Evening star., 1941-01-28
BY GARNETT ID. HORNER.

ndpOIS TO meet L0rd HQujQT
on his arriral last Friday.
BY GARNETT ID. HORNER.
Great Britain's war aims may bt
defined fully in public addreS!
here soon by Viscount Halifax. new
British Ambassador who is able u
speak with authority, as member
of his country's policy making wal
cabinet, he hinted at press con.
ference yesterday.
Summarizing EnglandS objec.
tlves as TO win the war" and ther
'ioin with others" in a system OF
reconstruction that would prevent
another war, he declined to go into
detail because that would anticipate
what Il may get an opportunity
soon of saying in public"
He said British military leaders
would be glad to see" Hitler at
tempt an invasion of England. re-
futed charges that democracy is
dead In Great Britain, denied his
country has any secret treaties for
territorial redistribution after the
war, and indicated that the most
acute need for help from the United
States is in the shipping field.
Are United Politically.
The former British foreign Secre-
tary also emphasized that all of
his countrymen are united politi-
Cally. with all our men, women and
children in the front line together
ana not downhearted," and as
serted:
1T is for you people here to form
Your own opinion of how we are
standing up, the real nature of
what We are standing up against,
and make up your minds about what
YOU may do to help u.s."
More than 100 newspapermen
crowded into the ballroom of the
British Embassy for the first gen.
eral press conference held by Lord
Halifax since his dramatic greeting
by President Roosevelt when he ar
rived off Annapolis aboard a battle
ship Friday. Sitting at a small
table, he first made a brief state
ment and then invited questions.
answering most of them with ap-
parent frankneSs.
Reminded of Senators.
The question of British war aims
came up when Lord Halifax was
reminded of the interest in that
subject here as manifested by a
resolution introduced in the Senate
Yesterday by Senator Nye. Republi-
can, of North Dakota. and Wheeler.
Democrat. of Montana, calling on
belllgerents to make known their
war aims and disclose whether
there are any secret treaties" for
postwar settlements.
Can you tell us why YOUR war
aims have not been disclosed?" he
was asked.
Mainly. I think" he replied, be
cause We have thought that our first
duty, our first war aim. was to win
the war. If We are defeated. our
aims would be academic and others
would be putting theirs into effect
and we all know what they are"
Then he explained that he did
not want to anticipate what he
might have opportunity to say in
public later by going into detail,
but that in sentence:
Our first war aim now is to
win. and our main peace aim is to
Join with others in reconstruction
so as not to have another war"
He added that the lob of recon-
struction Is one in which all people
who can" must help nurse the world
back to political and economic
health.
Looks at Invasion Chances.
Asked what he thought of the
prospects of German invasion of
England. Lord Halifax said, slowly
and mediatively:
I'm always trying to look at it
from Hitler's point of view. can
imagine him being advised BY his
experts that it would be a difficult
undertaking unless he has command
of the air-Which he hasn't got and
isn't going TO get
L also can imagine Hitler think
ing that it is difficult not to try to
invade us.
"On OUR side. am confident we
can give him warm reception I
think the people who know most
about it would be very glad to see
him try it
He replied with a laconic yes"
when asked if he was referring to
British military leaders.
Bombing Stepped Up Morale.
Indicating that an invasion at
tempt would stir England as never
before, he said the immediate ef-
feet OF bombing when it began was
felt right through the country-al-
most like an electric shock to the
morale, putting it up
The new Ambassador spoke
warmly and emphatically when
asked his reaction to reports brought
back from England by some persons
that democracy was dead" in
Britain.
Il don't think the British people
would be fighting as they are" he
said. 'if they didn't know they were
fighting for democracy They think
as much of their liberties as YOU do"
Emphasizing the importance of
human personality as a funda-
mental of democracy. he said he did
not think possible alterations in the
machinery of government made 50
much difference as long as the
fundamentals were maintained.
when I went 70 see Hitler in
1887" he recalled, me said he did
not think much could be done to
improve our relations as long as our
Parliament and press were free to
criticize his government.
II told him that if he thought
England would give up such liberties
he was wasting my time and his.
That attitude is true of England to-
day and always will be"
No Secret Treaties.
In response to other questions
Lord Halifax said he could state
quite positively" that his country
had no secret treaties for territorial
II Iiet,