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The
FIRST
EDITI
Hongkong Telegraph.
FOUNDED 18ei 二拜禮 號一廿月三英港香
No, 15750
Lord Halifax's Revelations to Peers
WHY
PRAGUE
CAPITULATED
HORROR OF SWIFT AIR BOMBARDMENT
UMOURS THAT THE CZECH GOVERNMENT HAD CAPITULATED
RUMOURS LOODLESS OCCUPATION BECAUSE HERR HITLER HAD
THREATENED AN IMMEDIATE AND HORRIFYING AIR BOMBARD. MENT OF PRAGUE AND OTHER CITIES ARE NOW SEEMINGLY CONFIRMED.
In the House of Lords yesterday, the Foreign
Secretary said that it was most probable that the
Czechs had been presented with an ultimatum
on these lines.
It was difficult to avoid the conclusion, he declared, that the bulk of the incidents that occurred before the German invasion were deliberately evoked, and their effects greatly magnified.
German troops occupied two towns on the evening en route to of March 14 while the Czech President was Berlin for the fateful conference with Hitler. NO PARTY DIFFERENCES
In face of the grave issues with which Britain is concerned party differences seem to disappear, declared Viscount Halifax amidst cheers when making a statement in the House of Lords last night.
"It is quite true,” he continued, "that recent events have been-a-profound shock.to all thinking people in this country, and far outside of it.
OCCUPATION OF VILLAGES
"Surely it is not without significance that two towns were occupied by German S.S. detachments on the evening of March 14 while the President and Foreign Minister of Czecho-Slovakia were still on their way to Herr Hitler, and before any discussion had taken place."
Dealing with Herr Hitler's proclamation declaring the former Czech territory to be under German protec- tion, Viscount Halifax said:
"It should be noted that while the head of the administration now to be set up is said to hold the rank of head of the State, and while the protectorate is said to be autonomous and self-governing, there is to be a resident in Prague with full powers to veto legislation. MILITARY GARRISONS
"Foreign affairs, and the protection of nationals abroad
1939. TUESDAY, MARCH 21,
LORD HALIFAX
今篋约節界
OFS
A COUPLE THE WHOLE WORLD ADMIRES: Ose of the most recent photographs of Generalissimo and Madame Chiang Kai-shek, attending the "Offer Gold" campaign at Chung king this month. Madame Chiang Kai-slick is now in Hongkong. She few to the Colony with the Generalissimo's Australian adviser, Mr. W... Donald, for the purpose of receiving dental treatment here, and will return to Chungking 'with- in a few days,
CRISIS QUESTIONS IN COMMONS
Effect On National Defence Programme
LONDON, Mar. 20. §. IN VIEW of Germany's acquisition of war material and munitions factorles in Czecho-Slovakia, does the Prime Minister propose a revision of the national defence programme, asked Mr. Wedgwood Benin (Lab) in the House of Commons" to-day."
The Prime Minister replied that his statement of March 17,
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WHITEAWAY'S
DENUNCIATION
NAZI INVADERS
WASHINGTON, MAR. 20.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS SENT A NOTE TO THE GERMAN EMBASSY, REFUSING, TO RECOGNISE THE LEGALITY OF THE OCCUPATION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA.-REUTER..
The United States is prepared for a formal denunciation of the Ger- man seizure of Czecho- Slovakia.
It has been learnt from authoritative sources that within a few months the United States will be represented in Japan, Italy and Germany only by Charge D'Affaires;
The Ambassadors to those nations will be in Washington, either on leave or in response to summanя for "report and consultation."
The Assistant Secretary of State. Mr. Sumner Welles, co-operating with President Roosevelt, worked over the week-end on the final draft| of a note to Germany which is' ex- pected to reiterate Mr. Welles' state- ment that Germany's absorption at Czecho-Slovakia was "wanton law- lessness."
REPEAL OF NEUTRALITY.
Senator Pittman, Chairman of the Senate Foreign' Affairs Committee, will to-day introduce a Bill to repeal the present Neutrality Law and give. the President broad powers retaliate economically against aggres-
Bors.
to
Congress is expected to immediately study the uncompleted phases of the defence programme. The Senatę to- day may act on the conference re-.
port on the 3358,000,000 Air Corps Expansion Bill.
The probable presence here, at the same time in the spring, of Ambas- sadors Hugh R. Wilson, William Phillips and Joseph Grew, envoys respectively to Berlin, Rome and Tokyo, is considered significant view of the events abroad.
The resumption of full diplomatic relations with
In
dress
Soviet
Russia has been signalised by the appointment of
Lawrence Mr. | Steinhardi as Ambassador to Moscow. Ambassador-Wilson has been here since November, Ambassador Phillips
is coming on leave later in the Spring
while Ambassador Grew has informed
the State Department he is returning
soon..
WIDER POWERS
LATVIA
20 Luningrad
Nokom
TO-DAY'S NEWS
MAP
is a representation of a new Entènte, composed of Polarul, Rumaula and U.S... Jugoslavia, which is believed to be the aim of Rumania's Foreign Minis- ler Gafencu. lla is expected to put forward his idea during a valt he will make to Warsaw next month.
DEMOCRAT FRONT IN EUROPE
Soviet May Join Defence Alignment
Polish-Rumanian relations,' strain- ed during the September, crisis, are cordial again. The resignation of Stojadinovich, the Jugoslav Premier, who sympathized" with Rome and Berlin, may also make M. Gafonen's plan more feasible, now.
RUMANIAN
BARTER PACT Trade Negotiations With Germany
BUCHAREST, Mar. 20.
Rumania has stood firmly in
trade
the vitally important negotiations with Germany.
LONDON, Mar. 20. BRITAIN and Russia have forgotten their two decades of mutual suspicion in the Euro pean rally against Hitler.
Britain has offered commercial aid! to Rumahia to withstand the threat"completion of the of Nazi domination,
This is the chief deduction to be
made from a statement in official circles that an agreement with the German delegation is expected this
weck.
It is expected that it will be the existing trade
pact concluded last November,"
Under the new agreement, it is Reliable sources state that Russia has proposed a Nine-Power confer-stated, there will be an additional ence of European nations to con- direct exchange of goods. This arises solidate the "anti-Hitler campaign, from the fact that Germany is unable
Bolstered by the stern attitude of to pay in currency.
The "direct exchanges" nre likely the United States, Mr. Chamberlain
EX
more
has taken the lead in negotiating & to be that chiefly Germany will take United
elther oil from Rumania, including Front
Russia. Poland, Rumania and the from the new wells which she will
| exploit-herself-or-from-existing-
sources, attitude that the
Well-informed circles maintain the negotiations - have been solely for the welcome purpose of extending trade between two friendly countries.
Mr. Oliver Stanley, President of the
. Board of Trade, announced that a commercial mission is being sent to Rumania
In the House of Commons to-day,
Mr. Chamberlain asserted in the House that the Government takes a serious view of the events of Inst
Senator Pittman in a radio broad- cast last night indicated he might seek to obtain even greater "emergency | werk. powers" than President Roosevelt asked for when he appealed for the revision of the Neutrality Law.
Senator Pittman sald while the Bill he is introducing to-day merely permits the United States to sell munitions on a
ith belligerent, he will not com- to offer further
It
IMMEDIATE TALKS
Moscow, Mar, 20. understood on reliable authority that the Soviet favours the Anglo-French suggestion of a joint
Relations with Hungary, it is stressed, continue to be friendly, and orders have been given to troops on the frontiers to avoid all possibility of an incident.--Reuter,
REICH-RUMANIAN PACT
Bucharest, Mar. 20.
It is learned that a limited trade
to any bellash and carry" basin diacussion of the situation, and pro-Ogreement between Rumania' and post an immediate conference of Germany will almost certainly be Britain, France, the Soviet, Rumania, signed on Wednesday,
The agreement will be principally in the nature of a protocol extending the existing agreement.
legislation the
President's Poland, and Turkey-Reuter.
emergency
He
the United States
CANADA WOULD RALLY
Ottawa, Mar. 20.
It is stated that oil as granted to
Commons to-day, Mr. Mackenzie quantity, having little relation to King declared that if there were what was originally demanded.
I added 13 Interested in seeing there is Speaking In the Canadian House of Germany will only be of: smali
in Europe a substantial maintained balance of power, because if any one obtains absolute power over Group Europe and Asia, then we are faced with the defence of
of the Monroe doctrine In Latin America."
President Roosevelt to-day will discuss with Congressional leaders present
devolve on the German Government which will maintain mi NEXT MOVE that every aspect of "national the foreign policy in the
tary garrisons and establishments in the protectorate.
IN MEME
Wide Demands On Lithuania Seen
"The protectorate is bound to Germany by a customs union, and the German Government can issue decrees and take any measures for the preservation of peace and order.
"As a result of these several probable that Czechs were presented actions the dismemberment of with an ultimatum under the threat | of violence, and they capitulated in Checho-Slovakia, may therefore, order to save their people from the bu gaid now to be complete." horrors of a swift, destructive serial
MEMEL, Mar. 20. Dealing with the grounds on which bombardment."
REPORTS ARE widely cur Germans Justined the action, Viscount Halifax said: "I find it impossible to the plea that Germany is in some rent that Memel Germans are bellave that the sudden decision of danger from Czecho-Slovakia could contemplating the presentation certain Slovak leaders to break off not be seriously maintained in any from Prague was reached Indepen- quarter, and he added: "I could wish (of far-reaching demands from
Instead that the explanations which Lithuania. dently of outside influence."S
Viscount Falifax maintained that
·!
life must now be reviewed in world crisis, including the virtually the light of our national safety, prohibitive penalty duties on German of course covered the national Boods-United Press. defence programme, si
Miss Ellen Wilkinson asked if this Included any representation to the Iron and Steel Federation of Great Britain that scrap shall.
not be sold to: Germany as we sol
in the last ware
It
The Prime Minister replied that that might be called an aspect of
|national lite Reuter,
Japanese Drug Evil In North Weihaiwei Sodden With Opium
have been Issued and which carry. Both sides deny that demands After giving a further narrative sennt conviction, that the German have been presented, but tho of the ovenia, Viscount Halifax superior force had been frankdy declared "It is difficult to avoid acicnowledged as the supreme arbiter, following demands are anticipat-dent Hacha prior to his acceptance the Premier was aware that during
ed:
BRITISH ACTION
the esnclusion that the bulk of the that in fact it was.
cidents that occurred before the (German Invasion were deliberately „syoked," and their effects greatly
magnified."
Lord Halifax continued: "It is not necessary to say much about the avortion that the Czech President freely assented to the subjugation of his people.
Instruc
prospects of an aggressor Reuter,
Britain there would be no
09
to the Canadian peoples' decision.
They would regard it as an act of aggresion menacing the freedom of all parts of the British Common- wealth.
On the contrary, if it was a case | of dispute over trade, or the prealige of some tax comer of the world, that would raise a different considera- tion--Router.
·SOVIET AID SOUGHT
London, Mar, 20, The British Cabinet to-day decided on an Intensive effort to bring the Sovieta into a firmly united anti- Hitler front.—United PreRS,
Severe Quake Rocks Japan
TOKYO, Mar. 20.
NO WRITTEN ULTIMATUM
London, Mar, 20. London, Mar. 20.
Sir John Hasian naked in the "As far as I ain aware, no written ultimatum was presented to Presi House of Commons to-day whether of the agreement with Hitler on the whole of the British lease of
A SEVERE EARTHQUAKE Lithuania to hand to Memel March our question, ime in the rounding district was entirely free rocked a wide area of Japan
said Mr, Neville Cham-Wethalwet, the port and the sur- during. control of the posts, telegraphs, House of Carmens to-day, the
from the oplum evil, and continued including the central part of the to be so until the. Japanese occupa- "In these ciroumstances, railways and other communica Sir Nevilo Henderson' wAS
island, Kyushu and Majesty's Government thought it
over the port, many oplum dens had Shikoku at 12:23 o'clock this. fit immediately to take coriala tions, as well as income from ted on March 17 to inform the Gertion, and that since the Japanese took main
the British harbour dues; dismissed Memelman Government that
opened; and whether he was drawing] afternoon. 'mellom."
Government desired to maice it plain the attention of the Japanese Gov- Viscount Halifax then referred to German State officials to be re that it could not but regard the events ernment to the grave consequences of The strongest shock was feit in the immediate suspension of the visit instated, and back salaries paid; of the past few days as a completo permitting oplum dens to exist and Miyazaki, Olta and Mumamoto of Mr. Oliver Stanley and Mr. R. 8tho Lithuania garrison and frons repudiation of the Munich Agreement Increase in the Chinese territories in Prefectures in Kyushu. At the city Hudson to Berlin, adding:
of Miyazaki chimneys toppled down, "Although it had been hoped His tier police to be withdrawn, and a denial of the spirit in which their occupations or territor
negotiators of It bound them- Mr. H. A. Butler replied: "Yes, efectelo wires were anapped' and Majesty's Government could directly touter.
selves to co-operate for peaceful the question is at present wider con- window-panics were shattered, Intervang, in those unoffelst contents.
settlement; ARE MAN
Sir Nevile Henderson was also in sideration.Reuter. structed to say that Britain imust, take tha occasion to protest against the changes erected in Craho-Slovakia Me W. I. Scott has been appoint WTContinued on Pape Jed Deputy Commissioner of Police,
CARS CONFISCATED AN
SWIFT AIR BOMBARDMENT): "In view of the eircumstances in which he went to Berlin, and of the Coccupation. of parts of Crecho- of industrial representatives that London, Mar. 20.
Slovakia which had already taken were taking place at that very. According to a Bratislava message, place, the most sensible people would moment, we felt, and still fool, that the chief of staff of the Hlinica conclude that there was little pretence in the circumetphoek, any develop Guards has ordered all Jews to place ntinegotiation; that it was there. (Continued on Page, 4.)
(Continued on Page 4.) ES
the
According to an announcement by the Central Méteorological:/Obser vatory, the epicentro was located in the Uga Saa between Shikoku und Kyushu Doinel,” “), 1912)
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