Evening star., 1941-12-26

hlld Sllll Illoi llCA WY oAA IL eAi~ 40 ~
of hatred and contempt for the
filthy, Quisling-like enemies.
In a dozen famous ancient states.
now PROSTATE under the Nazi yoke,
the masses of the people await their
hour of liberation when they, too,
will once again be able to play their
parts and strike their blows like
men. That hour will strike and the
people will proclaim that night is
past and that dawn has come.
The onslaught upon us, so long
and so completely planned by Japan,
has presented both our countries
with grievous problems for which
we could not be fully prepared. 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 modern aircraft and
army weapons Of all kinds in Ma
laya and in the East Indies?" ! can
only point to the victory Gen.
Auchinleck has gained in the Libyan
campaign. Had he diverted and
dispersed our gradually growing re-
sources between Libya and Malaga,
we could have been found wanting
in both places.
II the United States has been
found at disadvantage at various
points in the Pacific Ocean, we know
we'll that that is to no small extent
because of the aid which you have
been giving to us in munitions for
the defense of the British Isles and
to the Libyan campaign, and above
all, because OF your help in the
battle of the Atlantic, upon which
all depends and which has in conse-
Quence been successful and pros
perously maintained OF course, it
would have been much better,
freely admit. il We had enough re-
sources of all kinds to be of full
strength at all threatened points, but
considering how slowly and re-
luctantly we brought ourselves to
large-scale preparations today, we
had no right to expect to be in such
fortunate position.
Thinks Choice Was Right.
The choice of how to dispose OF
our hitherto limited resources had to
be made by Britain in time of war
and by the United States in time OF
peace, and believe that history will
pronounce that upon the whole-and
it is upon the whole that these mat
ters must be judged-the choice
made was right.
Now that we are together, now
that We are linked in a righteous
comyadeship of arms. now that oul
two considerable nations. each ir
perfect unity, have joined all Their
life energies in a common resolve
you will see milestones upon which 8
steady light will glow and brighten.
Many people have been astonishec
that Japan. in single day. has made
war against the United States anc
the British Empire.
We all wonder why, if this dari
design, with its laborious and intri.
cate preparation, had been so lons
filling their secret mind. they die
not choose our moment of weakness
18 months ago. But, quite dispas.
sionately, in spite of the losses WI
have suffered and the further pun
ishment we will have to take, it GER
tainly appears an irrational act 1t
Of course. only proves it correct II
assume that they have made yer,
careful calculations and think the,
see their way through: nevertheless
there may be another explanation
Considerable Undertaking.
We know that for many year!
past the policy of Japan has beer
dominated by secret sets of societie.
and Junior officers of the army ane
navy who have enforced their viii
upon successive Japanese cabinet!
and Parliament, by the assassination
of any japanese statesmen who op.
posed or who did not sufficiently
further their aggressive polices. i
may be that these societies, dazzlec
and dizzy with their own dreams o.
aggression and the prospect of early
victory, have forced their countr!
into war against its better judgment
They have certainly embarked upor
very considerable undertaking.
After the outbreak at Pearl Har
Dor and the Pacific islands, in tn
Philippines, in Malaga, and tn
Dutch East Indies, they must nov
know that the stakes for which the
decided to play are enormous. Whel
we look at the resources OF tn
United States and the British EN-
pire compared with those of japan
when we remember those of China
which have for so long valiantl
withstood invasion of tyranny, anc
when also we observe the Russian
menace which hangs over Japan.
becomes still more difficult to recon