Evening star., 1944-12-08
Text Of ChurchIFs Speech in Commons
Prime Minister Defends Intervention in Greece
And Ituy After Their Liberation

'S~
tyranny. she liquifed and degener-
ated and plunged into series of
brutal civil and social wars. II there
Is democracy and its various de-
tenders believe they express the
wishes of the majority, why can't
they wait until the general election
"a free vote of the people which is
our sole policy in every country into
which British and American armies
are marching?
Fundamental Right Of Italy.
That, they say, is one of their
fundamental rights and it belongs
naturally to any country which has
Internationally surrendered even il
it has done most grievous injuries
to the Allied cause. We have not
attempted to put veto on the ap-
pointment of Count Sforza. If to-
morrow the Italians were to make
him Prime Minister or Foreign Sec
retary we have no power to stop it
except with the agreement of the
Allies. All that we should have to
say about 1t Is that we do not trust
the man and we do not think he is
true and trustworthy man nor
would we put the slightest conf
dence in any government in which
he is dominating member.
The story of Belgium, which
submit with the utmost respect and
affection to the American people,
as well as to the House of Commons,
carries many lessons which are ap-
plicable to other parts of the world.
Now l come to the case of Italy,
which as I gather oddly enough
emboddieS in it the case of Count
Sforza.
1t is great mistake, as the For
eign Secretary has said, and not
only a mistake but quite untrue to
say that we have vetoed Count
Sforza's appointment to be the
Prime Minister or the Foreign Sec
retary of the Italian government.
The Italians alone could do that.
The Italians, having unconditionally
surrendered, have a perfect right to
choose any one they please for any
office of the state.
l think We shall have to put a
great deal of responsibility of
what might happen on those who
called him to power Emanuel
Shinwel, Labor, interrupting,
asked whether the Prime Min
lister had not previously made a
statement rejecting upon De
Gaulle.)
De Gaulle Man of His Word.
How little helpful it is to our de-
bate to have such interruptions.
am not speaking about France to-
day. I certainly never felt about
De Gaulle the sentiments which ex-
perience has engendered in me about
Count Sforza
De Gaulle is a man of honor and
never has broken his word, and
that is what l am coming to, be-
cause these things have to come out
I say we should have to put a great
deal of responsibility on those who
called Sforza to power. We are not
avid of becoming deeply involved in
the politics of the liberated coun-
tries. All We require from them is a
government which will guarantee us
the necessary protection and facili-
ties for the lines of communication
from Naples to Ravena, lately taken
and to the north.
Our interest in Italy Is the front
where we have armies engaged un-
der Gen. Alexander and Gen. Mark
Clark, that daring and skillful
American general under whom we
have confidently placed an army
which is at least three-fourths Brit
lsh or tiSh-controlled.
We have joint arrangement with
America about Italy, and we should
be very sorry if it were proved that
we have broken away from this joint
arrangement. We have not done so
in any way.
When in the shifting tangles and
contortions of Italian politics, with
six parties drooling over one an
other, with all their personal and
political interests. none of them be-
ing hampered by having been elect
ed by any one, in this confused
scene we were suddenly told that
Count Sforza was to become Foreign
Secretary. The British Minister did
undoubtedly say to the Italian in
qulry that we did not think Count
Sforza a particularly good choice or
words to that effect.
Had Right to Protest.
We had perfect right to say
this. We could not stop him being
chosen, but we had a right to say
our say =.
I must go back to the time of the
Italian collapse and surrender in
l943. Count Sforza had been living
for 20 years in America. He was
very anxious to get back to Italy.