Some time ago it was announced that Mr. Winston Churchill would make statement in the House of Commons on the progress of the war, and on Wednesday he kept his engagement. Tu doing so he made a speech which should be read by everyone, for it is. 'a calm, businesslike survey of all' that has occurred since he made his last announcement, and stands in striking contrast against the utterances which Hitler occasionally in= dulges in. Most significant is his reference to France and her desire for the passage of foodstuffs through the blockade. Mr. Churchill makes it clear that very considerable quantities of food have been allowed to pass, out of a desire to spare the French people every hardship in Great Britain's power. But there is evidence that goods other than food have been smuggled through to France, such as rubber and thousands of tons of vital war material, The Prime Minister points out that even at the risk of collisions with French war vessels at sea Great Britain will enforce her rights as recognized under international law.
Another important reference was to the possibility of Vichy being led by dictation of Germany to send powerful war vessels, unfinished or even damaged from French African ports to ports in metropolitan France, which are either under German control, or may at short notice fall under it. In view of the fact that within the last few days Marshal Petain has declared that France was in hon: our bound to take no action against her former ally, it is to be wondered exactly what Mr, Churchill had in mind when he uttered warning against any such incident and the threat of consequences which would follow were anything of the sort done. Tt must surely be apparent that if any attempt Is made to place, any part of the French Navy at the disposal of Hitler,—and it is well known how greatly he desires to get hold of it—the: British Fleet would most certainly seek to destroy it before it fell into his hands. would be a very painful business but the interests of democracy demand that Hitler shall not be allowed {o strengthen his naval position by any contributions from Vichy.
Coming as it does so quickly after the two devastating air-raids on Kiel, Mr. Churchill's statement that the RAF. is showing marked and continued improvement in strength as compared with the German air force is in~ teresting. Britain is now able to carry out
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.