1940-09-06 — Page 7

THE CHINA. MAIL, SEPTEMBER 6, 1940, -

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

RUMANIA'S FATE

JOE'S HALF

ADOLF'S HALF

A few weeks ago the un-{ fortunate Carol in Buch- arest is reported to have said in his desperation: "T am ready to cut myself in two halves for the sake of the country. One half I would give to the Ger- mans and the other to the British. More than that however, I cannot do." Hitler, having seen him give one slice to the Rus- sians, is now comman- deering the rest-as, pro- tector, of course. But Hit- ler's highway to the Le- vant must now run down through Yugoslavia, Mus- solini's chosen preserve, since Russia has barred} the other road through the Bukovina; and one striking feature in recent Balkan politics has been the close understanding between Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. From all re- ports this latter develop ment is of Turco-Russian inspiration, not German. In the destinies of these countries there are work- ing much older motives than the Ribbentrop- Stalin pact; and if Russia has abandoned her tradi tional impulse.. towards strengthening the Balkan Kaiser presided at a Council

In January, 1917, the German This time those crises cannot re~) at cur. Slav States, then the in-which he said: "We will frighten Hitler may build more submar- centive of any permanent have the British peoples till they blasted out the sunk blockships the British flag off the seas, and ines; he may use (when he has

Once, during 1917, we found Russian policy in Europe kneel and plead for peace.".

that the countries with which we left there by the British Navy)

had meat orders were short of our. is not easily to be dis- When I was, Food Controller, the Dutch, Belgian, and French for a special issue of white flour animals. At the same moment, the Once, the Chief Rabbi applica needs by just under 100,000,000 tinguished.

British: food-ships were being ports; he may launch the full for the Passover Feast. 1917 was U.S. wheat export fell short by sunk sometimes at the rate of weight of his Luftwaffe warplanes

vities.

UNEASY NIGHTS IN THE BALKANS (Copyright in All Countries.)

Britain Has No Need To Worry About Rations

certain death to the Tew raiders

By The Rt Hon J. R. CLYNES CLYNES

there were. But it was not all amusement, we had grave times.

Yet, sometimes, gleams of unexpected humour.

Rationed Royalty

the

was, and hud felt too embarrassed and our Imports are not notice- managed to smooth out that dif~ no struggling through...

What everybody in the sixty a week. Steel-grey-shoals of against our convoys and our food not. 1940-we had ho white flour over 400,000,000 bushels of the Near East is waiting for submarines glided beneath every depots; but he cannot seriously hve to anyonel So we quot-amount on which, we had been sea, along invisible trails of death; disturb this island's food supplies ed him the precedent from the depending; Turkey, had shut the was invoked the other and for a long time we could not or their distribution.

Book of Leviticus, when the Lord Dardanelles and closed in day by Lord Birdwood

sink them or restrict their acti Already steps have been taken granted Moses a special Passover Rumanian and Russian supplies;

to, shut his U-boat, fleets, by means

dispensation "because there was Germany-had invaded. Rumania, the opening of offensive Then, by the most amazing death, into areas of water where fun from

of gigantic nets of under-scala famine in the land.

made peace with Russia, and tem-- British moves in this vital mino-barrage system, with one they can do us little harm. Be-

Sometimes, we had moments of porarily reduced our imports to barrier across the Dover. Straits sides the scores of enemy: sub-

issuing ration-cards less than half our needs. strategic area. The Sudan and another from the Orkneys to marines officially. accounted for Princess who delayed Alling in her four: at a critical moment some-

There was a certain Royal

We had to dilute with bean- and Kenya are being Norway, and with

sometimes to more than 300 feet mosquito-craft and

mines sunk already by Allied destroyers and surname on her card. Of course, one found that the brewers had a made into an important with great steel nets, and other scores of others have been ripped someone was sent to get the card barley, and we impounded that. warplanes, she could not get her rations, and reserve of 2,000,000 quarterns of command though the secret devices, we penned almost

the entire U-boat fleet into the open like sardine-tihs, down in alled in. Then Her Royal, High- rainy season on the upper North Sea; while new swift mos-

Somehow, we struggled through. nbas, explained bashfully that she In this war the position is dif- Nile must elapse before quito-craft and warplanes carried

did not know what her surname

ferent. We have ample reserves, the full effect of Haili Sel-that came alive through the

to ask anyone to tell her! We ably interrupted. There will be assie's reappearance on barrages.

In this war, we began where;

Bculty! the borders of Abyssinia last time, we left off. Now

In three months the enemy-sank One day, during a critical food weeks only high Ministry officials 50,000 tons of sugar, and for some can be developed. The Navy has the U-boat menace un-grope a way through our barrages Mr. Lloyd George shivered the upon us. We imported all cur the the silent depths, as they tried to debate in the House of Commons, knew how, nearly famine was uncertain situation in

der its-thumb..⠀

of mines and nets He had some terrible crises to Britain lost 9,000,000 tons of

tension into laughter by complain-sugar then, now we grow a great Syria will undoubtedly face at the Food Ministry while shipping in the 1914-18 war, and a cute, that through a cleri proportion at home and have, in have to be cleared up, and

was there during the last war. our Allies and the neutrals lost been able to get any sugar that

gal error, he, the Premier, had not addition, big reserves, Anglo-Turkish conferen-

$,000,000 tons. In three months, week. In England we do not have So we need not worry about in a bad period, Britain alone last one ration for the Leaders and rations. In this war, not even beer ces with Arabian leaders in her alliance with Brit-early one-and-a-half million another for the people

is threatened! I recall.. a beer. tonst have been proceeding to ain which should be long. Such dreadful losses caused

A famous Cabinet Minister re-intense demands for grain for shortage last time, affected by the this end. Meanwhile not lasting Henceforth the was allowed to escape at the cards, Alling in the space provid-discussing Army supplies one day Cabinet crises of which no word fused to enter his age on his food bread. At the time, while I was the least arresting de- Bosphorus will be in truth time.

éd with the words: "See any book with a famous Allied leader, our velopment has been the the site of a world's cross when Food Minister, said sombre-caused the cards to be sent back bringing me details of the sining On one occasion; Lord Krondda; of reference!" This modesty talk was interrupted by my clark opening at long last of the roads, and the European ly to me: "It might well be, to him instead of any sugar, meat of a vessel carrying thousands of Istanbul-Bagdad railway, Orient Express will be moment, are all that stand

Clynes," that you and I, at this or tea,

barrels of stout. that line which half a able to travel in reality between this country and revolu century ago was the fav deep into the Orient. For Food shortage in Russia, early We received thousands of let-language I cannot repeat, that ho Our Huge Reserves had suffered a great reverse. Aftur

The General Ustened as if, we,

Ja minute's silence he toldi mej in ourite dream of the direc- the Empire, the obvious in 1917, caused bread riots, and ters at the Food Ministry referring would have forgiven the enemy tors of power-politics in importance of the Basra-women beat down the sabres of 1 recall one, which brightened a time there was a powerful move- the fists of starving men and, to rationing. Some were amusing almost anything but that! At this Berlin At Bagdad it will Istanbul line lies in its the Tsar's famous Cossack Guards, day of constant alarms. It gave ment in the House of Commons to Join up with the long-strengthening of the Brit-form the royal palace and details of a shop-keeper who over stop brewing and use-all-grain for forced Russid to make a separate charged for nearly every food bread. I knew that workmen. In standing British railway ish strategic position for peace with the enemy

article sold. There were, as now, heavy Industries relied on (mo- to Basta on the Persian prosecution of the war in time Britain will have heavy penalties for this sort of derate amounts of beer as a food, Gulf. The immediate the Middle East. All that foods, Already, the country has enforce every one of them.

good rations of all necessary thing, and the writer begged us to and I spoke in the end succoss- effect is to bring the Per the Germans hoped for "watertight compartments, each name" the latter ended, because After my speech, a Member

been divided up into hundreds of "But please do not mention my

fully, in its defence, sian Gulf nearer to the from its use can now be with ample food supplica already the shopkeeper is my wife's spoke to me. Clynes," he said, Bosphorus than to Suez: turned against them. As stored: we have food in a million mother, and it will cause trouble."you are upsetting your temper Turkey may now draw a line of war supplies where, huge tinned supplies, and attend a good conference at Black-to defend Government pollay

dumps flour, available everyAt one critical period, I had to ance friends. We know you have supplies from overseas alone it should be of first all ready if air raiding should tea. I had an almost invisible whole-heartedness. You sound an alternative transport arrangements pool: Delegates were given a fish but you do it with such damned without let or hindrance rate importance to India dainage existing machinery, amount of fish; and when I had if you enjoy every word!" from European neigh and Australia in their very different; the strain of con- If I might have a second helping available; and in this war I do not In the last war, things wero finished It I asked the waltres Whether or no beer remained · bours. It offers Turkey a contribution to the Emtinual food crises killed my pre- "I daren't, air" she whispered, believe, it will even be necessary further practical interest pire's cause.

decessor at the Food Ministry, They say the Food Controller is to defend it, for we have adequate and turned my hair white,

hero

grain supplies otherwise.

1954-80,94. CT[

-Jupiaw

tion!"