The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 5

THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN. THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1945 PEACE CELEBRATIONS OVERLAY OPENING OF PARLIAMENT Westminster's V.J. Atmosphere THE UNCONQUERABLE SPIRIT OF BRITAIN The' King's Broadcast Call to Tasks ofJFuture Building Peace on Unshakable Foundations In his V.J. broadcast last night the 'King spoke of the unconquerable spirk which had brought us to safety out of great peril, and said that there must be no falling away from the high endeavour of the last six years. Peace must be established on the unyhwVW ftwniflat'onff of material strength and moral authority.

Following is the text of the broadcast POLITICAL DELAYED START OF THE NEW ERA ARRANGING TO CONTROL JAPAN Big Task for Mac Arthur UNREPENTANT TONE OF TOKIO COMMENT Russians Still on Offensive While General MacArthur is issuing orders to the Japanese to fly to Manila to sign the surrender and is preparing to take command of the forces that will shortly land in Japan Tokio journalists and broadcasters are declaring that Japan only lost the war because of the Allied superiority in material and scientific power. Japanese spokesmen all blame the Allies for their methods, and one paper says the "entire nation is burning -with righteous indignation over the enemy's outrages." The Emperor denied that in starting the war the Japanese had any aggressive ideas. The Japanese envoys should, on General MacArthur's orders, leave ir morning to sign the surrender and receive instructions. It thought that the signing ceremony may not take place till next -week. Men of the United States Third Fleet cheered the end of the war yesterday and then had to man their guns to shoot down about sixteen Japanese planes which were approaching the American ships after the acceptance of the surrender terms.

The British Beet shot down five. Admu-al Halsey ordered that this should be done "in a friendly way." I he Chief of Staff of the Red Army announced last night that Japanese forces are continuing resistance and thus real capitulation of the armed forces has not yet taken place." In view of this the Russian armed forces in the Far East are continuing offensive operations and will continue to do so until the Japanese lay down their arms. The Moscow operational communique is still being issued. AUSTRALIAN COMMENTS ON THE EMPEROR'S SPEECH Three months have passed- since I asked you to join with me in an act of thanksgiving tor the defeat of Germany. We then rejoiced that peace had returned to Europe, but we knew strong and; relentless enemy still remained to be conquered in Asia.

No one could then tell how lone or how heavy would prove the struggle that still awaited us. To-day Japan' has surrendered, so let us join in thanking Almighty God that war has ended' throughout the world, and that in every country men may now turn their industry, skill, and science to repairing its frightful devastation and to building prosperity and happiness. Our sense of deliver ance is overpowering, and with it all we have a right to' feel that we have done our duty. I ask you again at this solemn hour to remember all who have laid down their lives and all who have endured the loss of- those they love. Hemember, too.

the sufferings of who fell into the hands of the enemy, whether as prisoners of war or because their homes had, been overrun. They have been in our thoughts all through these dark years. Let us pray that one result of the defeat of Japan may be many happy reunions of those who have been long separated from each other. The campaigns in the Far East will be famous in history for many reasons. There is one feature of them which is a special source of pride to me and also to you, the citizens of our British Commonwealth and Empire, to whom I speak.

In those campaigns there have fought side by side with our Allies representatives of almost every unit in our great community men from the Old Country, men from the Dominions, from India, and the colonies.1 They fought in brotherhood. Through their courage and endurance, they conquered. To all of them, and to the women who shared with them the hardships and dangers of war, I send my proud and grateful thanks. The war is over. You know.

I think, that those four words have for the Queen and myself the same simple yet immense, that they have for you. Our hearts are full to overflowing, as are your Yet' there is not one of us who have experienced this terrible war who does not realise that we shall feel its inevitable consequences long after we have, all forgotten our! rejoicings of to-day. But that relief from past dangers must not blind us to the demands of the future. The British people here at home have added lustre to the true fame of our islands, and we stand to-day with our whole Empire in the forefront of the victorious United Nations Great, therefore, is our responsibility to make' sure by the actions of every man and every woman here and throughout the Empire and Commonwealth that the peace gained amid measureless trials and suffering shall not be cast away. In many anxious times in our long history the unconquerable spirit of our peoples has served us well, bring ing us to safety.out of great periL Yet I doubt" if anything in all that has gone before has matched the enduring courage and the quiet determination which you "nave shown during these last six'yearS.

It is of this unconquerable spirit that I would speak to you to-night. For, great "as are the deeds that you have done, there must be no falling away from this high endeavour. We have spent freely of all that we had. Now we-' shall have to labour arid, work hard to restore what has been lost and to establish peace on the' unshakable foundations not alone. of material strength but also of moral authority.

Then, indeed, the curse of war may be lifted from the world and States and peoples, great and small, may dwell together through long periods of tranquillity in brighter and better davs than we ourselves have known. The world has come to look for certain things, for certain qualities, from the peoples of the Commonwealth and Empire. We have our part to play in restoring the shattered fabric of civilisation. It is a proud and difficult part, and if you carry on in the years to come as you have done so splendidly in the war you and your children can look forward to the future, not with fear but with high hopes of a surer' happiness for all It is to this' great task that I call you now. and I know that I shall not call in vain.

In the meantime, from the bottom of mv heart. I thank my peop'es for all that thev have none, not onlv for ourselves but for mankind. From our Political Westminster, Wednesday. The political new era has not properly begun, notwithstanding a sixteen minutes' King's Speech Lpromising the nationalisation of the mines and the Bank of England and the repeal of the Trade Disputes Act. The opening' of the new era is implicit enough in that Speech, of course, but to-day's proceedings in Parliament, which in other circumstances would have been concentrated on the politics, were overlaid by the peace celebrations.

The moving and seconding of the Address had to be put off until to-morrow. When has that happened before Also we were denied Mr. Attlee's and Mr. Churchill's speeches opening the general debate on the Address. Though traditionally the Prime Minister's speech and that of the Leader of the Opposition launching the general debate are delivered-on the day after the King's Speech, this time had the Japanese surrender not come they would have been delivered to-day.

This was because it had been agreed days ago that Mr. Attlee should speak to the nation without delay on such developments as the Potsdam Conference ana tne atomic bomb, with Mr. Churchill following him. ah that went bv the board, and the nn niona nf business done to-day (the hearing of the King's Speech is not business done," as the House of Com-mnnc understands it) was the voting Of an Address to the King on the conclusion of the Japanese war. it loiioweo.

me manner of the one that was voted on the victory over Germany. THE VJ. ATMOSPHERE The V.J. atmosphere was all over Westminster. For some members not blessed with cars it involved a lot of in-fighting with elbows to get to the House at all at least on the Parliament Sauare side.

The sauare was a compact mass ot his Majesty's subjects pressed in perspiring propinquity over these several acres. No doubt this was one way of eelebrating the collapse oi tne co-nrosperity sphere in the Far East However, it was by no means sanctuary in the Palace of Westminster itself. If the outer lobbies and corridors of Westminster resembled a Labour party conference on the first day of this Parliament, to-day they were more like the crowded foyers of half a dozen theatres on first night Never There was a particular note of confidence in the King's voice throughout his broadcast. He spoke more quickly than in any of his previous talks and without any hesitation. The King's broadcast was introduced by a soldier of the Fourteenth Army, Sergeant Philip Gray, aged 21, of Blackburn.

Gray, who is now in the R.A.S.C.. was formerly in the South Lancashire Regiment. He left Rangoon on leave on July 8 and arrived in England on August II. He was posted overseas in October, 1943, and he has served in Assam and Burma. LONDON'S VICTORY REJOICINGS King and Queen on Floodlit Palace Balcony Princesses Mingle with the Crowds a rescript repudiating his speech.

Hirohito's claims that he sought peace are arrant hypocrisy and the name of his reign. 'Radiant has been a hollow Telling Japanese troops of the surrender, the chief of the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation's overseas bureau, Jesuo Ayo, declared We have lost, but this is temporary. Japan's mistake was lack of material strength, scientific knowledge, and equipment. This mistake we must amend." NO SURRENDER YET IN BURMA Up to yesterday afternoon the Japa A typical Australian comment on the peace was broadcast by Melbourne radio yesterday For Australia the major problem is the preservation of peace in the Pacific. A threat to that peace has already appeared.

The first shot in a war of nerves possibly to precede a war of arms has already been fired. Hirohito's speech was not that of a defeated leader of a defeated nation but of a man conscious that he and the militarists he represents still have intact their whole apparatus of power. Not a word he said suggests that he or his class regret anything in the history of the past 14 years. Hirohito's speech is a striking vindi cation of the warning issued by the Australian Minister for External Affairs (Dr. Evatt) against using the Emperor for anything except the minimum purposes of expediency.

Hirohito's preten sions are greater than those of Domtz, whose regime in Northern Germany was a scandal until the British nut an end to it. There should be no more compunction in dealing with Hirohito than there has Been in dealing with the Gor-ings and the Donitzs. We in Australia hone that General MacArthur will compel Hirohito to issue BRITAIN'S PART NO TORY AMENDMENT TO THE ADDRESS But Strong Challenge Expected on Trade. Disputes Act Proposal Correspondent before, even in days of crisis and excite ment, has one seen so many people pulsating about the place. Again it was no doubt attributable to the conjunction of the peace and the opening ot Parlia ment, and probably we shall never see anything like this again.

If it happened often the life of the member of Parliament would be full of many distractions. tne day oegan, so far as the commons are concerned, with the meeting in St Stephen's Hall this morning to await Black Rod's summons to the House of Lords to hear the King's Speech. A nice substantial door had been put where there was no door before in order that Black Rod could do the ritualistic knocking on it. In reality it was something of a token House ot Commons that assembled in the hall. It held hardly half of the full membership-of the House.

It was not much more than an affair of front benches. A STRANGE NEW HOUSE But this confined lodging for the Commons mattered little, for the House later transferred to its leasehold home in the House of Lords. This was at four o'clock. Now we renewed acquaintance with the lineaments of this strange new House. The Labour' benches were rather more than full and overflowed beyond the Bar.

no room to spare on the Opposition benches either. Mr. Churchill sat plumb In the centre of the front Opposition bench, with Sir John Anderson on one side of him and Mr. Eden on the other. The pattern of the Treasury bench will become familiar in time, but it still looks a little strange.

Mr. Attlee was buttressed well buttressed on his left bv Mr. Morrison and Mr. Bevin. and on his right by Mr.

Greenwood. The House had no sooner settled down than Mr. Attlee proposed, and it was instantly agreed, that it should repair to St. Margaret's to render thanks, to Almightly God for this deliverance," and soon Mr. Attlee and Mr.

Churchill were leading the members in procession out of the House and across to St. Margaret's. Back they came three-quarters of an hour later to vote the Address to tne lung ana to saiourn. Mr. Attlee moved the Address and Mr.

Churchill followed him. Each speech was characteristic. The theme was the Crown as political symbol and the personality of the present King, and each man found his distinctive way to eulogising both. Mr. Attlee was.

direct and sincere. Mr. Churchill was sincere and deliberately eloquent "a brighter radiance illumines the Imperial Crown than we have ever known was one typical saying. Thus ended a crowded, confused, but indubitably happy day. unexpected item.

It had generally been assumed that the clauses restricting civil servants' trade union activities would be repealed but that the rest would remain. Now repeal will mean legalising the general strike again, restoring the contracting-out position regarding the political levy, and -enabling Civil Service unions to affiliate to the T.U.C. Efforts will be made to retain some of this bill, but the long-pent-up Labour resentment against it will no doubt show itself in a substantial majority in favour of repeal. Following the speeches of Mr. Attlee and Mr.

Churchill to-day the debate will be thrown open to the House. Any subject can then be raised, but -on Monday foreign affairs are likely to be gives priority and Mr. Bevin will make his first appearance as Foreign Secretary. He will be followed from the other side by Mr. Eden, who held this office so long.

Finance is expected to be Tuesday's topic and Mr. Hugh Dalton. Chancellor of the Exchequer, will then be in action, with Mr. Oliver Lyttelton in opposition. Parliamentary report and text of King's peach on page 61 ARMY GROUP RELEASES Official Time-Table A detailed programme of further group releases from the Army was issued by the War Office last night.

For obvious reasons, it is stated, it would have been inadvisable to issue the details earlier. The official programme for men is now as follows Group 12 August 13 to August 26. Group 13. August 27 to September 9. Group 14.

September 10 to September 23. Groups 15 and 16. September 24 to October 7. Groups 17 and 18. October 8 to October 21.

In addition to any married women who did not wish to be released' in the first period, single women will continue to be released as follows Groups 11. 12. and 13. August 13 to August 26. Groups 14, IS.

and 16-August- 27 to September 9. Groups 17, 18. and 19. September 10 to September 23. Groups 26.

21, aad 22 September 24 to October 7. Groups 23, 24. and 25. October 8 to October 28. Subsequent group releases wiU announced when dates are fixed.

RAILWAY WAGES Unions' Counter-Proposals Contrary to expectations, last-miaute difficulties which; arose on the differential rates prevented a final settlement vesterday of the railway unionsclairn improved wages and conditions. The conference ot representatives of the -unions and the railway companies adjourned until to-day after thi unions had made counter-nrcposals to ths-Wm-nanles' offer on the detailed adiustmeots of the rflnal -w They had discussed the apaUcatiwrof the invisionairterms the various shades above the new rninlmum of 87s. a week in London. 8S. In other trial areas, and 84s.

-in The rejoicings in London centred outside the Palace and in Whitehall, and immense crowds cheered the King and Queen and the Princesses, who made several appearances on the Palace balcony. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret went out of the Palace some time before eleven o'clock last night, with an escort of two police officers in plain clothes. They- mixed with the crowds, and from the front of the Palace watched their father and mother on the balcony. As on V.E. night, when they also left the Palace for a time, the Princesses were recognised here and there and surrounded by cheering men and women.

But nolice told the crowds that the Princesses wished to be treated as private individuals, and they were allowed to go on their own and see what they wished. The King and Queen made their sixth and final appearance on the balcony shortly before midnight, but it was not until a little before 12 30 that the two Princesses returned to the Palace. I here had been big crowds outside the Palace all day in spite of the morn ing rain, and the Roval Family first went on to the balcony about an hour after returning from the state orjenine of Parliament. They were greeted with tnunaerous cheers, and remained for several minutes. Mr.

Attlee. the Prime Minister, with four nrinciDal members of his Pahinet. Mr. Morrison. Mr.

Bevin. Mr. Green wood, and Mr. Alexander, went to the Palace in the earlv afternoon tn ennvev ineir congratulations to the King on the nnai victory. with them were the tnree Chiefs of Staff, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham- Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke, and Marshal ot tne air cnanes On the Palace terrace the Kine was photographed with the Prime Minister.

me memoers oi nis uaoinet, and the v-meis oi start. Mr. Attlee and his colleagues arrived unnoticed by the great crowd MR. CHURCHILL'S VISIT Shortly after Mr. Attlee had left a closed dark car drove across the fore court through the inner quadrangle to the King's door.

In it was Mr. Churchill. and he remained some time in conversation with the King. With the coming of sunshine the crowds in the afternoon were even greater than those which had stood for many hours during the morning. At 4 30 the King and Queen, with the two Princesses, again walked on to the balcony and had another great reception.

A few minutes after the 6 p.m. news broadcast the royal party made their third appearance of the day. and they were on the balcony again soon after the King's broadcast. From our Diplomatic LINK WITH TROOPS IN FAR EAST Soldier's Broadcast Sergeant Gray, of Blackburn, who spoke on the wireless last night before the King, said Ten days ago I left Karachi aerodrome on my way home on leave. Monday I was in Palestine and heard the news of the atom bomb.

Friday, at El Adem and the pilot told us the Japs had surrendered. We couldn't believe it. Saturday I arrived in London. It's been a Ions road a long road for all of us too long. My journey started in Blackburn Lancashire, three years ago when I volunteered.

I said good-bye to Mersey-side from the blacked-out bottom deck of a troopship. Fourteen days later I was torpedoed at sea. In the two years since then I've been dive-bombed, I've traveled over the hills of the Arakan, right on to the attack on Hill 1301. through blood and sweat and mud, jungle and swamp, and bamboo forest. mi malaria ana avsenterv sot me.

Yes, it was a long, weary trip out, but it's been a fast and glorious trin home. now I'm thinking the- same as the chaps still out there are thinking, chaps from all over fhe Empire, that before very long there will be an end to bully 3 i z. 1 aim una jungle rauuns. we can look forward to a time when we won't be baling water out of slit trenches with bully tins and rolling up for the night in wet blankets. We'll be able to sleep in a real bed instead of a hole in the ground, get a real bath instead of having a can of water tipped over you by a pal.

And for me. I'm 21 now. I can see the time ahead when I can start living my own life. Of course, I'm luckv I got back by air. It won't be possible to bring all the lads back as quick as that or at once.

To-morrow I'll be home for a bit. But when I set back East I suppose plenty of us will have to out up witn quite a lot for some tune yet. But we do know that we will be coming home, and we are not forgetting tnose that won the friends we left on the banks of the Irrawaddy and on the road to Mandaiay. In a way I feel my seven days aourney right across the world just at the time of victory 'makes me a kind of link between the chaps out mere and you louts at home and I can speak for all of us. In the name of each one of vou who have shared in winning this victory I am proud to salute his Majesty the King.

NO ABBEY SERVICE Dean of St. Albans and Atomic Bomb To show his disapproval of the use of the atomic bomb, the Dean of St. Albans (the Very Rev. C. C.

Thicknesse) yesterday prohibited the use of St. Albans Abbey for a civic service of thanksgiving for peace. No victory peals were rung from the Abbey tower. The Mayor (Mr. J.

Bushel!) returned from a holiday at Bournemouth yesterday to attend a special council meeting last night, and, learning of what nad happened, arrangements were made for the service" to be held at Marl borough Road Methodist Church and the council went were procession. After the dean, who is the mayor's chaplain, had opened the council meet ing witn prayer, ne maae a statement to the council. Let it not be supposed." he said, "that any of Us withhold our due sense of gratitude for the mighty deliverance." The events of the last ten days had given cause for deep search ings of heart to many people. "The decision to use the atomic bomb was made by the leaders of the democratic nations. We are all.

therefore. though without our consent implicated in that act I do not hold a service of thanks-giviag in. St Albans because I cannot honestly give thanks to God for an event hmijuht ahout bv a wnm use Of force, by an act of wholesale, indis criminate massacre which is different in kind from all the acts of open warfare hitherto, however brutal and hideous. Having made his gesture be is willing, subject to the dictates ot his conscience, to allow a service to be held at the Abbey on-Sunday if the council wish. The council decided that a service simnld field- At the Methodist Church service, the Rev.

L. G. Fogg said they should thank God for the work of their scientists which had shortened the war and saved thousands cf lives. The "dean, who before, his aDDOintment to St Albans was a canon of -Liverpool Cathedral and Rural Dean of- Wigan. He was wounded at Yore in 'the war of 1914-18 when he was a chaplain.

Whitehall and Trafalgar Square late at night were one solid mass of people. Mr. Attlee received a tumultuous welcome from many thousands when he appeared on the balcony of the Ministry of Health building with Mr Bevin and Mr. Herbert Morrison. "This long war has been won by the devoted service of millions of people," he said.

We are right to rejoice at this victory of the people and it is right for a short time that we should relax. But we have a great deal of work to do to win the peace as we won the war. The quality of unity and self-sacrifice, putting the common weal before private interest, must continue in the peace. "We are going to face the problems of peace with the same courage as we showed in the war. Things are not going to be easy at once.

For our part we will do our best, but we in the Government cannot do the impossible. I want you to have the same self-control, the same broad tolerance that you have shown throughout the war. so that we can together build up in this country and in the world a life worthy of those who have made sacrifices so that we can welcome back the fighters to a country where freedom, democracy, peace, and social justice will live for always." MANY FIREWORKS CASUALTIES Nearly 200 casualties were caused by fireworks in Piccadilly. Most of them were women who had received burns on the legs through fireworks exploding on the ground, while several others had eye injuries and face burns through saulbs, crackers, and cannon bursting a few inches from them. One bov has been temporarily blinded and has been detained in hospital.

All the casualties were given first aid by the St. John Ambulance Brigade, who had a temporary casualty station beside the Eros plinth. A superintendent who was on duty in the Circus said We expected this when all those fireworks were fired. They are dangerous things in dense crowds like this." Manchester Royal Infirmary reported that for an hour or so round about ten o'clock at night there was a constant stream of minor casualties cuts, bruises, or burns, but no one was seriously hurt. A huge bonfire was lit near Brighton sea front, and when the fire brigade turned out the revellers cut the hose and threw it on the fire.

Another section of the Are brigade retaliated by turning the hose on the crowd. Two bonfire, were lit in Southampton's main streets, and a motor-car was towed from a parking place and burned. Some of the rougher element broke into a public-house and consumed all the drinks. In Devonport Park. Plymouth, the crowd set fire to an army hut.

(Manchester celebrations on page 3 announcement was made by Mr. Chifley from Canberra very soon after, Mr. Attlee's from London, but after the Eastern States had begun business. In accordance with the official rearrangement, work ceased immediately, and from factories, shops, offices. schools, and homes young and old streamed into the beflagged streets for a two-day holiday.

Not since November. 1918. had Australia experienced I- such a frenzy of exultation. Paper showers came down from buildings" and soon the streets were covered inches deeo Later bands appeared and there were vast community singings. To-night the cities were illuminated bv floodlighting, other, external lighting sucn as neon signs oeing permitted for the first time since 1939.

and there were displays of searchlights, rockets, and nreworKS. Ite Tunes' 'Manchester Gnardfan" Ssrrlse GENERAL. BLAME VS ORDER General Blarney, the Australian in an order' of the day from his headquarters in Borneo, said No divisions among the Allies, have contributed more to the downfall of our enemies than tours. We have fought through the. desert- and the and sweat of the trorjical jungles.

We have i defeated the Italians and the Germans and wouia soon nave destroyed com pletely the Japanese." neuter. nese were still putting up stiff resistance at many points in Burma, cabled Reuter's special correspondent. It was pointed out that there could be no easing of effort until the British commanders were satisfied that the Japanese in Burma had fully accepted the surrender. It is hoped that as in Europe a number of surrenders will be arranged on army, group, and supreme command levels. Large cages and reception areas are already prepared for some 50,000 to 65.000 Japanese.

Prisoners will have to una ineir own shelters ana prepare- tneir own xooa, dui all tne materials and food will be provided. IN Correspondent machinery, over exports and imports, and the declaration of a planned economy for a people who have become accustomed to modern industrial conditions and who in due course will have to rely much more than hitherto on their country's own supplies. It is likely that Japan's future is thought ot in terms similar to those applied to Germany, ith the emphasis laid on her deindustrialisation. (d) Measures followed by action for Japan disarmament. (e) Preparatory steps In order to render justice to the interests of Western civilisation and the Western Powers in the Far East.

(O Measures to render justice ta the Chinese people. RUSSO-CHINESE AGREEMENT General interest is naturally focused on the reports from Moscow stating that an alliance between China and Russia has been concluded. The contents are to be revealed at a later date. Has Britain or the United States been fully informed about the highly important Russian-Chinese talks which have been going on before and after the Potsdam Conference If not the omission would be deplorable, though there are some who contend that the influence of such an alliance can only be beneficent. Yet the facts should be made known not only to satisfy international interest in the treaty but because the world at large would like to know how far the reports about Chinese internal disin- legrauon are irue.

x-mviuea. me nusso-uunese agreement is in the spirit of the United Nations' policy, then all reoorts about internal Chinese disintegration are less serious. If. however, no general Allied agreement has been sought anrf mm then the nightmare of internal sariwl mem may overwneim umna. To-night Chinese spokesmen showed considerable awareness of a crisis and a fear that twna, our gallant ally, may revert to the tate ot Poland.

THE LAST AIR BLOWS Japanese Intercepting 'Planes Shot Down Admiral Nimitz stated in a com- munique last night that before receiving cease-fire orders the American Third Fleet launched carrier 'planes strikes in the Tokio area early on Wednesday, during which 26 Japanese "planes were shot down over the targets. Nine other Japanese "planes were shot down during the including five as they approached the fleet The communique added that 208 Japanese 'planes were destroyed on the ground and 78 damaged on the ground in addition to the previous tolL When the cancellation order reached the. fleet at 7 30 a jo. all -planes were withdrawn. The last British bombs on Japan were dropped by Avengers on a factory near Kamohaura at dawn yesterday, while British Seaflres shot down or damaged twelve of a force of interception 'planes.

Otber aews frem tn Pacific tk back page- Mr. Churchill will cause something of a Parliamentary surprise to-day (writes a Lobby correspondent) by announcing as Leader of the Opposition that there will be no official Conservative amendment to the Address thanking the King for his Speech opening the new Parliament This is an almost unprecedented step. It is usual for a reasoned and comprehensive amendment to be put down regretting various' omissions from the Speech. If such an amendment were carried it would be tantamount to a vote of no confidence and would mean the resignation of the Government The absence of an amendment does not, however, imply approval of everything in the Speech. Probably Mr.

unurcniu wui lane tne line mat tne country has voted the Government in and that it is not now necessary by an immediate amendment to endeavour to condemn it out of hand. But he will also make it plain that the Govern ment will be strongly challenged on various individual bius. Particularly will this be so over the proposal to repeal the Trade Disputes Act This intention is expressed in unusually definite terms in the King's Speech, and it is the most U.S. ENDS CONTROL OF WAR WORKERS Petrol Rationing to Go From our own Correspondent New York, August 15. The War Man-power Commission has announced the cancellation of all controls for workers in essential industries.

The Office of War Information and the Office of Censorship both announced that their actiyities would be suspended Petrol rationing will be ended as soon as practicable perhaps within one week, and other war-time restrictions are to be removed as quickly as possible. Much concern has been manifested regarding problems of conversion to a peace-time basis, for which the country is not ready-- Congress will return from recess early in September, one month sooner than had been planned. Officials believe that unless drastic action is taken immediately the number of unemployed may be six or eight millions by the new year. RATIONING OF FRUIT ENDS Washujgtoic. August IS.

The immediate end of the rationing of tinned fruits and vegetables, fuel oils and oil stoves was announed Acut of S23JSOO.000.000 (6,000,000.000) a year tn the purchase of munitions and supplies was also announced. President Truman announced to-night that all news censorship, domestic and international, is en ded. Reuter BRITISH OFFICERS IN CHINA CHuiftiUXG, August 15. British troops have been operating with the Americans and Chinese In Chna. it may now be disclosed.

More than "200 mainly officers, have been active -both in for-ward areas' and behind" the Japanese-lines. They helped with th training of Chinese troops, medical work, and evasion and. escape units, and other 4andeslim activities. Ther smuccled escaped prisoners to safetjrknd assisted -pilots who baled out near the Japanese lines. Reuter.

London, Wednesday Night. Authoritative quarters in London have not been in a position to throw much light on the precise sequence of events leading to the Japanese surrender. London has been somewhat out of the limelight during these eventful days that have brought about the end of the war, though probably not the end of suffering. Silently behind" the scenes Britain has played her 1 great part. Yet both publicly and diplomatically Washington has taken the lead.

This stage cannot last for long, as to-morrow either the Prime Minister or the Foreign Secretary is expected to give to the House of Commons a full account of events and of the situation prevailing in the Far East The facts which led to the surrender of Japan and the principles guiding our policy, which aims at securing peace in the Far East and the interests of Western civilisation, will then be stated. END OF ANOTHER MYTH More suddenly than was generally expected, the Japanese have lost power and. above all, faith in the prospects of-victory in the war they so ambitiously started in the name of Greater Asia against Western civilisation. Nothing has saved them. Throughout this war Germany and Japan relied not only on strategy and force of arms but in particular on what they claimed to be the superiority of their spiritual power, a power which they hoped would, in the end.

defeat even technical superiority. In Germany it was the myth of the leader and racial superiority in Japan it was Shintoism and the Yamato spirit the "sacred name for Japan which were regarded as impregnable defences. How long will it take both the Germans and the Japanese to realise" that it was not only technical superiority but supreme spiritual power a power entirely different from their own totalitarian illusions which has won the war? If they are in a position to note what is happening beyond their immediate sphere then it certainly will not escape their attention that the day of victory coincides with the reopening of the British Parliament. This is not only significant but symbolic, for it is the dav. when.

Western civilisation and Western democracy have marked their triumph over the anti-democratic and totalitarian forces. SURRENDER PROVISIONS it now remains to be seen, how the surrender will be enforced in itself a terrific task. Certain provisions are obvious and almost assumed, such "as (aX-Tbe occupation by Allied troops of strategical key-points in the Japanese homeland. No wholesale occupation of Japan -has'- been and immediate return of Allied prisoners of war who have been the Control over Japanese war AUSTRALIA'S GRATITUDE TO GENERAL MACARTHUR Celebrations on 1918 Model From oar Special Correspondent Canberra. August 15.

There is naturally deep satisfaction throughout Australia that General Mac-Arthur, with whom Australia's forces have been so closely associated during the war, has been appointed Allied Supreme Commander of the forces to occupy Japan. Mr. Chifley, the Prime Minister, expressing the Government's pleasure at the appointment, said that all Australians valued rSsneral Ma- i Arthur's inspiring leadership and close relationship with Mr. Curtin. Mr.

Chifley, in a message to General MacArthur, said "On this glorious, happy occasion in the history of our peoples I send you the heartfelt thanks of the people of Australia for the part you have played in the defeat of Japan. Our gratitude Sows also to all the fighting men and women whom you led to victory. Australia is deeply indebted to you all for yanr wonderful courage and devotion. Our prayers and thoughts will be with you in the great work you are about to Since the rejoicings-over the news of Japan's overtures for- an armistice last Friday crowds have throneed Australian cities night after night eager to celebrate the enemy's capitulation. They have whiled away the time in all sorts of minor revels and 'have cone home reluctantly, confident that the good news would come next day.

The long-awaited.