1939-09-20 — Page 5

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 20, 1939.

ALLIED AIR SUPERIORITY

Paris, To-day.

The coolness and skill of a French air force pilot is mentioned in an offl- cial communique.

The pilot was flying over the German lines yesterday when he was attacked by six German planes at a height of 18,000 feet.

By a display of aerobatics the French officer avoided the stream of bullets from the enemy planes, and the fight ended at 500 feet, when a group of French fighters engaged the German planes, which were forced to return at top speed to their own lines.--Reuter.

CAUTION ON THE WESTERN FRONT: NEXT STAGE MAY CULMINATE IN BIG PUSH

CIVIL AVIATION ON WAR FOOTING

London, To-day.

Civil aviation in this country has now been placed on a war footing.

A new organisation has been oreated, known as the National Air Communications, which is under the control of the Direc- tor-General of Civil Aviation.

The organisation has already flown many thousands of miles carrying key personnel, equip- ment and so forth.-Router.

MEETING IN RUMANIA

Bucharest, To-day.

The Polish Foreign Minister, Col. Joseph Beck, saw the French Ambas- sador to Poland, M. Noel, and the British

Sir Ambassador to Poland, Howard Kennard, yesterday.

Sir Howard Kennard and the other diplómatic missions formerly in War saw left for Bucharest in the after- noon. Reuter.

STERLING

IN NEW YORK

Washington, To-day. Mr. Henry Morgenthau, Secretary of Treasury, stated yesterday that the variation between the New York rate of Sterling and the official rate was such that the Treasury would not risk a single dollar from the Stabil- isation Fund in foreign exchange transactions.

Paris, To-day.

Page 5.

BRITONS ORDERED

TO STAY IN INDIA

Simla, To-day.

The Government of India has issued an order forbid- ding all British male subjects between the ages of 16 and 50 to leave India.

A statement says that many suit- able officers have left India for Bri- tain to enlist in the Army.

If this is allowed to continue it will result in a direct, loss to. the Army in India.

Though the volunteers are in- spired by a spirit of patriotism, it la contrary to the interests of the Empire.

be

Consequently, volunteers will required to enlist with units of the

Regular Army in India.-Reuter.

THERE IS NO HURRY on the part of the French Command to enter on the next stage of opera- tions on the Western Front, which is expected to HOLLAND'S culminate in the big push.

This big push, it is stated in Paris, may even come

from the enemy.

Object of the Germans would be to remove the French contact with the Siegfried Line, which is now under short-range fire from the French artil- *lery.

+

A semi-official review of the operations says that the German evacuation and destruction of villages may be a plan to trap the Fronch.

now

The French are hésitating to draw conclusions, however, and are consolidating their positions.

The French positions between the Rhine and Moselle, captured from the Germans, are now, in the third week of war, well organised and defended.

The French troops have been quick to establish' In the advance positions captured from the Ger- mana, pill-boxes and concrete trenches right to the limita of-the-

French advance.

The French air force continues to be active over the enemy lines, where occasional dog-fights have taken place.

The French Army is now In occupation of several thousand square miles of enemy territory on a 100-mile front.

A French communique says that the Germans continue to reinforce the Western Front with planes and men from Poland.

The German troops have effected a strategic withdrawal, says a Nazl communique, in order to straighten their front and increase the effective- ness of the German artillery,

FOREST DYNAMITED Bridges were destroyed in the re- treat, and the Germans have dyna- mited wide patches of forest in order to give their machine-guns a wider

Mr. Morgenthau said he was con- cerned, over the unsettling effect on United States exporters and import-field of fire. ers, and they would try to fight the selling of Sterling at a level below the official rate, Reuter.

NEW STEP BY HITLER

London, To-day. Havas reports from Amsterdam that the German Government has inform- ed business-houses. in Berlin that the Government is to take over their overseas branches abroad.

There is great anxiety among Ger- man businessmen, especially in The Hague, as they fear they will be forc- ed to sell at a low price. Reuter.

AUSTRALIA'S WHEAT, BU

SURPLUS

* London, Toaly

The British Government has bought the Austrálián sugar surplus for 19030. Price will be £7:10:0, "elf. British porte.Reuter,

The German 'heavy calibre guns have changed the village of Perl Into a no man's land, and the French have been forced to retire, to more protected positions.

A Nazi communique says that the French are engaged in constructing defence works.--Reuter.

NAZI ATTACKS NEAR BLIES REPULSED. :

Paris, To-day. The following communique has been issued: An enemy attack in the region east of Blies has been re- pulsed.

Enemy air force showed some aċ- tivity in the same region.

The Gorman attack mentioned -In the communique was more or

Teas in the nature

e of what in the

-läßt wer would have beeni desorib'. (ad as a large nogle rată Intended tó kosustám German trööpa Tto this type of warfare.

The attack was made under con- étant artillery fire, but, in the face of heavy machine gun and artillery ['fire, the attack withered away with

INTENSE ARTILLERY DUELS

Paris, To-day. Intense artillary duels have broken out south of Saarbrueck- en, where the French tranches are nearest the enemy, and have extended to the entire front- --Reuter.

positions unchanged.

BID FOR PEACE

The Hague, To-day. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands yesterday stress- ed the country's desire for neutrality when she opened

Parliament.

Special defence measures, she said, had been taken in the Netherlands East Indies, Curacao and Gulana.

Provisions had been made for the Netherlands' striet neutrality, and economic measures were satisfactory and would ensure an adequate food supply.

Queen Wilhelmina thanked the country for its loyalty and support, and said she knew the sense of sol- darity would continue to the very end, when the future could be faced with confidence.

GRATEFUL

The Netherlands was grateful that they were at peace, and were friendly with all countries.

Her Majesty said that King Leo- pold's peace appeal had been welcom- ed by a wide circle.

In spite of their disappointment at The general situation on the Wes- events, they still hoped that better tern Front has shown little change international relations would come in the last 24 hours.-Reuter.

about. - Reuter. i

POLISH TROOPS

STILL FIGHTING ON: WARSAW HOLDS OUT.

London, To-day.

A RADIO BROADCAST from Warsaw says that the Polish troops in invaded territory are still fight- ing. Thousands of well-armed irregulars have been form-

ed who are being helped by civilians. The Warsaw High Command says that repeated

Nazi attacks on the eastern suburbs of the capi-" tal were repulsed with heavy losses to the at- tackers.

The Polish armies west of Warsaw, jthe surrender of Lwow demanded. it is added, have ́met_with consider- A broadcast by the Mayor of War. able success.

saw fast night sald that German ar.. Paris despatches state that despite tillery was still shelling the capital.— Nazi claims that the war in Poland Rauter... is over, the Poles are holding out gal- flantly.

OMIGLY-RYDZ IN. POLAND

DIRECTING OPERATIONS.......

London, To-day.

Fighting is spoolaify sovers in the north, around Warsaw and fri the The Polish Embassy states that Mar.. Bouth-enat.

[shal Smigly-Rydz, the Polish Com...” The Nazis admit heavy fighting west |mander-in-Chief, la not in Rumania,” of Warsaw, and say that the attack on a previously reported, but is direct- Waraaw itself has been renewed and "Ing"operations In Poland-Reuter.