Campbell Applauds British War Endeavor at Dinner for Seniors

An audience of about 200 Seniors, gathered in Eliot House last night for a dinner sponsored by the Harvard Alumni Association, lustily cheered Sir Gerald Campbell, British Minister to Washington, after he concluded an informal talk ranging from his personal experiences in the Congo and Canada to Britain's position in the War.

Sir Gerald, well-known as a skillful after dinner story teller, was introduced to the Seniors by Roger B. Merriman '96, master of Eliot House, and Governor Leverett Saltonstall '14, president of the Alumni Association.

Asserting that the Oxford pledge, by which English undergraduates bound themselves to fight for neither king nor country, did much to convince Germany and the world of British "degeneration," Sir Gerald went on to show the unification of the English people after the failure of "appeasement." He held that in contrast to the last war, whose motives were largely material, the present struggle involves more "spiritual values," the issue between "tyranny" and "freedom."

Says Egypt Safe

Without attempting to minimize the seriousness of Britain's present position in the Mediterranean, the British minister expressed his belief that reinforcements would arrive in time from East Africa to stave off the invasion of Egypt.

"We could not have held up our face before the world, it we had not diluted our troops in Libya to support Greece against the Nazi onslaught," he declared. He also praised America for its generous aid to his country, and noted the growth of pro-British sentiment here during his 2 1/2 years' absence as High Commissioner in Canada.

"We are anxious to have the invasion," Sir Gerald concluded. "It may finish us off, but we are inclined to feel that we can account for it.... We shall lift our eyes to the hills, for we shall be batting for the Lord."

Sir Gerald remained silent upon war aims, except for stressing our responsibilities toward "the mute peoples of Europe and Asia" and remarking in passing that he expected less talk about "propertied class" after the war.

In his introductory speech, Governor Saltonstall outlined the activities of the Alumni Association and affirmed his belief that economic opportunity in this country has not declined since the 19th century.