1939-08-14 — Page 2

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SCANDINAVIA DECLARES FOR NEUTRALITY

Oslo, To-day.

A Swedish, a Norwegian and a Danish minister all de- clared at a joint demonstra- tion at Arvika, Sweden (on the Norwegian-Swedish fron- tier), yesterday that their three states would under all circumstances maintain their neutrality and in the event of war in Europe would work together in the closest colla- boration.

The demonstration took place at a memorial erected 34 years ago at the time of the dissolution of the Swedish- Norwegian union, to commemorate 100 years of peace that had then pre- vailed among the three Scandinavian peoples.

Hulfdan Koht, the Norwegian For- eign Minister, declared that in the last few years the world had gone from war to war and to-day lived in fear of a great new world war which, if it were to occur, would, be still more frightful than the last.

COMMON WILL

Betel Dahlgaard, the Danish Minis- ter for Home Affairs, said that in all peoples the longing for peaceful co-- operation was strong. The common will of the Scandinavian peoples to maintain a "firm and unshakeable 'neutrality" could not be doubted.

overtake

"Should misfortune Europe, the Scandinavian countries were all ready to help one another and mutually to support one another in many spheres of activity."

PEACE WITH HONOUR

R. J. Sandler, the Swedish Foreign Minister, closed the proclamation broadcast over all stations in the Scan- dinavia countries, declaring that the three states, in their policy of neu- trality drawn up by all jointly, aimed at guaranteeing internal frontiers in the north and common security to

wards the outside states.

"Should it become necessary

OFF THE RECORD

點

for

THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 14, 1939.

SPIES' CLEARING HOUSE

Mr. R. S. Hudson, the Overseas Trade Minister who was in the news recently when the report was made that he had discussed the question of a huge loan with a German. Minister, photographed at Cowes, where he attended the famous Cowes Wask regatta.

the Nordic states to have to defend their freedom, they would take the good days with the bat. Their chief care was, and remains, to preserve peace with honour in the north-and to protect the proud liberty of the Nordic peoples." Trans-Ocean.

ED REED

IN ANTWERP WATERFRONT CAFE

Antwerp, July 31.

I HAVE JUST LEFT THE “clearing house" of Europe's free-lance spies, where valuable information is changing hands for £5,000 a week, writes à “Daily Sketch" reporter.

Here in a cafe barely a hundred yards from the busy waterfront, I have seen international secrets bought and sold as you and I would buy a pound of butter.

In the company of a man whose job is counter-espionage, I sat and counted men of eight different tionalities.

na-

Not one is an accredited agent of any government.

Each is a mercenary willing to trade his information with whoever cares to buy it.

And there are plenty of buyers. To this busy Flemish seaport second in Europe in cosmopolitanism and in its underworld only to Mar- seilles-there have been coming for the past eight months men who have

PRESIDENT CARMONA IN SOUTH AFRICA

Capetown, To-day.

The Union of South Africa

deserted from the armies of various yesterday greeted the first Continental nations or who have head of a foreign State ever thrown up poorly paid government to set foot on its territory.

jobs.

In this waterfront cafe they find a much more lucrative living.

On first-class authority I have it that over £5,000 a week. has

been changing hands in the spies' "clear- ing house" since the beginning of this

year.

FAKED PASSPORTS When one considers the geogra- phical situation of Antwerp, it is easy to see why It has been chosen as the international spies'. exchange.

Half-an-hour by rail to Brussels, from where one can jump off handily to any part of Europe, easy of access to three frontiers, and the largest port on the Continent of ~ Europe- these factors make it the ideal meet- ing place for free-lance spies.

The historic occasion was the ar-. rival at Komatipoorts, in the Trans- vaal, of President Carmona, of Por-

tugal, who arrived there from Lorenco Marques.

President Carmona was, welcomed by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Pirow, and members of the Army and the Diplomatic Corps.

In a statement, President Carmona emphasised the excellent relations subsisting between Portugal and South Africa-Reuter.

SMALL FIRE AT G.P.O.

SEVERAL EMPTY BAGS. WERE FIRE DESTROYED IN A SMALL WHICH OCCURRED IN THE G.P.O. PARCEL DEPARTMENT BASEMENT

One. of them I found yesterday to be in possession of five passports, all of different countries-and every one a forgery.

From the Balkans, from Scandina- AT ABOUT 8. O'CLOCK LAST via, and even the North African

NIGHT. THIS · PARTICULAR DE- coast, these seilers of information PARTMENT IS IN THE LANE

BE- stroll casually into this cafe brasserie TWEEN THE MACKINNON, MAC- with no more than a nod to the pro- KENZIE BUILDING AND THE POST prietor and the two waitresses, al- OFFICE BUILDING, AND THE MAIL though they may have disappeared

| BAGS-WERE IN A HEAP NEAR AN

OPEN GRATING.-

By ED. REED. for two or three months.

T. 1839, The Bacă Kid Tribens Byudtale

“She's mad at her boy friend and she's waiting for him

cali

so she can ignors the phone.

Here's Luck

EWO BEER

-MAT-A PRICE`

They know the will find buyers of details of the disposition of troops, of ships, of work in armament factories, of anti-aircraft defences.

Smoke was seen pouring out of the the first was quickly extinguished by heap at about 8 p.m. yesterday, but the emergency unit and two fire-en- gines.

the.

when one of the innumerable street- It is presumed the fire was caused

sleepers who pass the night in lane dropped a cigarette through the grating on to the pile of mail-bags.

No "mail was damaged.

But the buyers are not freelances. They are accredited agents of prac- tically every European country.

Anyone who wants particularly to know what are the very latest pro- ducts of Krupp, Skoda, Schneider- Creusot, or any other great European Special police constables have now armaments factory can get the answer been placed on a beat in the lane here in Antwerp in time and at a

| between Mackinnon, Mackenzie's and price.

the Post Office to clear out all loiter- ers, hawkers and street-sleepers, in occurrence. They will also be on duty order to prevent a repetition of the

Continually on at full volume in the cafe is a large radio set. It makes an effective screen for conversations at night."

that are not meant to be overheard.” In appearance these freelance sples

look rather like any ordinary com- PANTELLARIA MADE AIR

mercial traveller.

They are all polyglot, but the lan-

guage I have heard most frequently BASE AGAINST TUNIS

is German.

FRANCO TO VISIT VATICAN

Paris, To-day. The island of Pantellaria, situated between Sidly and Tunisia and own- ed by Italy, has become an air base against: Tunisia - fustsad of the -- new Gibraltar, it was to have be accord- ing to previous nincements, the "Excelsior". WTO Rame, Yesterday.

basing its Pope Pius XII, acco ng to Vatican statements on an intervie with the circles, will leave his summer resid- British Journalist, St. Anthony Jan-

for one day king, who was

the receive General island a short wh

th, at the Vati

Anthony

laland sits Italy..

Pope on this ant air ba ranco, as the ing been which he con= way for A against Bolshe

with bomb Havas

once at

to