1940-09-07 — Page 7

1

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 7, 1940.

69

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

SECRETS AND THE PUBLIC

What are the "rights”” of the public in regard to war news? That the pub- lic has a right to hear all the news; and, that every stroke of the censor's blue pencil is an infringement of that right, is not be- lieved by any level-headed person. The Government equally has a right-in- deed a vital duty-to pro-j tect the public from the] consequences of betray- ing valuable secrets to the enemy.

This

The public's right to know is based on its right to judge. In a democratic country, the Government is responsible to Parlia ment, and Parliament re- presents the people. applies no less to the con- duct of war than to other affairs. Hence, in the last resort, it is for the people to decide how the war is to be conducted and how ended. They can make those decisions only if

H

Page. 7

"I APPEAL TO COMMON SENSE?" · (Copyright in All Countries,)

Invasion--By Air

they have the necessary We may assume that, in any at- facts on which to found ajenemy will first try to get foot- tempt to invade Britain, the judgment.

This imposes a certain negative standard upon

holds on the coast, although at the same time he may seek to build "strong points” inside the

country by air.

Before he can succeed in either]

gets.

*

07

•

Or Sea?

By C. G Grey

be distributed all over the place,

**

*

**

And no force of a lesser strength than ten thousand men could hope. to hold a fringe of coast to cover the landing of a force suffi- ciently large to hold the position.

Unless our fighter aircraft were all out of action, few of those 'troop carriers could hope to reach

this side.

Junkers. have been building these machines at the rate of four.a.day for more than a year. Call it two years and thousand. They have lost many more, and they may have three already because they crashed then wholesale in Norway and Holland. But at the most, the whole lot could not carry more

der, parachutists to hold the ap- proaches, and then flat boats with tanks to run up the beaches and troops landed by boats to fallow:{ than one-third of the number of For a voyage: from the Con-for men which the British" Navy tinent to England, not - márej” and Alr Förce got out of than 25 men could be packed! Dunkirk; in spite of althe Ger- into the normal Junkers 14- man bombing. And, anyhow, seat air-liner, which Is the half of thasa, would have to be standard troop carrier,

used flying back and forth to carry supplies,

The Initiative--Now

*

•

✡

#

·

the authorities: Facts are course he must (a) get the mas- not to be withheld if tery of our fighter aircraft and attacks in Holland. To consoli- ture an East Coast port in readi- their airfields; (b) he must wipe date strong points in Britain, ness for troops to be landed on, knowledge of them is out our bomber bases.

chiefly, in England, or to cut the neighbouring beaches., Only a necessary to form a sound is not likely that he can do either the. Bristol Channel or from the an attack.

Unless he can do both and country, say, from; the Wash to few places are suitable for such judgment on the course he cannot supply any forces Tyne to the Solway; destroying In a coastal attack the techni- and conduct of the war.

landed by air.

communications between indus-que would be about the same: To look farther ahead, he must trial contres would be a mighty bombers to keep the defences un Apply this criterion to the wreck most of our aircraft fac case of the "Lancastria,

tories to prevent replicement of the aircraft to be destroyed» ob|.| The name of the ship, and airfields, and he must do it in the details of her end, daylight to make sure of this tar

big job. Moreover, to be success~ were unnecessary to such Furthermore, he must bombful, perfect" weather would be a judgment. All the public getting to our armament factories. in a high wind would be destroy- our ports to prevent supplies needed... Parachute troops landed needed was the truth

ed by hitting obstacles and:would about the rate of sinking The German technique in at

That would mean 400 acro- as in: Northern Norway, of British tonnage. And round the edge of the field so as tacking: airfields is to bomb" all

planes for each. 10,000 men;-and probably another 200 for their]

Therefore I believe that any this it was told long be-to put the anti-aircraft gun crews.

The more likely sort of attack machine-guns ammunition and

serious invasion would have to 2 adme:from"tfie¬soa före the Lancastria. epic parachutists. immediately after

into their dug-outs, and then drop is a parachute attempt to cap-other-equipment.....

Completely: torpedo-proof big became public property.

the bombs, so that when the gun

ships have not yet been invented, crews.come up they face: tommy-

and the enemy has masses of tor- In some respects the guns and hand-grenades. These

pedo speed-boats and submarines. British public is given an automatic rifles firing bursts of tommy-guns are sawn off-"semi-;

The Navy would have to fight" those with something smaller than unduly adverse picture of ten to fifteen shots between rest. The immense uprising has taken ports, because, among other things, shown what they can do against cruisers, and our destroyers have the war at sea. It is John Taliaferro. Thompson,, and place. There is now not a public that is where the Italian fleets are operation and in getting our

loading. They were invented. by,

such craft in the Dunkirk told of all British naval are much favoured by American man or newspaper and hardly a

people out of central France, losses as soon as next-of-gangsters. They are completely soldier who will any longer pre-

Next, it may be advisable to kin have been

inaccurate beyond. 200 yards, and tend that the regular forces alone! informed. cannot compete with the British can deal with invasion: Anyone launch really drastic bombing It is told the full tonnage of them. But

The comparative quiet apart Service rifles, if there-are-enough doubting this can walk as far as against the Italian industrial cen-

they serve their the bounds of his parish and see tres. We had prepared to do this from the reconnaissance raids on of British, allied and nen purpose in a surprise attack:

his fellow men (and women) from France at the outset.of Italy's our East Coast and Western ports tral ships sunk But for a troop carrying aircraft which filling sandbags.

After the parachutists come the drilling, digging, building and intervention. Treachery being al- of the past two or three weeks. ready afoot, .our." squadrons were suggests that the enemy is build- · considerable while it has carry blaycles, motor bicycles, Hitler comes into this islund from the French airfields,

actually prevented from taking off ingupefor a great attack. The Germans, always, do things,which not been told of our suce machine-guns,, plt pontos. for

are obvious, but not the thing cesses. against German so forthe

pack artillery (it is alleged), and under cover of night or fog or

artiñulal, smoke, he will shortly Germany Is already receiving which is obvious at the moment. [miles wide, to 800 miles, deep, true that total war has been un mass attacks on our airfields to subject it is far better to are nonsense. They carry only Every day: that passes this defence loosed on Germany. What is true counter our own reply to their keep the enemy guessing lacatta onuralds, de-lit that the matter should, proceed total war against us at the exact ing of a mass attnet by.. sea and

|hand-guns and hand-bombs. is strengthened, and so urgent is is that the Germans will loose seaborne campaign, or the Inunch The British public is not fended by tanks and trained still further and faster, that it moment that it suits them.

The obvious technique would be spoon-fed It can take bad troops and armoured cars would should be done by night, too, and,

to attack at daybreak, so that the not be so simple as the surprise needs bo, by relaxing black-out. But perhaps Hitler is not com- short period of darkness. Would news as well as good, and

So much for the defensive. Asling this way at all? Perhaps his cover the approach of the fleet for the counter-offensive against fearsome threats are only bluff across the sca. Patrolling hero- it asserts its democratic keep a secret in quite the invasion, dispositions: have been after all and he is not sailing planes, however, carry, parachute right not to be deprived of same way, since its means made in this island. In: John Bull's against England" but against flares. Even landing lights are

Other Island the prospects are loss Egypt? bad news merely because of keeping itself informed satisfactory: But the main quas-

quite effective in revealing any- Ithing below for a few hundred public is also educated to on--are also means of: :

because he considers the enter to attempt the voyage in broad prise holds, the best prospects for daylight to ensure accuracy of take part in a conspiracy keeping others informed, The critical issue of the French him and the worst for us. There- movement: of secrecy towards the including the enemy: A Nothing that can happen in rel- here instead so much, the better survived to consolidate a position Fleet has already been resolved. fore, if we provoke" him to come Even if enough of such a force enemy One man keeps a nation keeps a secret, tion to immediate affair's in for our cause. At the worst we on a stretch, of coast they would secret by not telling it to therefore, not only by re-navalor military forces. The has in mind to visit on us.

France can change the balance of merely ante-date the blitzkrieg he still need masses, of ships and air-

craft to keep up supplies... anyone else. A group of fraining from careless field is now open for offensive

Wilat Rudyard Kipling called men keeps a secret by not gossip, but also by refrain-coasts. Therefore it may be time ed because Hitler was allowed to ing star" is a good thing if we acion against all the enemy Hitherto blitzkriegs have work-Faith, imvour land's, long-suffer- letting it pass outside that ing from needless curio to gratify the martial ambitions choose his own time. We shall son couple our falth with the old pro- group. A nation cannot sity,

of Mussolint by carrying tho battle what happens when somebody verb The Lord helps those. against the Italian ports, I saylelse, takes over the time-table, who help themselves."

10

submarines, since on this landing festooned with armament

The stories. about parachutists have to pierce a defence from 200 RAF attention. But it is not yet Their choice sceins to be between

·

air without warning,

it is bad But the British the press; radio and so initial offensive ourselves?

tion is: Should we not take the If Hitler is going south it is feet. So the enemy might prefer

M