"It is possible that the war might go on for many years before we got peace. You could create a European desert and call it peace, and give it the permanence of the grave. The objects that we regard as essential for the maintenance of civilisation may require a long war. If so, we should not be afraid of it. But neither should we assume that that is going to be necessary. Now, while people are in the mood to talk, talk to them. It is not necessary to talk on their terms; but if you tell them what are your terms and invite them to talk on your basis, you take the initiative out of their hands, you take the leadership, and perhaps you do something to acquire a long-wanted diplomatic success for ourselves."
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Members of the Parliament of the United KingdomJews from the United KingdomLawyers from EnglandLabour Party (UK) politiciansDemocratic socialists
Original Language: English
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The prime minister, Neville Chamberlain, had declared war on Germany in a radio announcement on 3 September 1939.
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sydney_Silverman
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Sydney Silverman
Samuel Sydney Silverman (8 October 1895 – 9 February 1968) was a British Labour Party politician. An opponent of capital punishment, he proposed multiple Private Members' Bills against the Death penalty in the UK. The last of these, which became the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965, eventually achieved his objective.
7 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Sydney Silverman →
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