The Wilmington morning star., 1943-02-13

g.
soldier when the British govern
ment, through Mr. Churchill, look
the lead at Casablanca in propos-
ing him for the supreme command
of the great Allied operations
which are imminent.
The deputy to General Eisen-
hover is General Alexander, one
of Britain's greatest fighting men.
General Alexander commended
all British forces in the Middle
East, including the Eighth Army
which won the decisive battle at
el Alamein: He and General Mont
gomery planned that engagement
and the tremendous advance which
followed it. At this moment-as I
speak to you tonight-General
Alexander is standing at the right
hand Of General Eisenhower plan
ming new military operations.
These important facts, reveal
not merely cooperation but active
collaboration between the United
Nations. Let these facts be duly
noted by our enemies.
Our soldiers in Tunsia are well
trained and equipped, but they
are facing for the first time actual
combat with formidable opponents.
We can be absolutely certain that
they will conduct themselves as
bravely and as effectively as did
those young Americans under
General Pershing who drove Ger
many's best troops through the
Argonne Forest and across the
River Meuse.
The battle of Tunisia will cost
us heavily in casualties. We must
face that fact now, with the same
courage as our men are facing
it on the battlefield itself.
The enemy has strong forces
in strong positions. His supply
lines are maintained at great cost
but Hitler has been willing to pay
that cost for he knows the conse-
quences of Allied victory in Tuni-
sia.
Those consequences are actual
invasions of the continent of Eu-
rope. We do not disguise our in
tention to make these invasions.
The pressure on Germanw and
Italy will be constant and unre-
lenting. The amazing Russian arm
les in the east have been deliver
ing overpowering blows; we must
do likewise in the west. The enemy
must be hit and hit hard from so
many directions that he never
knows which is his bow and which
is his stern.
It was made clear to us at
Casablanca that all Frenchmen
outside of France are uniting in
one great paramount objective
the complete liberation Of France
and of all the French people who
now suffer the torture of the Nazi
yoke. AS each day passes spirit
of unselfishness is more greatly
uniting all Frenchmen who have
the opportunity to strike a blow
for liberation. .~4~ t-l,-'
In the years Of the American and
French revolutions the fundamental
principle guiding our democracies
was established. The cornerstone
Of our whole democratic edifice
was the principle that from the
people and the people alone flows
the authority of government.
1t is one of our war aims, as ex-
pressed in the Atlantic Charter,
that the conquered populations of
today be again the masters of
their destiny. There must be no
doubt anywhere that it is the un-
alterable purpose of the United
Nations to restore to conquered
peoples their sacred rights.
French sovereignty rests with the
people of France. Its expression
has been temporarily suspended
ty German occupation. Once the
triumphant armies OF the United
Nations have expelled the COM
mon foe, Frenchmen will be re-
presented by government Of their
own popular choice.
1t will be a free choice in every
sense. No nation in all the world
that is free to make a choice is 60
ing to set itself up under the Fas-
cast form of government, or the
Nazi form Of government or the
Japanese war-lord form of govern
ment. Such forms are the offspring
Of seizure of power followed by the
sbridgement of freedom. Therefore
the United Nations can properly
say of these forms of government
two simple words: never again.
The right of self-determination
included in the Atlantic Charter
does not carry with it the right
of any government to commit
wholesale murder or the right to
make slaves of its own people or
of any other peoples in the world.
And the world can rest assured
that this total war-this sacrifice
of lives all over the globe-is not
being carried on for the purpose
or even with the remotest idea of
keeping the Quislings or Lavals in
power anywhere on this earth.
The decisions reached and the
actual plans made at Casablanca
were not confined to any one thea
trc of war or to any one continent
or ocean or sea. Before this year