1940-02-01 — Page 6

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 1, 1940

Mr. Chamberlain And “Asama Maru" Incident

Legal Issues Not The Strongest Influence In Life Of Nations

London, To-day.

SPEAKING AT THE Dorchester Hotel yesterday, the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, made

MR. ARITA

a reference to the Royal Navy's capture of Ger- ON ‘ASAMA’

mans on board the Asama Maru.

He said: "You have no doubt read of the incident between us and the neutral and friendly Govern- ment of Japan.

"No doubt strict interpretation of international law

AFFAIR

Tokyo, To-day.

Referring in the Diet yes-

is a matter on which our respective governments terday to Anglo-Japanese re-

Mr. Hachiro Arita, said it was

RAILWAYS GETTING BACK TO NORMAL

London, To-day. Punctuality has now been achleved on most _rallways throughout the country, which were disorganised by the Arctic weather conditions.

With a few exceptions it is ex- pected that normal running of trains will be resumed to-day- Reuter,

HITLER FEARS

may take different views, but I am not concern-lations, the Foreign Minister, ATTEMPT ed this afternoon with international law because

regrettable that a British ON LIFE after all these legal issues are not the strongest warship searched the Asama influence in the life of nations or the hearts of Maru and took off 21 German

men. "Indeed, nothing would distress us upon them I may tell you that since more than that there should be in the the outbreak of the war one of our well over 34,000 minds of the Japanese people and the battleships covered

that miles. Japanese Government any idea

On the first 120 days of the we had deliberately or intentionally war one of our cruisers was at sea for

as 120 days: onc of our destroyers exercised our belligerent rights we see them with want of courtesy or 103. want of consideration to the Japanese nation.

"We are bound to take all mea- sures open to us to frustrate the ma- chinations of a powerful and utterly unscrupulous enemy, but certainly the last thing we want to do is to afront the self-respect of a "friendly nation with whom we want to live in peace."

WAR EFFORT

some-

CONTROL'S SUCCESS

for

"The fact that such an unpre-

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

Berne, To-day. passengers.

Most drastic measures of cedented incident should have occur-precaution were taken at the red in our waters is profoundly re- grettable for our Government as well Sport Palast before Hitler's speech, the authorities prob- ably fearing another attempt on Hitler's life similar to the Munich affair.

as for the whole nation,"

Negotiations were at present proceeding with the British au- thorities, and they were doing all they could to secure a satisfac- tory agreement.

The announcement that Hitler was going to make a speech was issued on Tuesday shortly before he was due

"From the north of Scotland to the Mr. Arita added that although some coast of Greenland, that space which people suspected that Japan intended the Government raider has to pass to to eliminate the rights and interests to speak, and until the last minute the reach the Atlantic or German mer- of third powers in China, the Japan-place was kept a secret, chantmen have to penetrate in order lese Government had repeatedly stat- The audience was strictly controlled that they did not desire this and comprised mainly National, So- to carry cargoes to their home port, is, ed

cialist veterans and members of other Mr. Arita said that the policy of Nazi organizations,

the Comintern re- defence against

"We will continue close relationship mained unchanged.

with all Powers who are signatories to the Anti-Comintern Pact."

Increasing success."

NAVY'S MANIFOLD ACTIVITIES

a thousand miles long and in winter elimination. visibility by day isn't more than a mile. Yet that space is being dense- Mr. Chamberlain said that times, if one were to read only they controlled by the British Navy with debates in the House of Commons and some of the more sensational columns in the press, it might be sup- posed that the Government was mak- ing very little effort to win the war and, indeed, had few ideas upon subject, except what was supplied to them by the ceaseless vigilance of the Opposition and the unfailing ingenuity of patriotic journalists.

"No

the

Government in a democratie country can expect to escape criticism, but I do think it would be unfortun- ate if the public were led into a mood of gloom or depression, because facts do show not only that prodigious prodi- efforts have been made but glous results have been achieved," re. marked the Premier.

THE ARMY

at

and

During the very time Commodore Harwood was fighting his historic ac- tion in the South Atlantic, H.M.S. Sal- the mon had torpedoed a cruiser in

North Sea,-

and

to

THIRD POWER RIGHTS

Referring to the American abroga- tion of the treaty of commerce friendship with Japan, Mr. Arita sald At the same moment the Royal Navy Japan took all measures possible was convoying Canadian troops across protect the rights and interests

third powers, and was trying to con- the Atlantic, and yet, other troops came from Bombay through the Mediter-sider fairly all cases of damage suffer- ed by citizens of third powers as the ranean.

result of military operations

"One of the most audacious of the many audacious assertions of the German Propaganda Ministry is that they had taken from us the command of the seas..

"It is true they are using their air force to make attacks upon undefend- ed trawlers, fishermen and light ves- sels, and although they make haste to

Discussing the Army, Mr. Chamber- lain sald: “At the present time

return home as soon as fire is opened home, In France and in India,

on them by anti-aircraft guns, or by in other stations overseas and upon our vital links of imperial communi- one of our fighter aircraft, they do cations we have upwards of one-and-take a certain toll of ships and lives. a-quarter million men under arms.

duties undismayed by

these

"We must pay a tribute to the mag- nificent courage of those fishermen "Those troops. In those overseas stations, standing ready and prepared and merchant seamen who carry out for their duties enables us here

at their home, without fear of interruption, to cowardly attacks. proceed with the expansion of our equipment and our striking force.

"We have now the first contingent of the British Expeditionary Force in France and already we have sent over to France, for their sustenance, many thousands of motor transport vehicles and nearly half-a-million tons of munitions and stores.

THE NAVY

"Now the Navy is to-day, as it has always been in our history, the first line of defence of these islands and that great empire which was built up by the toil and enterprise of qur fore- fathers

U-BOAT BUNK

THE WAR IN EUROPE

of

Mr. Arita said that Japan did not

dispute that the United States had certain rights in the Far East, but in the new situation, Japan had the right to ask the cooperation of the Powers in establishing the new order in East

Asia.

He said that the war in Europe would not be allowed to influence the situation in the Far East.-Reuter.

MR. HULL ON PREMIER'S SPEECH

WASHINGTON, TO-DAY.

Foreign correspondents were sum- moned to the Ministry of Propaganda whence they were accompanied to the Sport Palast without being inform- ed beforehand of Hitler's speech.

General Goering was absent. Havas.

LEAVE FOR

'AJAX' CREW

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") London, To-day. The cruiser “Ajax” which participated in the battle with the "Graf Spee" arrived at Plymouth yesterday.

The Admiralty wired her "We are glad to welcome the "Ajax” home and congratulate you on your safe return after two years' service abroad cul-

minating in a memorable action against the enemy. We hope you will soon

Reuter adds that Ajax was given u enjoy a well-earned leave"-Havas.

tremendous welcome, spectators lining the shore five, and six deep and cheer- ing so loudly that music played on deck by the ship's band was com- pletely drowned. Many Union Jacks fluttered on the sea front.

NEW RADIO STATION

"It still remains true that the pow- er of the Royal Navy is not only able but they are increasingly being made to protect convoys with such success

THE SECRETARY OF STATE,

Chungking, To-day. use of by neutrals, and they are also MR. CORDELL HULL, COMMENT-

Described as "the most powerful able to exercise unhindered by the ING ON MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S German armed forces the tremendous SPEECH, EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE broadcasting station in the tent, the powerful weapon of contraband con- THAT THERE WOULD BE UNI- "International Broadcasting Station," trol.

VERSAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE which has been ulder construction for "PRINCIPLES OF A LIBERAL TRADE the past several months, is now com-

POLICY IN THE NOT » DISTANT pleted. FUTURE.

“The first attack upon a convey. made by a U-boat for a long time resulted on Tuesday in the destrue- tion of the U-bost by the combined efforts of the naval and air "which were esco

Lest the From

"If you ask me what the battle- front of

I should say It Is Germany:

wherever

which gover

ment Just

that, very

- The nations, he thought, would turn Décific pgramma 4 like the

trade United Sta

primary

Located "somewhere in free China," the station commence to broadcast to- day, the call-signs day for 126 hour being XG and XGOY.

16 diffe

surfa

of the