May 15.
The unanimous vote of the House of Commons approving the resolution "that the House welcomes the formation of a Government representing the united, inflexible resolve of the nation to prosecute the war against Germany to a victorious conclusion," taken together with the overwhelming support given by the Labour Party at Bournemouth to a resolution advocating Labour participation in the new Cabinet, is indica~ live of the manner in which Mr, Winston Churchill has welded the whole nation to-yether. The new Ministry enters upon its labours confident of the united support of the whole country, an important factor at a time when the war has flared up in a.man= fuer which was long expected. Tt speaks well for the British parliamentary system that at times such as these, a political crisis can be so swiftly disposed' of. Within a comparatively few hours of Mr. Chamberlain's re~ signation a War Cabinet, the establishment which has long been advocated, had been brought into being, ensuring that there should be no dislocation of Britain's war effort, while the filling of other ministerial posts' has gone forward with commendable rapidity. Great Britain took its political crisis in ite stride, The man who most appeals to the people is now in control, the man who is most feared by the Nazis, and algo most hated, has taken up the burden of office, and, when he says that the British aim is for victory at all costs, he is voicing the determination of Britons that no sacrifice shall be spared to ensure that the Ailles shall emerge victorious from this present struggle, and that care shall be taken to prevent any' further attempts to wreck the peace of Europe 93 the Nazis have so callously done during the past two years. It. cannot be doubted for a moment that Herr Hitler lwunehed his onslaught on the Low Coun~ ties when he did, hoping that the political crisis in Britain would afford him some advantage, In that he has been disappointed. The dispositions in the Continent which had been made by the Allies were calculated to meet any such move, and the rapidity with which the Allies went to the assistance of the countries attacked is ample proof of the care, and forethought which had been employed in preparing against just this contingency.
The formation of the War Cabinet will be welcomed as providing a means for reaching rapid decisions, which could not so quickly be made when the deliberations of a full Cabinet were necessary. Tt will ensure that 'Mtr, Churchill, a man of swift and energetic! decision, will be supported by men who have the completest trust in him. During the course of the next few weeks it may be taken for granted that the War Cabinet will bbe called' upon to make many far-reaching judgments at a rate commensurable with the increasing tempo of the struggle which is now progressing in the Low Countries. In its work it will have the support and confidence of the whole of the Empire, for it has at its head a_man not only of imagina-lion, but also of sturle realism. That will be needed in the grim days which are ahead. {t may be safely concluded that ad Herr Hitler not launched the present offensive, the accession of Mr, Churchill to power would itself have meant that the Allies would have embarked upon a snore energetic prosecution of the war. The demand for that had been growing very considerably during! the last few months, and to no small extent Mr. Chamberlain owes his downfall to failure! to respond to it. The debate on the Norwogim reverse was in itself symptomatic of the growing unrest concerning the manner in which the war was being waged, and now Here Hier has swung into action, the Allies muy confidently be expected to respond with the energy of which they are capable.
dynamic governments in Britain, and France, willing and anxious to exchange! blow for blow with the Germans, there need now be no anxiety as to how' the Allies will reply to the German onslaught. The war has entered upon a decisive stage with Great Britain and France ud. also. those other nations which Germany has foreed to side with them banded together with a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.