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THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 20, 1940-
The China Dail
HONG KONG, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1940, "
NEWS AND PUBLIC MORALE
The dissemination of truth and ad- few years sat down deliberately to vice was never more important than think out the means by which to sur- at this critical moment in the world's prise each of their enemies, and history. Unless the public temper is especially the British. Only by prepar- strong and steeled to hear the worst, ing for the most unlikely events shall news of reverses may lead to defeatism we be safe, but in making those pre- which in itself courts defeat at the parations we can draw confidence from very outset and in every direction. the proved quality of our men at sea, If the news is bad and the public in the air, and on land, and from the morale strong it should lead to greater resolute temper of our people in this and more determined effort. People, moment. Mr. Churchill spoke for the anxious and worried, are, however, whole country when he said that, open to all sorts of suggestions and whatever the odds, we should go on rumours. Nothing, of course, will ever to the end against the power that cure mankind of its addiction to pass- threatens us with utter destruction. ing on stories, but we can at least Our undefeated seapower brings us cultivate a healthy scepticism of or supplies from a large part of the dinary hearsay. It must be remember- world. Everything depends on the de- ed that rumours are either malicious votion with which our people can give and passed along with intent, or that to our fighting men of every kind the they are always worse than the actual essential arms. truth and for the most part mischley- ously misleading.
The truth should be comparatively easy to learn in Hong Kong where the radio and the press are continuously supplied with authentic reports from Britain. The situation is perhaps ren- dered somewhat difficult by the fact that a large porportion of the Chin- ese people do not read the British papers-they naturally prefer one in their own language, and rumours sometimes and their way into print which do not tend to quietness or
peace of mind.
It was to be regretted that a few days ago an announcement appeared in the Chinese vernacular press that foreigners here were already packing up their homes, dismissing their ser- vants and in general, winding up their affairs preparatory to a hasty departure. This is a favourite way of agitating the civilian population and already, during the past week or so, foreigners have been several times re- ported as booking their passages to other parts.
As far as can be judged dispassion- ately nothing of the sort has occurred; from whence such reports emanate can perhaps not be known but at a time like the present, any reports of doubtful authenticity should not ap- pear in print.
That the situation in Europe is seri- ous, no-one wants to deny, and as Mr. Duff Cooper said recently: "That they (the people) should know the full truth we believe to be essential at all times. I am confident that the people of this country (Great Britain) will never react towards these facts, however dire and terrible they may be or may ap- pear at first sight, save with confidence and courage."
THE IRONSIDES
Mr. Eden's account of the calibre of the guns carried by the troops land- ed from German aircraft is a reminder of the seriousness of the menace. Troops with heavy machineguns, mor- tars, and light howitzers require for- midable forces to meet and dispose of them. Scratch defence units armed with shot-guns would be no match for them however useful they may be for ob- servation purposes and for dealing with stray parachutists or saboteurs. It is good news therefore that we are to have our "Ironsides," small bodies of highly mobile and strongly armed troops, which will be formed in many hundreds from the Regular Army. This is the obvious counter-measure in a country so widely vulnerable to air attack as we are. Round it we can construct all our local defences. Some obvious steps are now being taken to make landings difficult. Besides the negative one of making Britain anony- mous, racecourses are to be intersected by trenches, golf courses and level spaces by iron obstructions. This work must be pushed on without delay and on a much bigger scale than has been so far proposed. Responsibility should be put at once on every local authority to help in the job, to take its men off road work and: park-keeping, and to -call- on volunteer labour, Sparsely populated areas should have the help of the large towns. Manchester, for instance, might well go to the aid of rural Cheshire.
WAR MEMORIES
OF 25 YEARS AGO
(From the "China Mali” files).
That is only saying how vital it iş that the people should be assisted by the press and wireless to a right un- derstanding of the facts: Senseless and useless publication of rumours is to be June 20, 1915, deplored at all times. The civillan There is growing concern in Nor- population has perforce to dépend sole-way and Sweden at the sinkings and ly on the wireless and the press and seizures of their ships by Germany. the greatest care should be employed The Scandinavian press is beginning in order to avoid harmful and unneces-to ask whether neutrality implies the sary uneasiness in the public mind. existence of any treatment the belll-
gerents are pleased to inflict.
THE PREMIER'S SPEECH
The Serbians are reported to have occupied Durazzo (in Albania) and Essan Pasha is said to have fled to Italy.
The Italians continue to deal suc- cessfully with the Austrian counter- attacks in Carnia, although at the cost of serious losses.
Petrograd: In the various battle areas, with the exception of Galicia, the Russians maintain the upper hand. Progress is being made between the Dniester and the Pruth."
Mr. Churchill, speaking of home de- fence, promised a secret session: a wise decision, for there are many questions to be asked and many an- swers to be given that demand secrecy, He treated the general question with that openness of mind that we ex- pect of him. In the German attack on this country, he said, we must be prepared for “every kind of novel strategy, and every kind of brutal and treacherous manœuvre," and he under- Amsterdam: The German people took that no idea for defence could are being encouraged to expect great be so "outlandish” that it would not things in Galicia, although they be considered with a searching but are also warned not to display exces- also, he hoped, a steady eye. The coun-sive optimism, as Russia has "human try has indeed to be prepared for material that can only with difficulty novel strategy and tactics, for some thing that does not merely copy the New York: The U.S.9. Arizona, devices, formidable as they were, that which is "about the world's biggest have been used. In Norway and Hol- battleship," has been launched at land.". Nothing is more roertain than Brooklyn. A vessel of 33,000 tons, that the Germans have during the last she carries twelve 14-inch guns,
be exhausted."
P
THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 20, 1940