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The
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Hongkong Telegraph.
Thursday, December 19, 1940. Wyndham St., Hongkong Telephone: 26815
THE predx "Special to the Telegraph" In used by the lengkong Telegraph" tu indicate news which is strictly copyright under the provisions of the Telecommual- cations Ordinance, 1936. Sneh newE AS bear the Indication “UD" ju received in Hongkong on the date of publication by the United Press Associations, who 16- serve all tights and forbid republiɛstions, either wholly or in part without previoui arrangement,
PREPAREDNESS
PREPAREDNESS for a new move by Hitler against Britain has again become the keynote of the speeches by the country's spokesmen. Lord Beaverbrook yesterday told in measured terms of the probable German plans for the future. Simul- taneously it was announced that Britain had officially requested financial aid from the United States in order to carry on making purchases of essential war materials, while the Ad- miralty gave added emphasis to the current situation and the threats of the future by reveal- ing the heavy losses which had recently been suffered at sea.
On the face of it there would appear to be good grounds for despondency, but such is not the case, and neither is it intended that the revelations made by British leaders during the past 48 hours should pro- moje any such reaction. This is an honest, sensible appeal to face reall- tles and to be prepared for anything. It is a necessary attitude, for only by complete preparedness can the Empire thwart the evil machinations of Hitler and his, allles.
Beltone have never been gulity of underestimating their opponents in a fight, though, perhaps, they have been in the past, too generous in the willing acceptance of specious pro- misca and alleged goodwill, But this is war, and the whole Empire is ready to take the Nazis at their face value. The enemy stiti retains several advantages, but he has lost one of his greatest weapons-the element of surprise. Britain now has a thoroughly good working idea of what totalitarian warfare means, and daily she is discovering means to counter and defeat it.
Preparedness is the watchword, and this applies both to the supply of war weapons and in the mentality of the nation. Because of this, it is no sign of weakness that Britain now 'asks the United States for even greater uld thon she has been giving; on the contrary, Britain says to her cousin nation "We are prepared; we are preparing; we are doing our uitost in a fight; the result of which means as much to you as it does to uni therefore, give us generously the aid, of which so much is in your power; we nak only asalstance against a com- mon enemy." Like Lord Beaver- speech, this is not on appeal brook's to sentiment, but to reason, and be- cause the United States, whenever a crisis has arisen. has never falled to demonstrate her good sense, There Is avery hope that at this particular, time she will support the British na-- tion in her preparedness effort
"The finest thing we did this year was the somewhat
action at Oran.". It raised our prestige as much as the..... Dakar episode and our gen- eral treatment of Vichy har lowered it.. *. Oran was no half-ncasure. We want more action of a similar kind,"
THIS is no time for half-
measures. In diplo macy economic warfare and military operations, we have to go all out
The brilliant successes of our Air Force are due to bold tactics. In this war, whenever the Royal Navy has been given its head, our seamen have won success by similar methods.
Why, then, the apparent hesitancy and vacillation: of our diplomacy?
We had a sharp lesson from Japan, which res warded our temporary closing of the Burma Road by joining the camp of our mortal enemies,
Another example is our dealings with the Men of Vichy.
Too Tender
Are we persisting in tender- ness towards these traitors? They have betrayed their own people as they have betrayed.
Us,
In every direction they have acted against British in- terests, which are also the interests of France in the long run, in order to curry favour with their German and Italian
masters.
.
They
prevented many French soldiers, sailors and airmen from joining us to continue the struggle,
It is known that hundreds of their airmen would have flown thoir own machines. over to Britain if they had been allowed.
Instead, French aeroplanes are used to bomb Gilbraltar and kill British subjects as a so-called reprisal for the Dakar incident.
We seem to blow hot and cold towards Vichy. British subjects of military age in France are prevented from leaving, while we repatriate any Frenchman who wishes to return to Vichy-controlled France.
According to the official communique issued after the Dakar episode, we sent back the entire crew of a French submarine after the vessel had been caught red-handed
December 19, 1940.
WHY THE VELVET
GLOVE FOR VICHY?
and sunk while trying to tor- pedo our warships.
5
In Africa
We encourage and support. General de Gaullo and his ad- herents, and we are helping those Fronch Colonies which succeeded in throwing off the yoke of Vichy,
But when thero is-serious unrest in Algeria and Moroc- co, and the Vichy Government Accuses the British Govern- ment of encouraging it, we Issue an official dental that this is so.
If it is right for us to foment rebellion against the mer of Vichy in French Equatoria! Africa, why is it wrong for us to do the same thing in Algeria and Morocco?
Surely we should use every moans at our disposal to en- courage the inhabitants of the French overseas Empire to join General de Gaulle.
And Indo-China Observe what has happened in Indo-China.
The Japanese are obtaining complete military control of that rich territory. From it they will be able to threaten both Burma and Thailand, and will have advance bases for possible operations against Singapore,
The local French citizens, Europeans and native, were eager to resist. The Vichy Government had to replace the Governor with one of its own creatures.
What has His Majesty's Government been doing to en- courage resistance in Indo- China? The United States of America was willing to help.
Then Dakar. The failure to stop the French warships sniling
to Dakar from Tou- lon, manned by bitter anti- British elements and adher ents of the Vichy Govern- ment, was due, we are told, to a professional failure on the part of certain elements in, the Services to inform the War Cabinet or the First Sca Lord of their departure.
We must accept this in- formation, but it would be interesting to know which de- partment was responsible.
Was it the Foreign Office, which is in superior control of all the Intelligence Services, or was the Secret Service it- self at fault?
Or did the news reach
Gibraltar, but was not relayed from there?
Though no doubt the ensiest place to intercept the ships was the Strafts- of Gibraltar, once contact had been made in the Atlantic, Burely more vigorous action was called for.
The kindest explanation is that our Intelligence Service was hopelessly out in its ree- koning, and not by any means for the first time.
If this is the case, and we had not the right information from West Africa, then the Booner there is a complete overhaul of all our various Secret and Intelligence Ser- vices the better.
In the last war, our Secret Service, as I had the best means of knowing on the Ad- miralty War Staff, was admir- able. Two men of outstand- ing personality were in charge of their respective Intel ligence Departments.
Admiral Sir Reginald Hall looked after Naval Intelli- gence, and General McDonagh the military side, and between them they were highly suc- cessful.
Have they no successors? Moro Sinister There is
more sinister explanation: and in the na- tional interest it is desirable that the fullest possible in- formation should be given to Parliament and the public, in open session, as soon as possi- ble.
It is being stated in circles which have means of informa- tion that there is still a good deal of tenderness in high
the places towards
Petain Government.
The reason given is the old story of fear that if they fall they will be replaced by a Socialist, Communist or other Left Wing Government.
The same policy, in pre- war days, hampered our ac- tions and diplomacy in deal- ing with Italy, especially at the time of Sanctions.
Certain powerful elements were frightened lest Musso-
his lini, and
confederates would be thrown out by the Italian people and replaced by a.Left Government.
We all know how this some
for tenderness
"Christian "Conservatives" influenced our dealings with Spain, and we may yet eat the bitter fruits of that blunder.
I feel sure the Prime Minis- ter realises that this is no
Spain's Position May
Prove
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (UP)-Diplomatic and mili- tary observers here are close- ly watching for any sign as to the position Spain will take in the "new European order" which the Axis powers are at- tempting to create,
Many informed quarters be- lieve that the course taken by the Franco government may prove decisive in determining the outcome of the present
hostilities. European
The shifting of the centre of mili. tary activities to the Mediter- ranean. region has given new import to Madrid's role.
Military cbservera generally are agreed that any full-scale Axis attack on Gibraltar, Britain's guar- dian to the gateway of the Mediter- ranean, cannot be attempted with- out the use of Spain as a base of operations.
NOT IN POSITION Axis naval forces pro nat at pre- Rent Inn position to attempt an assault of the "Rock", and their aircraft; while.capable of inficiing considerable damage, would appat- ently have little chance of forcing Gibraltar to Rubmit. Aircraft could open the way for an invasien. but they could not "capture" tha rocky fortress.
air effort, A concerted land and however, would seriously threaten this vitni base, and informed mill- tary opinion holds that the Rock. could be taken if the attackers were willing to pay the price in ́men' und „Taterials.
Decisive
By
Otto Janssen
(United Press Staff Correspondent)
Some quarters have speculated that the Axis might reach some sort of 'ngreement with Madrid whereby "Axle troops would be granted passage across Spain with- out bringing that country formally into war against Britain. How- ever, there appears to be no indica- tion at present that such an agree- ment has been reached or is active- ly being discussed.
BRITAIN'S LIFELINE
The loss of Gibraltar would be -serious, although not necessarily fatal blow to Britain. With the Axis fis control of the,western en- tranco to the Mediterranean, Bri- tain's "lifellno", would be cut and Italian warships would be free to move into the Atlantic to join with Germany in attacks of British shipping.
Spain recently acquired complete control of the "International zone" ncross the Straits of Gibraltar. in
nction* Tanglers. This
created widespread Interest in government and unofcial quartets here.
Spain's entry into the war, or more, netive collaboration with the Axis powers,
also endanger Britain's a route to her. colonies and the East-that is, the route around Africa. Spain por- cesses territories along a good part of this route which would be valu. abla as bases for air and naval
operations against British shipping, and perhaps for land operations against Allied possessions Africa.
ATLANTIC BASES
In
Probably the most important of these Spanish possessions, from a strategic standpoint, is the Canary
Islands, lying In the North Atlantic off French Morocco. These islands are regarded ideal as bases for air- craft and submarines.
by Lord Strabolgi
longer a Nationalistic war. Since the French surrender he must know that wo are fighting the Quislings, the Lavals, the ex-King Leopolda and their like in a number of countries.
These men of Vichy are as hostile to us as are the Nazis and Fascists.
They made their miserable surrender to Germany partly because they were afraid of a revolutionary Government in their own country.
They hate us for continuing the struggle, and also for look- ing like winners, because this destroys their main argument (for public consumption); namely, that further resis- tance was hopeless.
Away With Fear
Mr Churchill knows all this, and he also knows that one of our strongest weapons In the future will be to en- courage insurrections in the enemy occupied territories: themselves.
That being the case, why does he allow certain elementa in his own Government to adopt this hot-and-cold atti- tude towards the Vichy Government?
We need not be afraid of the Vichy Government offici- If aily declaring war on us. it tried to remobilise the French forces under German and Italian command there would be A revolution in France; which would be good thing from our point of view.
A
If the Vichy Government committed this final madness, we would at least know where we were. Wo could tighten
up our blockade and there 'need be no more Dakara.
No Half Measures Other French warships have, recently been allowed to leave the Mediterranean and pass the Straits of Gibraltar, and at the time of writing I have no news of their intentions or whereabouts.
The finest thing we did this year was the somewhat be- lated but strong-handed ac- tion at Oran. It raised our prestige as much as the Dakar episode and our general treat- ment of Vichy has lowered it. Oran was no half-measure. We want more action of a similar kind.
OFFICER
WHO SAVED B. E. F.
HOW a British officer "prob ably saved the B.E.F." was told recently,
He Is Mator William Robert Reeves, D.S.O., of the Tank Regiment, once well known 'ns a runner at Cambridge.
This Is the story of his ex- ploit:--
On the African mainland, across from the Canary Islands, lies the Spanish Gold Coast and the tiny colony of Ifnf: Farther down the African coast, 'below the "bulge”,
He was in charge of a cruiser are several small Spanish islands, tank and three light tanks dur and · several ' possessions - on ing the evacuation from Francé.
including Spanish
main land,
tho
Guinen. It may be significant that He took his tanks straight down General Charles De Gaulle's "Free a road held by Germans. French" forces recently attacked The light was falling. End" the and conquered the Vichy-controlled Germans, thinking they were German. garrison in nearby Gabon-territory.tanks, let them go through t
ATTITUDE OF U.S.
Fought All Day
Further down the road the British Tho United States: maintains officer, found three/anti-tank-mines, cofifial relations
with General He fired at them. One exploded, but Franco's government in Madrid, the others did not. and has Indicated a desire to create greater friendship between the two countries. Shortly after the Spanish war ended, for example, the United States made a subsian- "tial loan to Spain for the purchase of colton to rehabilliate that coun- try's war-devastated textile indus- tries.
However, any real cordiality in In
United States - Spain ·
reintios
His sergeant removed them by hand and they went on to Grave- Uncs.
Arriving there in the early morri- ing, the officer turned his tank round, stayed there, and fought all the next dosi
with his own tank he destroyed seven German armoured vehicles arid held the bridge at Gravelines,
That probably saved the HEF, be
would apparently be determined by Spain's attitude toward Great Diritain, since the United States cause if the, bridge had gone the now is pursuing a policy of altuation would certainly have been maximum old short-of-war to the critical Indeed at that time, latter country in its war efforts, The British officer and two" of: "His against the Axia.
where men wore wounded.
an