HOLLAND
REPLIES TO GERMAN THREATS
London, To-day.
It was announced in the Hague yesterday that the Netherlands will not be dictated to by any other nation as to how to carry out its polloy of neutrality.
This is in reference to the re- cent German "warning" concern- ing possible trade measures against Germany.Reuter.
GREEK STEAMER SUNK
London, To-day.
A Greek steamer has been sunk by
a German mine south of Sweden. All the crew has been rescued. Reuter.
THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 14, 1939.
MUDDLE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION: REMEDIES
PROMISED BY MINISTER
London, To-day. ONETHIRD
THE HOME SECRETARY, Sir Samuel Hoare, reply-
ing in the House of Commons yesterday to the OF
debate on the Ministry of Information, admitted
there was misunderstanding and regrettable LUCHOW
confusion on Monday evening.
He said it had row been arranged that a senior in-IN RUINS
stead of a junior officer of each Service depart-
Chungking, To-day.
ment would be the whole time in the Ministry One-third of the Yangtse keeping in the closest touch between his depart-city of Luchow, 100 miles ment and the Ministry, so that he did not believe south-west of Chungking, is that the events of Monday night would be ever now in ruins as the result of Monday's bombing by 27 Jap- likely to recur.
anese planes.
RECONCILING NEED
FOR SECRECY
AND PUBLICITY!
London, To-day.
Referring to criticism of, the delay in issuing the communique about the bombing of Wilhelmshaven, Sir Sam- uel dwelt on the difficulty of allowing information to be published until its accuracy was verified.
He said the Ministry concluded it would be possible, anyhow in most cases, to issue
a general. communi- que quite quickly and not to hold up communiques until they contained all details and particulars.
THE CENSORSHIP
Four hundred Chinese are reported to have been killed and 400 wounded.
The hospital, 'church" and real- dence of the United Church of Canada haa been "completely destroyed."
+
This story was brought to Chung- king by the Rev. J. G. Endicott, of the Mission staff, who flew to Luchow with a medical unit and has returned to Chungking.
would be given in certain general di- Mr. Endicott stated that two bombs
rections, but it would not be neces-hit the hospital and another landed in sary for them to have every bit of the garden of the Mission's residences. information passed by the department A fourth struck the roof of the church,
NO FOREIGN CASUALTIES There were no foreign casualties, In regard to the censorship, Sir although two members of the Cana- MR. ARTHUR GREENWOOD, leader of the Opposi-Samuel said the desire was to work if dian Mission were in Luchow through-
possible on the basis that co-operation out the raid. tion, criticised the Ministry of Information in the House of Commons yesterday. The bald announcement of the Kiel raid, he said, did not reveal the glory of that exploit. He referred to the fact that this week on Monday, the Minis- try made public the arrival of British troops in France.
concerned.
The general principle would be that the Government was' not res- ponsible for the accuracy, of facts published in the press unless explicitly said so.
He mentioned that reputable
Several editions were sent out, and then came a re-respondents were now permitted
quest that this news should not appear. The police collected the editions sent out. Then the press were told they could print the story.
He blamed the lack of central direc- mistake had been made and hoped to tion, and referred to it as "a muddledo better in the future but he (Mr. of the worst possible kind."
It
Cur-
to
use the telephone, for example the ra- dio telephone to America, and censors were now installed in the cable of- fices, so it would no longer be neces- sary to send cables back to some other department to be passed.
a offices.
which is still intact and at present is housing 100 homeless familles.-Reu-
ter.
DISCUSSION IN MACAO
MACAO, TO-DAY. MR. ODA, JAPANESE CONSUL- GENERAL IN HONG KONG, AND MR. OKAZAKI, CONSUL-GENERAL CABLE ARRANGEMENTS
IN CANTON, VISITED THE GOV- Cable messages in all
languages ERNOR, DR. BARBOSA, ON TUES- Greenwood) must remind the House likely to be used would now be pass-DAY AND WERE ENTERTAINED There had been rumours about air-regarding the events of the past weeked by censor linguists in the cable
AT THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE. raids, caused by ignorance and pub- because they had now arrived at
It is understood that they conferred lished half-truths. There was no ef- completely intolerable situation.
While important Government tele-
on improving communications be- fective co-ordination between the
grams still had priority, correspon- tween Macao and Canton, fighting forces and the Ministry of
dents' telegrams would not have to Mr. Okazaki drew the Governor's Information.
wait till all Government telegrams attention to recent anti-Japanese were despatched.
operations by Chinese. Government Arrangements had`also, boon. made
agents in the Portuguese Colony and to synchrohlce cable and wireless
suggested that the Portuguese authorl- messages, so that neither would have ties tighten control of the activities.
There was also the position of the Dominion and foreign press. · The world was anxlous for news and if it could not get it from this country it would get It elsewhere. Mr. Arthur Greenwood earlier thanked the Prime Minister for his statement, particularly regarding our determination to fulfil our undertak- ings to Poland and to seek no peace until there was a final end to Nazi đọ- mination.
1.
nawe
Referring to the events of Mon- day night and early Tuesday morning with regard to issued In France about the pre- cence of British troops on French soll, Mr. Greenwood sald that the treatment of that story created, among a large number of people In the publishing trade in thin country, consternation, dismay, confusion and an enormous amount of expenditure which was really unwarrantable.
He was not surprised that news papers in leading articles had used He welcomed the assurance that it the word "muddle." It was "muddle," was the desire of the Government to of the worst possible kind and they publish as early as possible all in-were entitled to a full explanation. formation that could properly be made PLAYING WITH TRICKY THING available to
He warned the Government that if the public here
this sort of thing were not stopped abroad.
they would be playing with the most country the tricky thing in the psychology of the people.
and
Looking back upon last week, how ever, Mr. Greenwood said that bald announcement, after some delay, gave no meaning whatever to the people of
this country of the glory of the Kiel
exploit.
There was an even more serious side to this problem than the home side --- the problem of the foreign and dominions press.
If they would not get news, they would take rumours or propaganda.
Because there was an absence of vigorous action and courage here, Hitler propaganda was pol- soning world opinion against us, and neutral countries were being given an entirely false view of what was the actual situation, both hora and abroad.
Two days later the Prime Min- léter made a generous reference to it and two days afterwards the Ministry of Information allowed more information to leak out, That incident was one which proved the valour and determination of the British Air Force, and it was due to the Air Force as well as the public that such a magnificent ́exploit, un- dertaken in conditions of the
most Everybody knows our case. It is dangerous kind should have been simple and straightforward and unt- made public at the earliest oppor-answerabld. It ought to be given to tunity.
the world because there will come an ebb in the flow of this struggle of triumph and truth.
INTOLERABLE” SITUATION Mr. Greenwood added that Mr. Chamberlain Admitted that day that a
Lord 'MacMillan, who is at the head
a time advantage.—Router.
of such agents.
the
No protest was lodged with Portuguese authorities. Our Own Correspondent.
SHOCKING MUDDLE
London, To-day. Sir Archibald Sinclair ́ (Liberal) declared in the Commons yesterday that there was a shocking muddle at the Ministry of Information,
MINISTER IN CUBA which hitherto had conspicuously failed to
London, To-day. perform its most important function- The King has approved the ap- the enlightenment of the public at pointment of Mr. Mallet, Counsellor home and abroad who were getting in the Embassy at Washington, to be Inadequate and belated news com-Envoy Extraordinary and Minister ment-Reuter.
Plenipotentiary at Havana, succeeding of the M.O.I., listened to Mr. Green-Mr. H. A. Grant-Watson, who is retir- ing later in the year.-British Wireless. wood's remarks from the gallery,
GOOD STORY ·
NEW MINISTRY OF SHIPPING
Sir Samuel Hoare replied that we want to tell our story. It is a very good story and we want to tell it freely and fully. The greater the publicity, the better for this country and the world.
4
London, To-day.
The Premier announced in the Com- Replying to Mr. Greenwood's critic-mons that the Government intended ism of the M.O.I., he said that the to establish a Ministry of Shipping at House must realise that there would an early date. British Wireless, be a short period before the Ministry was running smoothly.
The Ministry was faced with the need for secrecy, lest informa- tion be given to the enemy. · At the same time, it realised the in- vigorating effect which would be given the nation as a whole when giyanas mush - Information as ́ponsible - about the war.
RECONCILIATION
the reconciliation of these two fac- tors.
Referring to - Mr. Greenwood's, re- marks about the release of › informa- tion concerning the arrival of our troops in France, he said that în future the Prime Minister would give regular and bigger statements on our operations: in all fields of · national
Its most immediate problem was 'endeavour.—Router.