British Pathe

Selected originals (offcuts, selected scenes, out-takes, rushes) for story "Premiere with President" - 50/99.

United States of America (USA).

This is continuation of speech of Mr Clement Attlee at the National Press Club during his visit to USA. First part of the speech can be found...

Selected originals (offcuts, selected scenes, out-takes, rushes) for story "Premiere with President" - 50/99.

United States of America (USA).

This is continuation of speech of Mr Clement Attlee at the National Press Club during his visit to USA. First part of the speech can be found in 50/99 A - Film ID 1506.36.

'I'm giving you some of the thoughts which form the background to the policy of the British Government towards China. I know our policy has not always been considered here - quite understood here - yes, sometimes criticised. We asked how can we recognise and have diplomatic relations with the Government of China when its policies have been contradictory to the United Nations objectives in Korea, when the Nationalists are in conflict with our own forces and my answer to those criticisms is quite straightforward and realistic. The Chinese peoples Government has control over all the mainland territory that we know as China command the obedience of 400 million Chinese who inhabit that territory and those are stubborn facts and its no use shutting one's eyes to it - are we to refuse to recognise those facts.... are we to cut ourselves off from all contact with one sixth of the inhabitants of the world from all chance of making our views known to their rulers. Our recognition of the Chinese Peoples Government was the recognition of an obvious fact and our attempt to establish full diplomatic relations with them sprang from those motives which I have referred. Now you will see that we recently published the Colombo Plan for co-operative economic development in Southeast Asia. The second title of that plan is I think significant, it is 'New Horizons in the East' and that title expresses that hope which we and our fellow members of the Commonwealth have put into this plan.

That plan grew out of a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth at Colombo because we are persuaded that military and political policies are not enough. There must be an economic and social policy and our aim is to try and get rid of those terrible extremes of poverty that you find in the East that form places at which all kinds of dangerous movements may breed. With our partners in the Commonwealth we keep all these matters under review. You may know I am meeting my fellow Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth in London early in January and I shall be very glad to go into that family gathering, fresh from the intimate talks I am having here with President Truman. You see we in Great Britain value very highly those three great strands of a bond that ties us to the rest of the world. There is a strand of the British Commonwealth, there is a strand which united by our history by our common culture to the United States of America, there is a strand that united us to the rest of the world and especially to Europe. Two world wars have shown how strong these links can be - how closely we are linked in the Commonwealth - how closely the defence of freedom and democracy depends on joint action between the United States of America and the United Kingdom. It has also shown our forces are insolubly tied to those of our European neighbours, the common inheritance of the culture of Europe. We have forces on the continent of Europe today, in the near future they will grow in size so that we should be ready to defend the front line of the Atlantic communities should anyone wish to attack us. I am confident that those who have pledged themselves to defend freedom will do so successfully. We are part of the Atlantic community. We are seeking to build up the strength of the West - not for aggression but as a bulwark of peace, and we are resolved to defend our way of life, against anybody who may seek to attack, us. But for this purpose we need the utmost co-ordination not only in defence but also in economic affairs. For a sound economic position is the necessary basis for defence.

In Britain we have embarked on a large rearmament programme. It will strain our resources, we are only just emerging from the difficulties caused by all out strain of the last World War. It is regrettable to all of us that we have again to turn our energies towards defence preparations but we feel convinced that in the present state of the World that its necessary and that no difference exists, amongst the political parties in Britain, and, I might add, whatever you may hear to the contrary, there is no difference within the party. Our two nations draw their inspiration from the same spiritual sources, we have the same beliefs in freedom and democracy, the same value for the common man, the desire for peace. I am certain that our talks here will make for fuller understanding and increased collaboration in the great causes that we all have at heart (applause.)

(Comb. F.G.)

Note: Severely damaged sound - natural sound only.