I have not heard any statement
of Mussolini's for having lost two
thirds of his empire and having left
about 100000 prisoners in our hands.
1t would be better if I were per-
mitted to choose the occasions for
making statements on war.
AS to fighting in Crete, it is only
one part of an important and COM
plicated campaign being fought in
the Middle East.
To select one particular sector of
our widely extended front for par
liamentary debate is a partial lop-
sided and misleading method of eX-
amining the conduct of the war.
The vast scene can only be sur
veyed as a whole and should not
be debated piecemeal.
Mistake to Make Fields
Without Guns and Aircraft.
There also comes into the picture
distribution Of our resources to meet
the many calls upon them.
1t is asked why it was. when we
had Crete in our possession for more
than six months, We did not con-
struct numerous air fields and place
them in high state of defense.
Every one will admit it would have
been a mistake to make a great
number of air fields unless we could
find the AA guns and the aircraft.
Unless we had that would simply
have facilitated the descent upon
the island.
Why were not enough guns pro-
vided to serve airfields in Crete?
We had to consider how many guns
we had and whether we could afford
to spare them for that purpose. All
this time the battle of the Atlantic
has been going on. A very great
number of guns which might have
usefully been employed in Crete
have been and are being mounted
on merchant vessels to beat off Ger
man aircraft, whose depredations
have been notably lessened thereby.
Materials Sent to Crete
Would Lessen Home Defense.
We had to consider whether our
air fields, our air factories and our
ports and cities should be further
denuded for the sake of the war
in the Middle East. Everything we
send to the Middle East is out of
action for the best part of three
months if it has to go round the
cape. No one can judge whether
we should have run more risks at
home for the sake of fortifying
and multiplying Cretan air fields
without having full and intimate
knowledge of our resources. We
provided in Crete a deterrent to