Mr. Winston Churchill, in his broadcast on Wednesday afternoon, fully lived up to his reputation for frank speaking, and when he said "We must regard the next week or so as very important in our history," he was saying something which should be borne in mind during the fluctuations of the next few days.- Hitler is obviously throwing all German resources into this phase of the struggle in the hope of forcing an early decision, and during the next few weeks there may be a considerable increase in the effort he is making. He has conspicuously failed to secure daylight mastery of the air over Great Britain; and the attempt has cost him very dear. It is true that enemy machines in some numbers have succeeded in penetrating the defences of London and doing extensive damage. But that was always expected. It has never for one moment been believed that it was possible to maintain a completely impenetrable barrier around the metropolis. Nevertheless the defences have proved valuable and have undoubtedly saved London from a great deal more damage than it has suffered up to the present.
The Prime Minister bore tribute to the splendid manner in which the citizens of London are standing up under the hammering. Hitler has failed to spread terror, or to undermine the moral of the people. Instead he has succeeded in fanning British anger until, as one American correspondent has reported they are "hopping mad." It has been rightly said that once the Teutonic brain conceives an idea, and it does not matter how completely wrong it may be, it clings so firmly to it that it can never be totally eradicated. The Germans have all along believed in the" terroristic value of the aeroplane and the bomb. The object lesson of Spain meant nothing to them, because they convinced themselves that, indiscriminate bombing had only to be extensive enough to achieve the desired effects. Even now they believe it is only a matter of a couple of weeks or so before British moral will be broken, They have a rude surprise awaiting them. The people of Britain have too much pride not to be willing to endure what their soldiers have already experienced, much too much determination to be lightly turned aside from their purpose to bring Hitler and his accomplices as low as they have brought so many innocent unoffending countries.
The Prime Minister has revealed the extensive preparations which the enemy are making for the purpose of carrying out the long threatened raid upon the British Isles. It is apparent that all along the Government has been fully apprised of what has been going som, and the RAF, has been doing its bit to hamper those preparations in every manner possible. The results they have achieved are by no meanssnegligible, for all along the enemy coastline, from Kiel to Brest concentrations of all manner of craft capable of transporting enemy troops across the Channel have been regularly bombed with very considerable success. But there is a possibility that conditions may arise favouring an attempt to invade Britain. It may be taken for granted that Hitler would eagerly avail himself of such an opportunity. Against that possibility Mr. Churchill warned his; heárers on Wednesday, and the manner in which he took them and the world at large "into his confidence cannot but have the effect of strengthening the determination to resist to the utmost.
It may be, indeed. it seems almost certain, that Britain will have to face dark hours in ihe not too distant future. Inspired by such a man as their Prime Minister, they will do so calmly, confidently, ready to endure all things, willing to stop at no sacrifice. The vainglorious boastings of the complete supremacy of the German compared with the "effete" British race have already been shown on the fields of France to be the utter rubbish they undoubtedly are. The soldiers who fought there came from the people whom Hitler threatens with invasion, that sturdy stock which refuses to bend the neck before any such upstart, and invasion will be met with the resistance of men who are not only fighting for their hearths and homes, but for everything which men, not converted to dumb slavery, treasure and hold dear. So in the days which are to come there will be courage and faith so aptly described in a recent verse by Lord Dunsany:—
Now are we at the very darkest hour, And in the darkness we are all alone, The last of all our allies lying prone. But now we know no blacker cloud can lour, And now remembering our ancient power We wait whatever may be sailed or flown.
With all our kith but one, like ramps of stone Leaning against an age-enduring tower. And in that tower, like a frightened maid, Liberty shelters, and at times she sings Old songs of freedom learned in many lands.
She is immortal, and our tower stands From times as dark as these, when dreadful things Died at its gates. She need not be afraid.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.