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THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 2, 1938.
'J.R.M.'--Secrets Act Threats
Why Story Of Breakaway Was Delayed
"COERCION"
LASTED FOR
FIVE YEARS
Climax of one of the most astonishing stories in the history of book publishing, of threats and "coer- cion," was reached when "The Tragedy of Ramsay. MacDonald" appeared on the bookstalls-
The book was written five years ago. Author is Mr. Lachlan MacNeill Weir, M.P., one-time per- sonal friend of the ex-Premier, later his Parliamen- tary Private Secretary, a post he resigned in 1931.
PARLEYS WITH NAZIS HUMILIATION
London, Nov. 21.
"To attempt any negotiations with Germany in the conditions prevailing to-day would be to court not only failure but humil- iation also,” Mr. Anthony Eden, former Foreign Secretary, declar- ed at Leicester to-day, speaking before a League of Nations Un- Ion meeting.
He added that Nationalist Spanish General Franco must not be granted belligerency rights before he accepts all the condi- tions set by the Non-Intervention Committee.Havas,
U.S. BEGINS TO SUPPLY PLANES TO BRITAIN
Los Angeles, To-day. Fifteen out of 200 aeroplanes now being built by the North American Aviation factory at Santa Monica have already been shipped to England.
So declared Lt. Addams, who is in charge of the air mission here, to Reuter yesterday.
Lt. Addams told Reuter that "good progress" is being made with the Lockheed order at the factory at Burbank, California, and delivery is expected to begin in
After being accepted by three thor writing such a book, but they ters. They showed these chapters publishers in succession, the book could set about to prevent its be- to a close personal friend of Mr. was rejected, it is alleged; under ing printed and published. A pub-MacDonald for an opinion. They mid-winter. Reuter. threats from Mr. MacDonald and lisher or a printer might be intimi-were naturally most strongly ad- others.
dated by threats of legal action. vised not to publish. That bane of publishers and edi- tors, the law of libel, was invoked."
These "suppression" efforts are referred to in a foreword to the book.
"A British firm then arranged to publish the book, and adver-
tised it in their autumn catalogue Britain's
in 1934. MacDonald got in touch with them and proceedings.
threatened Main
One communication came from a "From August, 1931," says Mr. famous M. P.,not even mentioned MacNeill Weir, "reaching a climax by name and not otherwise readily at the General Election, there was identifiable. He says Mr. MacNeill a campaign of slander and abuse Weir, was persuaded to write a let- against the Labour Party. Those ter threatening proceedings unless me that they could not take the risk members of the Labour Cabinet who a certain paragraph were deleted.
unless I toned down my criticisms. had resigned were denounced as Mr. MacNeill Weir gave further I replied that without attacking cowards who were afraid to do details of the history of his book
MacDonald and Baldwin, there was their duty, as traitors who betray- "The trouble first started when no point in writing the book." ed their trust, as shirkers who an American firm of publishers, The book was published by
when I was writing the book, were Secker and Warburg, of "On the other hand, those who given some of the finished chap-W.C. joined the National Government were applauded for their courage, patriotism and self-sacrifice.
"They took legal advice, and told Defence
funked an unpopular task.
"I felt that in view of this slander on the integrity of the Labour Party, I should record my version of what actually took place in 1931 and the events which led up to it.
"I had thought that if one had a
public it would be possible to put that case. I had thought that the freedom of the Press and of pub- lication had been won.
=
Area
Sir Thomas Inskip, Minister for Strand, the Co-ordination of Defence, is studying plans to make the Bristol Channel the most important defence area in Britain.
MUNITIONS MAKING SPEED
UP IN UNITED STATES
Washington, To-day.
.
The cost is estimated at from £3,500,000 to £4,500,000.
Dry docks in ports like Bristol, Sharpness, Cardiff, Newport, Pen- arth, Barry, Swansea and Port Tal-
bot would be enlarged.
Mammoth new dry docks would be constructed at Cardiff and New-
case to put up before the British In an order for speeding up preparations for pro- duction of munitions, Mr. Louis Johnson, As- sistant Secretary for War, yesterday outlined a five-point programme as the immediate objec-port. There would be a breakwater tive of the United States Army.
А
SECRETS ACT HINT-
"I was mistaken. I found that the publication of such a book. was
difficult and
even dangerous adventure. The character of the book became known to several people interested, and they re- Completion of production survey cognised that it was an exposure and of the National Government, and
between Cardiff and Penarth Head.
The Bristol Channel is already
the most important ship-repairing centre in Britain, and the schemes
suggested would make it the largest and most efficient ship-repairing area in the world.
Mr. Johnson placed in the forefront the "education" of supply factories in producing extremely complicated, but none the less vital items, Standardisation of types for all us a sufficient stock of munitions to critical arms,
tide us over until industry is ready." TRAINING INDUSTRY
Johnson revealed that Early completion of simple con- $2,000,000 appropriation made that its publication must be pre-tract forms adequate for all anticl-1987 for educational orders respect- East Coast, South Coast, and Lon-
pated war conditions.
ing only five out of 55 critical items, [don Docks would become daily tar- "We hope that Congress will give and the next session of Congress gets of enemy aircraft, and ship re-
vented,
HITLER SPEECH TO-DAY
'Mr.
-Admiralty and mercantile marine experts are convinced that the a scheme is vital to home defence. in Their view is that in time of war
"Persuasion was tried first. Certain friends of mine were ap-
will be invited to vote funds to train pair work normally carried out proached with the object of per-
industry regarding the remaining there would have to be transferred suading me not to publish the book.
fifty which are only part of 7,800 to Bristol Channel ports.
So long as the Bristol Channel- Before I had actually written it I
total production processes. was told I would be engaged on a
Urging simplification, Mr. John-ports are not equipped to deal with sleeveless Ferrand, as the pub-
son, apparently referring to Gership repairs on a war-time scale, Ncation of a book attacking Mac-
many, said: "In a certain foreign our mercantile marine, with its vital task of carrying food and raw ma- Donald and the National. Govern-
country, designers strip all non-
terial, is, the experts say, only half ment would not be tolerated: It
efficient. was against the public interest and
Hitler will wind up the election | essentials from their important war damaging to the prestige of the campaign in the Sudetenland with items."
a speech to-day at Reichenberg.
The speech will be broadcast over Later says Mr. MacNeill Weir, all German radio stations. Reuter
Government.”
persuasion
coercion.
developed into
Berlin, To-day.
VOM RATH CASE
Paris, To-day,
"Although there is nothing in the book that comes even remotely with- In the scope of the Offical Secretà Act, my ignorance of the Act was The father of vom Rath, the presumed, and I was warned that murdered secretary of the Nazi I. would be prosecuted under this Embassy in Paris, has entered the statute.
case against Grynszpan, the Polish "The could not prevent the au- Jew, as third party-Reuter.
GERMAN FIGHTERS He said that in a single-seater fighter plane in that country the self-starter was omitted, radio equip“ |į ment was made easily removable make way for extra ammunition and the cockpit was reduced in size to accommodate only small men.
LESSON OF LAST WAR
The war of 1914-18 - provided. a, bitter lesson in this respect. The Bristol Channel ports were full of targo vessels needing repair. The dry docks, or most of them, It was found, could not accommodate The above statement was made large, broad-beamed vessels, at a conference of army equipment Sir Thomas Inskip has already specialists, which was the first of been in touch with Bristol Channel its kind in the United States. companies and craftsmen's Unions
on the subject. Reuter.
*