HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1941-05-22, Page 7THE LIFE OF
WINSTONCHURCHILL
Defeated at Dundee, Churchill was
out of Parliament again, but it was not
in his nature to be idle. He began to
write “The World Crisis,” that stup
endous and authoritative history of the
First Great War, which is still regard
ed as the best history of that war.
The following year, there was a
■General Election and Winston contest
ed West Leicester, still labelling him->
self a Liberal. He was again defeated,
;but the tide was soon to turn — for
.England’s modern St. George was to
•find a new dragon in the form of the
Socialists, his old enemy.
The Liberal leader, Mr. Asquith, de-
cided to put a minority Labour gov
ernment in power, and Mr. Churchill
parted 'company with his old friends
and party, Once again he was a man
without a party.
* *
DEFEAT THAT WAS A VIC
TORY. Early In 1924, at the invita
tion of a group of influential Conserv
atives, Winston Churchill stood for the
Abbey division of Westminster as a
Constitutional candidate, pledged to
fight Socialism. Opposed to him were
a Liberal, a Socialist and the official
Conservative,
With but eight days left before elec
tion day, and having no organization
behind him, Winston Churchill put up
a tremendous fight. He lost —'but on
ly by 43 votes. It -was a defeat, but
for Mr, Churchill a moral victory —
and its moral was not lost on Stanley
Baldwin, the Conservative leader.
# *
BECOMES A CONSERVATIVE
MINISTER, in the following Nov
ember, when Mr. Baldwin fornjed his
second Conservative government Win
ston Churchill was offered the prize
plum of the Cabinet — he became
Chancellor of the Exchequer. This el
ectrified the country, for Mr. Churchill
had not at that time joined the Con
servative party. Perhaps, as a column
ist said at the time, Baldwin rememb-
11
I ’
V
i
ered the old country adage that “an
old poacher made the best gamekeep
er.”
The partnership between Baldwin
and Churchill was uhusual. In temp
erament and outlook, they were poles
apart, Baldwin was a man of peace;
Churchill a fighter. Winston believed
in action, while Baldwin had a firm
conviction that events would shape
themselves if they were left well alone!
History rec.o'rds its own verdict on
these two eminent British statesmen,
for to Mr. Churchill is left the gigant
ic task of undoing some of Mr, Bald
win’s ‘sins of omission.”
* * *
FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE. In
his first Budget, Winston Churchill
was able to announce further great
strides of social reform, principally the
Widows, Orphans and Contributory
Old Age Pensions plan.
Yet Philip Snowdon, former Chan
cellor in the Labour government of
Ramsay MacDonald, jeered at his ad
versary, and twitted Churchill with
changing his mind,
“To improve is to change,” riposted
Mr, Churchill. “To be perfect is to
have changed often!”
* « *
GENERAL STRIKE. The catas
trophic General Strike burst on the
country in 1926, arising from the dis
pute in the coal industry, Employers
wanted a reduction of wages nr in
creased hours. The coal miners sol*
“BLOOD...TOIL
This is a war for existence. It is war to the death. It is a war to win or to lose.
There can be no half way—no compromise. It is a war to WIN.
Money is the fourth arm of the service.
Whatever you are called on to pay or to lend, it is little compared to the lives
that our sons offer.
There have been many and heavy calls upon Canada already.
There will be more.
Let us face the truth and the truth will make us free.
It is freedom we are fighting for, British freedom, the freedom of body and
spirit that makes life worth living.
If we fail, we fall.
Be prepared for sacrifice.
Great Britain has set us an example on a scale of heroic magnificence history
doesn’t record.
Let us FIGHT!
Canada has the resources. Let us spare nothing. When our soldiers offer their
lives, let us be willing to share our livelihood.
Presently the Government of Canada will call for money.
The money is here.
We are spending billions. We are already heavily taxed. But most of these
\ billions and those taxes are being spent in Canada. That money comes back to
you. Keep it rolling. Keep puttin^jt back into the war effort, so that it may be
spent again and again and again until Right prevails and the world is free.
•t
TEARS and SWEAT”
FIGHT... WORK PAY
Canada mudt be tytee
DEPARTMENT OF
%
FINANCE# CANADA
emiily swore, “Not a penny off the
pay, not a minute on the day.”
Winston Churchill offered a subsidy
to'the owners while negotiations were
proceeding, but these proved abortive,
and Lord Birkenhead, Winston’s great
friend, said acidly: “It would be pos
sible to say without exaggeration of
the miners’ leaders that they were the
stupidest men in Sngland, if we had
not frequent occasion to meet the
owners, too!”
The General Strike began. Volun
teers kept the essential services going,
but Winston Churchill realised that,
without newspapers, rumours would be
Widespread and cause trouble, so he
organised the “British Gazette,” which
made journalistic history. When the
strike was broken, the Socialists railed
at the “British Gazette” and its found
er, Winston Churchill. They declared
that it had been partisan — violently
anti-Labottr. 0
Churchill cheerfully admitted the
thrust, adding “How can I be expect
ed to be impartial as between the fire
brigade and the fire?” To another La
bour critic who said the paper was a
“rag,” he retorted, “Well, I hope it has
sickened the Socialists of State Soc
ialism in newspapers!”
*** Continued next week. Copy
right Reserved).
Eden Warns Japan
London — Foreign Secretary Sden
Warned Japan that British economic
restrictions against her would not be
eased unless Japan recognizes British
rights in China. He said instructions
to this effect had been sent to the Bri
tish ambassador at Tokyo.
JAMESTOWN
(Too Late For Last Week)
r
Mr. and Mrs. C. Stokes are visiting
this week with their daughter, Mrs.
John McKay.
Mr. Win. Grainger has returned
home after having spent the past two
months at the home of his son, Cecil,
near Fordwich,
Don’t forget church service at the
hall each Sunday at 1.45.
DONALD RAE & SON
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■M ■ ■
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T
42
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Miss Jean Grainger who has been
at Port Stanley, has returned home.
Mrs. Lawrence Willis is attending.
Mrs. Anna Forrest, who, we are sorry
to say, is very poorly.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Ruttan spent
the week-end with Stratford friends.
Pte. Walter MacFarlane is enjoying
a few days’ leave.