1940-07-05 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 5, 1940

STARK TRAGEDY GRIPS COMMONS

Moving Picture, Of Historic Session

LONDON, TO-DAY.

THE COLD MELANCHOLY OF A FUNERAL SERVICE GRIPPED THE HOUSE OF COMMONS YESTER- DAY AS THEY LISTENED TO MR. CHURCHILL UNFOLDING THE STORY OF THE BRITISH AT- TACKS ON SHIPS OF THEIR FRENCH ALLIES, WRITES REUTER'S LOBBY CORRESPONDENT: Mr. Churchill himself seemed to have almost physi- cal difficulty in forcing the facts from his un- willing lips.

For a few minutes the stark tragedy of the events slowed up the tide of determination for victory which characterises the Commons in these days.

the

There was a dead silence as French losses were enumerated and Mr. Churchill expressed his fear that been had the loss of French lives heavy.

Then the darkest portion of the the Prime panorama passed and Minister proceeded to "our inflex- ible resolve to do everything- pos- sible to prevent other ships falling into German hands."

The tension was broken when Mr.

Churchill declared he left the Cabinet's action to the judgment of Parliament,

and members relieved their pent up feelings by a tremendous cheer.

The Lie Direct The end of his speech-after he had given the lie direct to rumours and of negotiation with Germany Italy and had reiterated the determina- tion of the country to fight on until victory was achieved-gave the House an occasion for unleashing the feel- ings that had been growing during the speech.

the

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Mr. Churchill sat down with appearance of having completed strenuous physical and mental task.

the whole House Immediately

burst into loud applause, and Mr. Churchill seemed almost crushed by and the volume of the applause sat crouched in his seat with his

chin on his chest.

Mr. Churchill quickly recovered and rose to move that the House enter into secret session.

box

for

As he stood at the despatch his appearance was the signal another spontaneous burst of cheer- ing-Reuter.

CHINA AND ARITA

Chungking, To-day.

DEFENCE OF BRITAIN

London, To-day.

At question-time in the House of Commons yester- day, Mr. Churchill rejected a suggestion that a Comman- der-in-Chief be appointed to co-ordinate the defence of Britain.

in

the

The whole organization of home defence, he said, has been worked out by the combined staffs of the three The Government fighting services. believed the present scheme gave the Commander-in-Chief, Home Defence, the necessary control, both military and in the civil sphere.

It would be the greatest mistake at this moment to remould an or- ganization "working to the satisfac- tion of the principal executives con- cerned.

He had not heard any practical sug- gestion as to who the proposed "super-

be. Commander-in-Chief" should

Reuter.

BOMB IN BRITISH PAVILION

New York, To-day. Three detectives were kill- Describing the statement on the so-ed and several others injured called Monroe Doctrine for East Asia by the explosion of a bomb at by Mr. Hachiro Arita, the Japanese the British Pavilion in the Foreign Minister, as the policy of the closed door, General Wu Teh-chen, New York World Fair, accord- Minister of the Overseas Department ing to police headquarters.

The bomb was found hidden in the pavilion,

The police were called and the bomb exploded while it was being removed, causing also some damage to the Polish Pavilion nearby.、

of the Central Kuomintang, warns the foreign powers against "the next step to be taken by Japan after the feeler in the form of Mr. Arita's declaration." "China cannot accept such a doc- trine, which threatens to disturb peace and order in East Asia and interferes

There were 168,000 visitors inside the Fair grounds celebrating Indepen- with the sacred right of China trade freely with the western coun-dence Day at the time of the explosion tries."-Reuter.

TRADE NEGOTIATIONS

to

and there were several thousands in the foreign exhibit area, which is the British Pavilion's Locale.-Reuter. Chamber of Commerce and. Industry. Following two sessions of the joint signed a declaration for the promotion trade conference the visiting Spanish of trade relations between the economic mission and the Japan' countries.-Reuter.

Tokyo, To-day.

SUEZ

CANAL SELL-OUT?

Cairo, To-day. According to the Wafdist pa- per, "Al Misri," a secret agree- ment concerning the Suez Canal was reached between France, Germany and Italy during the armistice negotiations.Reuter.

FAMILIAR NAZI PHRASE

ZURICH, TO-DAY. THE GERMAN PRESS 18 NOW ASSERTING THAT "THE NEUTRAL- ITY OF EIRE 18 BEING THREATEN- ED BY BRITAIN," AND THAT GER- ENTITLED MANY IS THEREFORE TO MAKE MOVES.

COUNTER-ACTING

This is a familiar phase in Nazi technique, but its application to Eire is noted with deep interest in London. Defence measures by the Eire Minis- ter of Defence include the placing of Dublin, Kingstown and Cork under military control-Reuter.

ALEXANDRIA POSITION NOT CLEAR Alexandria, To-day.

FORMER H.K. MAN DECORATED

Another former resident of Hong Kong has been decor- ated "for gallantry and de- votion to duty.”

He is Pilot Officer Vernon William Lomond Stanion, once with the ICI and Reuter's in

and Hong Kong Shanghai, who, according to an an- nouncement in "The Times," has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

"While The official notice says: reconnoltring northern Denmark he of discovered large concentrations enemy aircraft at Galborg. Three days later he successfully bombed- this aerodroms under most adverse weather conditions and in the face the from of intense opposition ground."

Stanion was a well-known Rugby football player and turned out for the Hong Kong Rugger Club a number of years ago. He is the second Reu- ter man to have been decorated, the other being Lt. Norman Bradbury.

British

been made public yet.

Meanwhile, the combined No information regarding the future and French Fleets remain in harbour, of the French Fleet in Alexandria has outwardly. calm-Reuter,

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