Evening star., 1942-07-02

he SdlU III Ildu ueNSlOpcu d iCC'
in the Near East and Mediterra
France"
To this he added, without elab-
oration, a statement that "at any
moment we may receive news Of
grave Importance"
The 475-to-25 vote left lis of
the Houses 615 members unac-
counted for.
OF the lis some members un-
doubtedly expressed partial disap-
proval of the Churchill government
by abstaining from the vote, but
many could not attend the session
because of wartime duties and other
causes. .-.--..
Cheering Greets Vote.
Tremendous cheering greeted an
nouncement of the vote, which
squelched the most serious challenge
yet made to Mr.. Churchill's premier
ship. The opposition vote was the
highest since the Prime Minister
took Office May 10, 1910.
The motion on which the vote
was taken was the first mo conf
dence" resolution introduced against
the present government. Previous
votes had been taken on the gov
ernment's own motions. The latest
of these was the 464-to-1 vote last
January %.
The applause was still ringing
when Mr.. Churchill left the House
today. He stopped at the door,
turned, lifted his fingers in the
"V-for-victory" sign and went back
to work.
Mr.. Churchill's somher portrayal
of the war ha Africa was relieved
only by his statement that "very
considerable reinforcements have
reached or "are approaching" the
battlefield.
This major strengthening Of the
battered British 9Th Army, athwart
the Axis path to the Nile Delta, Al
exandria and Suez, was the basis OF
Mr.. Churchill's statement that Il do
not consider the struggle in any way
as decided"
This appraisal of the Allied posi-
ton in Africa and the Near East,
evoked by two days of debate in the
House of Commons on Churchills
conduct of the war. was given in a
speech which also touched on the
Prize Minister'S recent consulta-
tions with President Roosevelt.
Sea Losses Combatted.
He said the conversations were
concerned only with movement OF
troops, ships and aircraft and meas
ures to be taken to combat losses at
sea and more than replace sunken
tonnage"
The United States, he said, is
building this year -four times as
much tonnage as the British are
building end will build eight to ten
times more in l943.'
The United States Army Air Force
has been in action for some days
In the North African struggle while
United States service and supply
units have been engaged on behalf
of the Allies behind the battle lines.
Almost everything arranged was
secret" Mr.. Churchill added of his
talks with the President, and there
was never a more earnest desire be-
tween Allies to engage the enemy" :"
He paid tribute to the Russians for
their "steady resistance" to the Ger
mans and predicted they would
surprise Hitler again"
Mr.. Churchill said the balance OF
naval power in the Pacific has been
"altered In our favor" by the bril-
liant victories of the United States
NAVY and Air Force" over the Japa-
nese in the Coral Sea and at Mid
way.
II am confident that now land
invasion of Australia would be most
hazardous and improbable opera
ton for Japan" he declared.
These splendid American achieve
ments have not received the atten-
ton they deserve in these islands"
Churchill Speaks Gravely.
Mr.. Churchill said the fall o.
Tobruk, the last bulwark in Italiar
Iibya. which opened the way fol
eastward invasion of Egypt, hae
been utterly unexpected" by thu
cabinet, the chiefs of staff and Gen
Sir Claude Auchinleck, commando
In chief of Near Eastern forces.
Winding up two days OF debat'
on the grave events in Africa, Mr.
Churchill spoke gravely to the sober
faced Parliament.
He said Britain and her allies
including the dominions, the Free
French and the Poles, had los
upwards of $4,000 men" in thu
last two weeks as the battle o
Libya turned into the battle o
Egypt.
He added to this figure "a grea
mass of material" and large quan
titles cf stores"
On the night before the Libyal
bastion, Tobruk fell to Axis Fielt
Marshal Erwin Rommel, Mr.. Chur
chill said, Gen. Auchinleck ad
yised the cabinet that the por
and fortress city was adequatel,
garrisoled, with its defenses II
'good order" and with "90 days
supplies available for the troops.
He said Tobruk was garrisoned b,
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