Evening star., 1941-12-26
Continued From First Page.)


wanted it. the House of Commons
could by a single vote remove me
from my Office, but am not worry
ing about it at all.
AS a matter of fact, I am sure
they will approve very highly OF
my journey here, for which I OBJ
tanned the Kings permission, in or
der to meet the President of the
United States, and to arrange with
him for all that mapping out Of
our military plans and for all those
intimate meetings of the high Off
GERS of the armed services in both
countries which are indispensable
for the successful prosecution of the
war.
I should like to say, first of all,
how much 1 have been impressed
and encouraged by the breadth of
view and the sense of proportion
which I have found in all quarters
over here to which I have had ac-
cess. Any one who did not under
stand the size and solidarity of the
foundation of the United States
might easily have expected to find
an excited, disturbed, lf-centered
atmosphere with all minds fixed
upon the novel, startling and pain
full episode of sudden war as it hit
America.
Quarrel Is Open.
After all, the United States have
been attacked and set upon by three
most powerfully armed dictator
states. the greatest military power in
Europe, the greatest military power
in Asia-Japan, Germany and Itafy
have all declared and are making
war upon you, and the quarrel is
open. which can only end in their
overthrow or ours.
But here in Washington. in these
memorable days. I have found an
Olympian fortitude which. far from
being based upon complacency, is
only the mark of an inflexible pur-
pose and the proof of a sure, we'll
grounded confidence in the final
outcome.
We in Britain had the same feel
ing in our darkest days. We, too,
were sure that in the end all would
be well. You do not, I am certain,
underrate the severity of the ordeal
to which you and we have still to
be subjected The forces ranged
against us are enormous. They are
bitter, ruthless. The wicked men
and their nations who have launched
their peoples on the path of war
and conquest know that they will
be called to terrible account if they
cannot beat down by force Of arms
the people they have assailed.
They will stop at nothing. The,
| have a vast accumulation of War
weapons of all kinds. They have
| highly trained and disciplined
! armies. navies and air services. They
have plans and designs which have
long been contrived and matured
They will stop at nothing that vio-
/ lence or treachery can suggest. 1t is
/ quite true that on our side. our re-
/ sources in man power and materials
are far greater than theirs But only
portion of your resources are as
yet modified and developed. and we
both of us. have much to learn In
the cruel art of war.
Face Tribulation.
We have, therefore, without doubt
time of tribulation before us. Ir
this same time. some ground will be
lost which it will be hard and costly
to regain. Many disappointments
and unpleasant surprises await us
Many of them will affect us before
the full marshalling of our latent
and total power can be accom-
| plished.
For the best part of 20 years the
youth of Britain and America have
been taught that war was evil. which
is true, and that it would never come
again. which has been proved false
For the best part of 20 years the
youth of Germany, of Japan and
Italy have been taught that aggres-
sive war is the noblest duty of the
citizen and that it should be begun
as soon as the necessary weapons
and organization have been made
We have performed the duties Incl.
dent to peace. They have plotted
and planned for war. Naturally this
places us in Britain and now places
you in the United States at a dis.
advantage which only time. courage
and untiring exertion can correct.
We have indeed to be Thankful
that so much time has been grantee
to us. If Germany had tried to in
wade the British Isles after th
French collapse in June, 1910, and i
Japan had declared war on the Brit
lsh Empire and the United States a
about the same date, no one cay Sa
what disaster and agonies might no
have been our lot. But now, at tn
end of December. 194l, our trans
formation from easy-going peace t
total war efficiency has made YER
great progress.
The broad flow of munitions. il
Great Britain has already begun
Immense strides have been made il
the conversion of American industr
to military purposes. and now tina
the United States is at war, it
possible for orders to be given ever
day which in a year or IS month
hence will produce results in wa
: power beyond anything that ha
been seen or foreseen in the die
tator states.
Initiative in 1943 Forecast.
Provided that every effort Is made
that nothing Is Kept back, that tn
whole man power, brain power, vi