Evening star., 1942-10-21
Allies on Verge
Of Offensive,
Snnuts Says
Nozi Army Bleeding
To Death in Russia,
Parliament Told
BY the Associated Press.

are at Jne JnreSnOlQ OF GAe Oh
fensive phase of the war;" Field
Marshal Jan Christian Smuts,
Prime Minister of South Africa,
told 1000 members of Britain'S
Parliament today in a session de-
scribed by Prime Minister
Churchill as "in many ways un-
precedented."
The meeting, kept in strictest
secrecy in advance, was an informal
gathering, not formal joint ses-
sion such as the United States
Congress sometimes holds to hear
distinguished guests. 1t was at
tended also by representatives of the
dominions.
1t was the first time British
Empire statesman ever had broad
cast a speech before the combined
membership of the Houses of Com
mons and Lords and Mr.. Churchill
hailed Marshal Smuts' message as
Invaluable"
Nazi Army Bleeding to Death"
The occasion, complete with all
the colorful trappings of an honor
guard, thick carpet and the tu-
multuous welcome of the assem-
blage, was turned into tribute to
the 72-year-old field marshal, the
last surviving member of the World
War British cabinet now active in
the high councils of this war.
While the British commonwealth
stands "unshaken by the storms and
setbacks" of the war, the South
African Prime Minister declared,
the German Army is bleeding to
death" in Russia and "the stage is
set for the last, the offensive phase
of the war for the United Nations"
While this technically was not a
Joint session of Parliament and the
ban on broadcasts from Parliament
meetings, therefore, was not vio-
lated-actually millions of radio lis
'eners in the United States had their
first opportunity to hear a speaker
addressing the assembled members
OF Britains legislature There was
no broadcast to listeners in Britain
by the BBC, however.
He said the appalling blood
letting which is necessary for Hit
ler's ultimate defeat is being ad-
ministered by the Russians"
Urges Aid to Russia.
Although he said they alone can
do it" he urged whatever help"* "*+
we can give to Russia in the
fullest measure and with the utmost
speed"
Like a huge secret society, nearly
1000 members of both houses as
sembled to hear Marshal SHUTS.
Neither the time nor the place
nor even the date of the meeting
which brought together one of the
most distinguished British groups
of the war was disclosed to the pub
lie in advance.
So strictly were the arrangements
held in secret that writer's were not
allowed even to describe the chairs
in the hall lest the enemy be given
a clue to Parliament's wartime meet
ing place.
Marshal SHUTS was given a tre-
mendous ovation as he arrived in
field marshal's uniform, attended by
an honor guard of the Parliament
ary Home Guard, and assembled a
specially built dais covered with a
rich, broad, red carpet.
Final Alignments Made.
THE final alignments both of
the Allies and of our enemies have
been made" he said. Resources
have been developed and modified
on very large scale. Ours are
still on the increase, those of the
enemy are on the decline. Our
manpower is still growing, that of
the enemy is getting depleted, while
he makes ever heavier drafts on
his suffering vassal peoples.
The spectre of want, hunger and
starvation are beginning to stalk
through the subject countries and
the spirit of unrest is heaving and
rising. The explosive limits of en-
durance are nearing We are ap-
preaching the point when both on
the war fronts and on the home
fronts in the enemy countries the
situation is ripening for far-reach-
ing developments"
Marshal Smuts said that "in
spite of heavy >setbacks and manv
disappointments, we have had the
necessary time to prepare, to parry
deadly blows and to assemble and
consolidate the forces and re-
sources on which we rely for Allied
victory"
"Once the time has come to take
the offensive and to strike while
the iron is hot" he said, 'it would
be folly to delay, to over-prepare
and perhaps miss our opportunity,
Nor are we likely to do So"
Speech Praises Britain.
The Premier said the war may
continue till 1914"
His speech was devoted mainly to
praise OF the British commonwealth,
which he described as the heart of
the defense against the most ter
rible onslaught ever made on human
(See SHUTS. Page 2-X1