335,000 Men Brought From Dunkirk -___ Parliament TUESDAY, JUNE 4 The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat oni tile Voolsack at 4 o'clock. hbc GoCporr WVater Bill and ihe m,onmouthshire and Sotith WValcs Employers' Mutual Indemnity Society. Limitcd, Bill werc read the third time and passed. VISCOUNT CALDECOTE, Secretary of State for the Dominions, said that he vcry much regretted to have to record thc deaths in action of the Duke of Northumberland and the Earl of Eirne. Their lordships would desire to express their svmpathy with the relatives. (Hear, hear.) "A MAGNIFICENT STORY" LORD STRABOLGI'S TRIBUTE VISCOUNT CALDECOTE, in reply to LORD STRABOLGI. made a statement on the mili- tary operations in France and Belgittm, giving the substance of the facts whicli the Prinme Minister was recottnting in the House of Commons. LORD STRABOLGI said that they had just heard a magnificent story. It was obvious that the splendid traditions of his Majesty's Army had been upheld to the full. fie wished also to pay a tribute to the gallantry of the French divisions, especially those around Lille under General Prioux, who raillied, inflicted terrible losses on their adversaries, and made possible this magnificent withdrawal. (Cheers.) How had this position arisen ? The trottble was a lack of aeroplanes and guns. He felt great sympathy with Lord Caldecbte in having to make this statement, because a heavy re- sponsibility lay upon the shoulders of himself (Lord Caldecote) and his colleagues for that lack of necessary equipment. The working people of the country were rallying magnifi- cently to the call to make good the lack and were proving themselves worthy of the fight- ing forces. The MARQUESS of CREWE said that the statement they had just heard was a milestone along a road of which they could not see the end, buct the end certainily would not be the triumph of brute force and the destruction of civilization. They were impressed with the absolute candour with which the Government had stated the facts, in contrast to the German practice. (Hear, hear.) VISCOUNT CECIL asked if General Prioux had been taken prisoner. The Germans claimed that he had. It would be a great satis- faction if their lordships cotild hear that it was not true, because we owed very much to him and his army. (Hear, hear.) There must be in the mind of everyone the extraordinary spirit of the men who had come out of this terrific trial. (Hear, hear.) None of them had the slightest doubt that they were better men than the Germans, and he most earnestly believed that to be true. (Hear, hear.) It was a spirit which was unconquerable and would bring us victory, apart from all other con- siderations. (Hear, hear.) 'VISCOUNT CALDECOTE said their lord- ships would join most heartily in what Viscotint Cecil had said as tb the spirit of the men who had come out of this inferno. (Hear, bear.) With regard to his question about the safety of the gallant soldier to whom he had rcferred, there was no information up to a feW hours ago as to his fate. The DUKE of DEVONSHIRE, Under- Secretary, lndia arid Burma, introduced a Bill to extend and amend the Indian and Colonial Divorce Jurisdiction Act, and it was read a first time. The Courts (Emergency Powers) Amendment Bill and the Middlesex Deeds Bill were read a second time. LOCAL DEFENCE VOLUNTEERS The EARL of BREADALBANE asked the Government whether they were satisfied with the efficicncy and fire power of the Local De- fiCice Volunteer Force. and whether all the necessary communication and transport arrangements were being satisfactorily co- ordinated. He moved for papers. He wel- comed the changes which the Government and the authorities were bringing about, but he said they wcre not adequate, and, in Scotland at. any rate, lacked prevision and foresight. Tho- plan was apparently to be carried out through the voluntary services of many elderly, gallant military gentlemen, whose patriotism he respccted, but who in many cases were too old to meet the menace of young, specially trained Nazi troops. Thev were facing a 1940 menace with a pre-1914 rnind. The question of home defence should be regarded on fire brigade lines. Every local area should have something in the form of a requisition lorry, armoured against splinters and bullets, armed witlh a couple of Bren guns, and equipped with first aid appiiances, &c. There was a magnificent spirit throughout the country. He had never seen a finer body of men more determined that Nazi aggression should not succeed. All they wanted were leadership and organization. LORD STRABOLGI said that A.R.P. and L.D.V. organization should be amalgamated. He was glad to sce that arrangements were being madc to rendcr large open spaces un- usable for the landing of cnemy airc,-aft. Similar action was necessary to render large open spaces of water unfit for the landing of cnemy scaplanes. All that was necessary was to placc booms across thiese stretchies of water composed of strings of empty barrels and balks of timber. Factories in thc Midlands doing work of great importance had been turned into fortresses. He would be sorry for any German who came near them. He was surprised that no instructions had been given to people in case of attack. LORD MOTTISTONE cordially agreed with Lord Strabolgi on the need for coordination. VISCOUNT BUCKMASTER contended that nothing short of a permanent, mobile body treated as part of the Army would be of any use. LORD GORELL said that there was no reason why more foresight should not have been employed and preparations made months ago. GOVERNMENT REPLY LORD CROFT, Under-Secretary, War Office, said that the Secretary of State and the Army Council regarded the Local Defence Voluntecr Forcc as a really vital part of our cssential defence. It was no mere outlet for patriotic cmotion, but a lighiting force wliich might he at dceath grips with the enemy next wveek or even to-morrow. The call went out only a fortnight ago and the responsc bad bcen absolutcly magnificent. More than 400,000 mcn had alrcady been cnrolled. He protested against the idea that the officers who had come forward to build up the administration of the force were too old. A great deal of nonsense was talked in that direction. We had the quantity and quality required and now they must be given the best training possible. There were something like 1,500,000 men in the various A.R.P. services and they were some of the very best, who volunteered first of all. It might be discovered more and more in the country districts that men who were wanted very much for the L.D.V. were already engaged in A.R.P. work. He was not convinced that in the villages at least there might not be men carrying on this dual furc- tion. The defence of certain waterways in the Eastern Cotnties was receiving immediate con- sideration, inclitding the point raised by Lord Strabolgi. The machinery was going forward and he hoped they could now abandon the defensive complex w[licih had becn so notable in Parliamentary circles latcly and turn their attention to the possibility of offensives cise- wtherc. (Cheers.) Thc motion was, by leave, withdrawn. Their lordships rose at 20 minutes past 6 o'clock. 335,000 MEN BROUGHT FROM DUNKIRK MR. CHURCHILL ON THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM "WE SHALL NOT FLAG OR FAIL " HOUSE OF LORDS