THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 23, 1940
REACTION CHURCHILL
MIXED
ΤΟ
Surprise And Regret In Netherlands
NEUTRALS WANT NO ADVICE
London, To-day.
EX-KAISER DOWN WITH 'FLU
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
London, To-day.
The "Daily Mail" reports that the continued poor health of the' ex-Kaiser is giving rise to conal- derable anxiety.
He is said to be suffering from influenza and has been confined to bed for several days.
The report is denied by the ex- Kaiser's entourage at Doorn. Havas.
THE WEEK-END SPEECHES of Lord Halifax and Mr. Winston Churchill have attracted a good deal of comment in the world Press, and on the whole the British press welcome them as, in the words of the "Daily Telegraph," "two speeches resounding with determination which had set forth the British case against Germany.” Overseas, a lot of attention is paid to Mr. Churchill's reference to neutral countries. Mr. Churchill, it will be recalled, described their plight as "terri- ble," and said it would become worse. He asked ANOTHER what would happen if they did their duty in ac- cordance with the. Covenant of the League, and ANGLO-U.S. stood with the British and French Empires ISSUE against aggression ?
The newspapers of some of the Northern neutral
countries say that they do not want advice from any of the belligerents, and the Belgian news- paper "Nationale Belge” says Belgium never re- quires even the most friendly foreign advice to recall her to her duty.
The French press
welcomes the
speeches. Concerning the danger to neutral countries if Britain and France concluded a shameful peace,
"Le Temps" says that only a complete vic- tory for Britain and France can cure Europe from that peril.
such as no one of knowledge would
paper
have dared to predict. The contrasts this with the deliberate de- struction by Germany of the ships of small neutral states.
"The Times" deals with Mr. Chur- se-chill's statement that the safety ratio of ships in Allied convoys is about 500 to 1. This considerable margin of security does not apply to the ships
to
While the German press trles use Mr. Churchill's speech as evidence of an Allied desire to extend the war, in other parts of the world it is view- ed as his own estimate of a situation which is already perfectly clear to
everyone.
ONLY AN IDEAL
In London, it is pointed out that while this speech must come. with considerable authority from Mr. Chur- chill, it does not represent any new departure and Mr. Churchill's words should not be taken as a considered statement of Government policy.
Dealing with this point, the "Man- 'chester Guardian” says that while it is true that if the neutral countries were to throw in their lot with Bri- tain and France their act would even- tually be decisive, yet this is only an ideal.
It is necessary that we should un- derstand that the small European countries are in what is for them a terrible situation, the "Manchester Guardian" continues. It is reasonable, too, that we should ask for under- standing from them in our fight for existence and if this struggle in- volves them in serious inconvenience,
- BENEVOLENT NEUTRALITY Twice there has been reason to think that Holland or Belgium, or both, were about to be invaded. In Scandinavia, there is a strong fear lest the developments of the Finnish war should bring Germany into acTM tion.
of neutrals.
If the neutrals were to join in the Franco-British convoys, and even, in accordance with the Covenant of the League, stand in together with the British and French Empires in their fight against aggression and they would join an issue which
wrong, certainly as important for these neu- tral states as it is for the belligerents, says "The Times,"-Reuter. -
DUTCH SURPRISE
is
Page
AMERICAN COMMUNIST SENTENCED
New York, To-day.
on
Earl Browder, leader of the Communists in America, was convicted yesterday charges of twice using pass- ports obtained by a false statement.
Browder was sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of $1,000 on each of the two counts. The prison terms are to run consecutively.
Passing sentence, the Judge, Jus- tice Alfred Doxe, said the verdict of the jury was the only possible they could have returned.
one
A PROUD COMMUNIST Although he engaged ons of New York's leading lawyers to defend him, Browder summed up his own case, declaring the Government's prosecu- tion was a "long, compileated and flimsy chain."
Browder said he was proud to be a Communist and had nothing to
apologise for.
•
Browder's bail in the sum of $7,500,
Washington, To-day. Lord Lothian, visited the was continued until Wednesday when
The British Ambassador,
Secretary of State, Mr. Cor- he appears for the fixing of a new dell Hull, yesterday to discuss bond in connexion with his appeal. particularly the situation The jury took only 45 minutes to created by the suspension of consider the verdict. United States tobacco im- ports into Britain.
+
are
The Secretary for Agriculture, Mr. officials and private individuals, Henry A. Wallace, other Government urging the State Department to pro- test against Britain's policy of authorising an allotment of exchange. not for the purchase of United States
tobacco.
Hull has requested, or will request, It is understood that Mr. Cordell the British Government to continue to All at least part of its tobacco quirements on the United States mar- ket.---Router.
re-
to act in self-defence against an as- sailant when we judge this unavoid- able, but not before, and certainly not as the result of foreign advice."
Mr. Churchill's speech has also aroused unfavourable comment in the Swiss press.
Amsterdam, To-day. A typical view is that Britain is Surprise and regret at Mr. Winston entitled to demand strict neutrality Churchill's call to the small neutral of neutrals but not to endeavour to countries to join the Allies against force them to help the Allies. Germany is expressed by the "Tele- graaf."
The Journal says that had Mr. Churchill addressed himself to the United States, Italy and Japan, that would have been easier to unders stand.
}
NOT A CONSIDERED STATEMENT
It is pointed out in London that Mr. Churchill's "broadcast was one of a series in which Ministers from time to time will make personal comments on the war situation.
The "Telegraat" emphasises the determination of the Dutch Govern- ment to maintain neutrality at any cost, and says there
The broadcast was in the nature of will beno a fireside talk, was phrased in broad- change in this attitude, even if it casting language and was not a con- becomes crystal clear that the Reichsidered statement of Government po is heading for, defeat,
licy such as would have been made
WILL NOT BE DEVOURED
It concludes by assuring Mr. Chur It is for us to intensify our efforts chill that the Netherlands will
in the House of Co
"RIGHT="PEF
not
The refer necessarily ha comi do not
by
to make the seas safe to help free fat themselves be devoured by either the neutrals from German tyranny, sida.
the paper points out, and we should. The “Handelsblad" says the sugges- treat them with all possible consideration that neutrals must take tion; in return, we may ask them to the war has no remain benevolenti neutral,
Mr. Churchill
to time been
QUICK VERDICT
only
three years in prison if he qualifles
Browder may have to serve
each year for a three-month reduc- tion in sentence for good behaviour. -Reuter.
CENTENARY OF NEW ZEALAND
Wellington, To-day.
New Zealand celebrates this month the centenary of the proclamation of British sovereignty, and yesterday thousands gathered on the beach near Wellington to watch Lord Galway, the Governor-General, unveil a mem- orial to the landing of the pioneer colonists.
repre-
The United Kingdom was sented by the Marquis of Willingdon, A former Viceroy of India, who commented on the century-old co- operation between the settlers and the Maoria. He said that during his 16 years in India he had worked for mutual understanding between the Indian and British peoples.
He was confident that this under- standing could be achieved, and said that he hoped that India would fol- low New Zealand's wonderful exam- ple.
Lord. Galway's tenure of office as Governor-General has been extended for another six months. 2. Reuter.
TERM EXTENDED
that