THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 1, 1940
U.S. SECRETS OF LAST WAR
BLOCKADE
PROTESTS
IN NEW LIGHT
MANY HITHERTO unknown details of the diplomatic controversies between the United States and both groups of belligerents during the last war appeared in the first volume of the private papers of the former Secretary of State, Mr. Lansing, published by the Department of State.
The papers showed the mounting of official indignation as the world com- merce of the United States was squeezed between the upper and low- er millstones of the Central and the Entente Powers' blockades.
mission to Rome and the belligerent capitals, some documents dealing with American peace efforts in the last war are interesting, Mr. Lansing wrote to President Wilson in 1917 that a news- paper correspondent he knew, after Protests to Germany now have only visiting the Entente Embassies, felt an academic interest since current that "they did not want this Govern- neutrality legislation was specifically ment to take part in peace negotiations designed to remove all causes of fric-because we would be too lenient to tion similar to those which led the Germany." United States into war. Documents dealing with the protest to the Entente Powers have, however, a very modern ring, while some observations of Mr. Page, the then American Ambassador in London, were particularly pertinent. For example, writing to the Secre- tary of State on Dec. 28, 1914, Mr. Page complained, "You have seemed
at times to think that the British were
using their sea power to gain commer- cial advantages. I am persuaded that
thought, to starve out the enemy."
this is not true. They have but one
CLOAK OF NECESSITY S
Within the past few weeks respon- ible American officials, such as the Assistant Secretary of State, Mr. Henry Grady, and Mr. Henry Chal- mers, Chief of the Foreign Tariffs Section of the Department of Com- merce, have complained in the Ameri- can Press along similar lines. They have complained that British contra- band controls were being used under the cloak of war-time necessity to en-
courage Empire trade at the expense
of the United States.
Mr. Page summed up the situation
་
with the warning, "We shall win their [Britain's] approval by standing stoutly for our rights, but not by seeming to accuse them of motives that they have not. You may be sure they go and will go the whole length to keep our good will, provided we. thing."
PEACE EFFORTS
In view of Mr. Summer Welles's credit them with wishing to do fair
GERMAN SUPPLIES SABOTAGED BY SOVIETS
AN
Mr. Lansing then made the remark able suggestion that Germany was anxious to have the United States as an antagonist because "when peace was negotiated we would be a gener- ous enemy and favour moderate terms so that the Germans would be pro- tected from the hatred of the Allies." Mr. Page, in his memorandum of September, 1916, referred to the Col. House Mission without enthusiasm, stating: "There is some sensitiveness
the German Government and then
GERMAN RAIDER SURPRISED
London, To-day.
A German raider was caught napping by a British fighter over the North Sea yesterday.
The fighter dived to the attack and riddled the Nazi machine with bullets. The German was last seen flying low, disabled. Reuter.
—
BRITAIN EXPECTS
PEACE MOVE
Page
THOW NAZI
RAIDER WAS CAUGHT
London, To-day. Dornier raider was caught napping by a single Spitfire of the R.A.F. Fighter Command far out over the North Sea yesterday.
The Spitfire, with one other fighter from the same squadron, was on patrol shortly after noon off the Suffolk coast, flying at about 18,000 feet.
The pilot sighted what seemed to be an enemy aircraft a thousand fect below. He recognised it as a Dornier 17 but to his surprise the enemy did not appear to see him.
Slipping astern of the Dornier, he fired two bursts of machine-gun bullets.. The German pilot, awaking to the danger, stalled and went into a steep dive of 15,000 feet down to sea level.
The Spitfire pilot followed, watch-
German ing, as he dived, the
air gunner fire for ten seconds without effect and then stop. London, To-day. At sea level the Dornier flattened The Political Correspon-out and flew east with black smoke engine dent of Lord Beaverbrook's pouring from the starboard
and_with_her starboard wing down. Paper "Daily Express" says British Wireless. that the British Government will not withdraw recognition
about a special envoy confening with of the Chiang Kai-shek gov-NAZIS RAID to the Wang Ching-wei gov- ORKNEYS &
coming to confer with the Govern- ernment nor give recognition
ments of the Allies."
HUGE CLAIM
AGAINST U.S.
Oslo, To-day.
An agreement for arbitra- tion with a $69,000,000 claim for compensation, brought by Christopher Hannevig against the United States Government, has been reach- ed by the Governments of Norway and the United States.
ernment.
But this does"not mean that there will be hostility towards the latter. and if there is any prospect of a move which may end the Sino-Japanese conflict on fair terms, British diplo- mats will co-operate,
SHETLANDS
London, To-day. Nazi 'planes yesterday attempted to- It is regarded as possible that the raid the Shetlands and the Orkneys, establishment of the new govern-but were driven off by guns and
fighters. ment will lead soon to peace moves by Japan-Reuter.
No bombs were dropped. The air raid alarm lasted for 10 minutes in
Orkneys. Reuter.
NAZI PLANES ATTACK the Shetlands and 40 minutes in the
FRENCH WARSHIP (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL":
Paris, To-day. Two Nazi 'planes attacked a French warship on Saturday.
All their bombs missed the vessel and they took to their heels when French 'planes went up.-Havaş.
The claim arises out of the requisi- tioning by the U.S. Shipping Board in 1917 of shipbuilding yards with con-OFF THE RECORD tracts and materials in which M. Hannevig, a Norwegian, held large interests.
His claims for compensation have since been the subject of a pro- tracted dispute between the governments.
two
Under the agreement, the two gov- ernments have consented to exchange pleas within certain time limits and If within six months after the last. plea is presented they have not agreed to a settlement, the matter is to be American Court of referred to an
ASSERTION THAT. THE RUSSIANS WERE DELIBERATELY Claims. SABOTAGING THE DELIVERY OF
The agreement is subject to ratl-
Reuter.
RUMANIAN GOODS TO GERMANY | fication. OVER THE RAILWAY LINE WHICH
RUNS FROM ORASHENI THROUGH
THAT PART OF POLAND OCCU-
AMERICAN LAD
PIED BY THE RUSSIANS TO BER-INJURED AT ABERDEEN
LIN, WAS MADE BY THE "NEW
A seven-year-old - American boy, YORK TIMES" CORRESPONDENT Gordon Thomas Wimer, was injured, WHO VISITED THE AU880- RUMANIAN FRONTIER,
Aberdeen.
not seriously, yesterday afternoon "One can ascertain,” he stated, when he was knocked down by pri- "that the Russians are deliberately vate car No. 4339 in Island Road at impending traffic. They have given
According to the driver of the car, no end of trouble to the Germans right from the start. No tank car has Yu Chan-chi, the lad darted across passed over this line for the Germans, the road from behind a stationary
vehicle, The boy was sent to Queen Mary Hospital.
who are afraid that the off will be kept by Russia.
"The Germans lock
the
as best the:
being plundered
CHINESE CATHOLICS AND CONFUCIUS
with
Chinese Catho
pour Into
be a wide-open
Rumanian the help of Germany.
ing to it that
as poss
"Russia
and the Germans..
issians.
food and wood
Germans, trust the
Now
JAPANESE GUNBOATS
IN BIAS BAY
Four Japanese gunboats arrived in Bias Bay during the week-end, ac- cording to Chinese press messages.
GOR
SOUTH
FOR
THE WINTER
TRAVEL BUREAU
LET US PLAN YOUR
WINTER TRIP
GO
Sout
By ED REED.
Ve known better than to park
EWO BEER