Evening star., 1942-02-17
Two Nozi Bott|eships Crippled
In Dover Fight, Churchill Says;
JoD Planes Raid Isles Off Java
Battle Strengthened
English SEQ Power,
Commons Is Told
(Tert of Address on Page A-6.J

CIT W Auof COO Oh uSe h0oJ
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Feb. 17.-Germany
lost the use of her 26, ,000-ton bat
tleships Gneisenau and Scharn-
horst "for some time to come"
and Britain strengthened her
command Of the seas in last
weeks battle of the English
Channel, Prime Minister Church
i'll declared today in an account
ing to the House of Commons.
Damage inflicted on the German
ships during their dash for freedom
will lay them up for Repairs, the
Prime Minister declared. and before
they are seaworthy again "the Royal
Navy will be reinforced by import
ant units of the highest quality"
along with big new ships joining
the United States Navy to meet
their challenge.
Mr.. Churchill was facing his par
liamentary critics for the first time
since the naval episode last Thurs
day and the fall of Singapore which
had stirred up demands for change
which, for time, appeared to
threaten his government. But his
report was confident and optimistic
and he yielded nothing to their de-
mands.
To the exhortation during ques-
tioning that he relinquish the extra
burden of the Ministry of Defense,
portfolio he now holds, Mr.. Churchill
answered no" He also said he had
no intention of forming separate
imperial war cabinet. He said he
would adhere to the plan of giving
the. empire representation on the
present cabinet.
He declined also to discuss the
surrender of Singapore, explaining
that II have no information to give
the House other than that contained
in the public press, nor would it be
prudent to speculate in detail upon
the various evil consequences which
may follow from its fall.
Greeted by Cheers.
He was greeted by cheers both as
he entered and left the House. al
though he rejected the suggestion
for an immediate debate on Brit
ish reverses "as it (the Commons)
seems in a mood of anger"
The deferment Of debate gave Mr..
Churchill a chance to consider any
changes he might make in his cabi-
net.
He said the government would
listen to informal discussion by the
Commons, but would not participate
in any general debate. Any ques-
ton of a vote of confidence thus
was deferred
Mr.. Churchill was greeted by flood
of questions after his statement. One,
by Conservative William Davidson,
asked if it were not time the Brit
ish government took steps to prevent
daily reports on weather and other
information on the British Isles
from reaching Germany via her
legation in Dublin. There was no
reply.
AS Mr.. Churchill left, followed by
q number of Conservatives, Com
munist William Gallagher COM
mented, "Is it any wonder we are
losing the war and that the empire
is being lost when you have people
like this?"
Investigation Begun.
Mr.. Churchill announced that an
investigation of the Scharnhorst-
Gneisenau episode will seek to de-
ternine why the German battle
ships were not discovered sooner on
their dash through the English
Channel, and whether cooperation
between the Admiralty and the R.
A. F. was all that it should have
been.
Even while Mr.. Churchill was
making his statement in Commons
there we're indications that the r.
A. F. had been seeking out the two
German battleships at their Ger
man haven. Bombers attacked ports
in Northwest Germany last night, it
was announced here, and Nazi
communique told of an r. A. F. at
tack in Helgoland Blight where the
ships are believed to have tied up.
Whatever smart of disappoint-
ment or annoyance may remain in
our breasts that the final forfeit was
not exacted" of the Germans in the
battle, he said there is no doubt
that the naval position in the At
lantic. so far from being worsened,
Is definitely eased."
He explained that at Brest the
(See CHURCHILL, Page A-6)