THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 17, 1940
Opposition And Belisha Resignation
NOT ENTHUSIASTIC OVER MR. OLIVER STANLEY'S TRANSFER TO WAR OFFICE
London, To-day.
LEADER OF THE LABOUR Opposition, Major C. R. Attlee, who followed Mr. Chamberlain in yester- day's debate, said that it would be ungenerous to deny that during his period at the War Office, Mr. Hore-Belisha had effected some notable re- forms.
On the other hand it was ridiculous, as had been al- leged in some organs of the popular press, that alone he did it.
There had undoubtedly been among soldiers a realisation of the need for moving with the times and in these re- Mr. Hore- forms he was sure that Belisha had the active co-operation of many distinguished soldiers.
Mr. Hore-Belisha had rather hinted that his resignation was due to his re- forms on the lines that democratisation was being unpalatable in certain quar- ters and it was right that they should have an explicit denial by the Govern- ment that there was no intention of changing the progress of the democra- tisation of the Army.
NOT CLEAR
The Opposition Leader said that in most cases when a Minister resigned the reason was perfectly clear to the general public, but Mr. Hore-Belisha and the Prime Minister had answered the House that there was no difference of policy.
Mr. Attlee said the House had the right to get from Mr. Hore- Belisha and the Prime
more precise reasons for the re- signation.
HOLD-UP
LAST NIGHT
Man Sze-kong, a police Inter- preter attached to the Special Branch, who was recently mar- ried, was held up by footpads when walking with his bride in Embankment
last Road at 9.15 night. The two concerned in the hold-up were armed with daggers. They look Mrs. Man's wedding ring and decamped.
LABOUR CRITICS IN LORDS: URGENCY
OF AID TO FINLAND
London, To-day.
SWEDISH
PROTEST TO SOVIET
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
Stockholm, To-day.
The Swedish Legation in Mom. cow has been Instructed to launch an energetic protest against the Soviet aerial bombing of Kallake Isle in the Gulf of Bothnia yes- terday. Havas.
YOUNG S.M P. OFFICER DIES
[SPECIAL TO "THE CHINA MAIL"]
SHANGHAI, TO-DAY.
BUFFERING A SUDDEN RE. LAPSE FROM A CHEST WOUND HE RECEIVED A WEEK AGO, BER. GEANT DUNCAN E. CRANK. YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF THE SHANGHAI MUNICIPAL POLICE DIED YESTERDAY FROM IN. TERNAL HEMORRHAGE.
21.
He was wounded last Wednesday
Questioning voices regarding the true explanation of
the resignation of the Secretary of State for War during an affray between coolies of were heard In the House of Lords, following a re- view of the war by Lord Stanhope, which was identical with that of Mr. Chamberlain in the Commons.
Lord Snell, the leader of the Labour Party in the Lords, was the principal critic of the Government, and he also questioned whether Finland was being adequate- ly aided.
to
in
ACUTE PHASE
Quick and adequate assistance Finland, said Lord Snell, were urgent- Minister
ly necessary. If the Finns were de- feated, the strategical position Europe would immediately be altered grievous dis- and probably to the advantage of this country..
hint
"I
Mr. Hore-Belisha seemed to that it was due to his democratisation reforms that he became unpalatable to certain quarters, and continued: think you cannot do a greater disser- of vice than trying to set up a kind opposition between politicians soldiers.
and
"There was a great deal in the last war and the memoirs which have have been published since
made uncommonly painful read- ing for those who were fighting In the last war.
will "We are resolved that there never be-and there has not been in
this case anything dictatorship."
like a
military
RESISTANCE TO PRESSURE
He highly welcomed the reference in the Government statement to the help given by the Dominions, India and the Colonies, which even he thought, was insufficiently realised in Great Britain.
now,
Lord Bnell went on to challenge the Government's economic policy, which he considered to be wrong- ly based and would have shortly to be reviewed.
ARMY AND BELISHA
followed, Lord Crewe, who
also expressed the hope that the Govern- ment would help Finland as far and Had there been pressure by the as rapidly as possible.
He disagreed with the suggestion military chiefs, the matter would have
made by Lord Snell that the change been dealt with most seriously.
military at the War Office was due to mill- The Opposition object to pressure and no less strongly to news-tary pressure on the Prime Minister. paper pressure, said Mr. Attlee, amid | Speaking from experience, he said, he "We would generally hesitate to believe it loud cheers, and he continued: should be absolutely firm on one thing to be possible.-Reuter.
-the control by Parliament and by the civilian Ministers over the vices. That has long been the posi- al- tion of this House and we must ways maintain it."--
Ser-
busy departmental ministers.
LIBERAL COMMENT
NOT HAPPY
not The Labour Opposition were happy regarding the change of the transfer of Mr. Oliver Stanley from the Board of Trade. They might require a very strong man at the War Office and he hoped that Mr. Oliver Stanley would carry on the line of reforms and make changes in the organisation of the War Office.
The public were surprised at this change..because there were other changes they would have welcomed...
OF WAR MAY BEGIN SOON
London, To-day. The Premier concluding his Commons statement yes- terday said: "We in this country hope, as do the peo- ples of every nation, that the just and lasting peace we are seeking will not be long de- layed.
On the other hand, it may well be that the war is about to enter upon a more acute phase.
are
If that should prove true, we ready for it, and in common with our allies, we will spare no effort and no sacrifice that be necessary to secure the victory on which we are deter- mined."
In the course of the review, Mr. Chamberlain referred to the heroic successful resistance of Finland and in- timated
the that arrangements for supply of certain war material from Britain had been made, adding, "I can assure the House that the amounts in- are substantial." British The Liberal leader, Sir. Archibald volved Sinclair, said that the Opposition Wireless. Liberals had been critics of Mr. now that he had Hore-Bellsha but resigned it was only fair to acknow- ledge the achievements which stood
Mr. G. Goodban, headmaster of the to his credit at the War Office.
At the same time it was a great mis-Diocesan Boys' School, has informed take to suppose that he was and re- mained the sole champion of these re- forms.
They did not spring from Mr. Hore- Belisha's mind and will alone; they re- presented the will of the people of this country expressed in Parliament, of which Mr. Hore-Belisa was the instru-
The War Cabinet was on a wrong basis and should not be composed of ment.
Rauter.
•
D.B.S. THEFTS CONTINUE
the Police that books valued at $20 were stolen from the class rooms early yesterday, 1966 See
An aged woman, Kwok Sit-sze, was admitted to the Queen Mary Hospital, with serious injuries yesterday, after she had been knocked down by hi tram car in Des Voeux Road Centrál,
the General Post Office and em- ployees of the Far Eastern Sanitary Company over the hot water supply in the post office building.--Havas.
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