Evening star., 1941-04-24
Churchill Requests
Delay in Debote on
Reyerses in Greece
EACHGROUND-


began pushing Greeks out OF Al
boniu English and Greeks nolU
fighting redr-gudrd action to
guard retreat to Southern Greece.
Germans claim British troops
embarking from the peninsula
hare been sunk.
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, April 24-An au-
thoritative source said today
British forces in Greece still were
. holding defensive positions in the
> Thermopylae area.
He said that reports that the
British flank had been turned were
without basis and asserted 1t was
"verv doubtful" the Germans had
taken the island of Lemnos.
In Cairo British Near East
headquarters declared that Brit
ish troops in Greece yesterday
were in contact with the enemy,
but no important engagements
took place
In commenting on the Greek sur
render on the northwest front, the
source made a point Of the fact that
the Greek high command announced
the Epirus army surrendered to the
Germans-without mentioning the
italians.
Balkan War Written OFF.
Frankly writing of the diplomatic
and military campaign IN the
Balkans as a defeat. the British
press and public, in heightenlng
critical mood and rhaf1ng under
blackout of definite news from the
Greek front. grimly awaited unfold
ing of the full picture OF Britain
reverSes.
For the second time in three days
Prime Minister Churchill asked
Parliament to postpone a debate on
the war. but hinted he might make
a broadcast on the Greek campaign
in the meantime.
The Prime Minister volunteered
the remark that he was aware the
House expected debate on the war,
and said it would be held at the
earliest moment which enables the
government to give a full and rea-
sonable account of what has taken
place"
He warned that serious response
bility rests on the government in
taking any course or making any
statement which might prejudice the
success of the British, Australian,
New Zealand and Greek soldiers who
at this time are in close contact
with the enemy"
MenZies Broadcast Cited.
He gave the hint of a possible
broadcast in replying TO member
who cited the broadcast of Prime
Minister Robert G. Menzies Of Aus
p tralia two DAYS ago.
Mr.. Churchill said. st have been
thinking whether I might not make
some statement of a general char
acter. but I have been very anxious
to make sure whether. if I did so,
! should not be treating the House
with any disrespect when I suggest
ed debate on the matter should be
postponed until a later occasion
IF l could say anything helpful
on the matter in the interval, not.
of course. going into the con-
troversial aspect. I feel the House
would perhaps give ME the oppor-
tunity"
The House cheered.
The Prime Minister said the
Australian Parliament was unlikely
to meet before the first week in
made to have simultaneous debates
here and in the dominionS since
there would be obvious incon-
venience" in having them piece
meal"
Former War Secretary Leslie
Hore-Belisha pressed for state
ment from Foreign Secretary
Anthony Eden on his recent tour
TO the Middle East, but Mr.. Churchill
replied that it was intimately inter-
woven with the main matters which
the House wishes to discuss"
Two Dominant Questions.
Two questions were dominant to-
day:
Where are the imperial forces,
last reported yesterday falling back
on Athens?
Where Will the Nazi blitz legions
strike next?
British saw a lone note of en-
couragement in North Africa, where
Gen Sir Archibald P Wavell COM
mander of British Near East forces,
was reported to have poised his
army for a decisive clash with the
axis mechanical Spearhead that has
struck across Libya into Egypt.
Call for Accounting Rises.
London newspapers. which until
now had Scrupulously avoided
criticism of the conduct of the
Balkan campaign, today reflected a
mounting inclination to call for an
accounting.
The Daily Mail said, The govern
rnent would do we'll to realize there
is a feeling of grave uneaSineSs in
the country at recent events in the
Mediterranean. This uneaSineSS is
born of the conviction that some
thing more could have been done,
or some things could have been done
differently or more promptly"
OF German plans after subjection
Of Greece, the Daily Herald quoted
foreign diplomatic sources as saying
Berlin had demanded from Turkey
full military control of the Bosporus
and Dardanelles Straits in exchange
for a slice of Grecian Thrace-and
had demanded an immediate reply
from Ankara.
Foreign sources in Turkey earlier
expressed belief the Turks might
agree TO close the straits to all
foreign warships but would not give
UP control of the vital waterway
(See LONDON, Page A-4)
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