1941-03-15 — Page 7

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THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 15, 1941.

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

ADMIRAL DARLAN'S DEMANDS

Two telegrams, closely follow- ing each other, have recently

flashed around the world. One announced that the British Gov- ernment had rejected the soup- kitchen experiment in Belgium, proposed by Mr. Herbert Hoover, on the ground that "relief for Countries HI enemy eureupation wouli, whatever the condition. might be, postpone the day victory". The other telegram staded that Adarat Darian.

the

• French Preimer, in the presence of Astracan correspondents, clarer he would use The Freneiz fleet

food exepet

ships to France il Britam continued con

fo

fiscating supply vessels He ap punently gave the British Govern met two weeks to thank the mat ter aver

Th questions of supplying food | to our upied exuntries has been in thrands of many people dur- ing the past winter months, but win the situation needs careful investigation, which

at I need

framm the

less to say, receiving It authorities, every precau- tion has necessarily to be exercis- ed not to allow sentiment to over come sound judgment. The fure of children, apparently stary- ing. rushing headlong to the wharf waving French and Ameri- can flags, to meet the Americ Red Cross supply ship which Belt- ain allowed through the block- ade, was somewhat crudely drawn and arouses suspicion that an intensifled campaign is about to be made to create an atmos- phere in which Britain would ap- pear as the chief offender, Ger-

Zater

NIGHT SOME

CHAOS

ORPHANS OF THE STORM

The Merry Widow: Er-Yes, They're My Children. You see the system is that they look after

mo in my old age.

We Guard Scapa

many's crime in systematically A couple of years ago the Ork~{ plundering those countries under neys were as peaceful es

any-

her domination would, by con- where on earth, but now, like all trust, be largely forgotten, or at Britain, they are strongly forti- least, would tend to fade indo in-fied, and great guns overlook the | significance. In other words,

all

men are well provided --not only

Page i

Confident England

Three men who know more than the general public can know have warned Great Britain to Cx- pect within the next few weeks a determined altempt by Nazi Gerinany to win the war by breaking British resistance in the British Isles. They are Mr. Cordell Hull, head of the State Department at Washington; Lord Beaverbrook, Minister of Aircraft Production; and the Prime Min Ister, Winston Churchill. Without the special knowledge which these men possess the British people

reached hud already

the same conclusion. They are prepared to endure the strongest effort Hitler can make to crush them, and they are quietly conficlent.

An unoffical envoy United States,

who is visiting

from the Colonel Donovan, England for the second time since the war began, declares that when he was last here he found resolution and val. our. Now he find; confidence as well. An unofficial envoy from Spain, Senor Del Pozo, who was

By Wickham Steed

sent to England by General Pranco last Septembel then be lieved that Hiller would win the war quickly. Now he declares in a public statement that sudden victory is impossible for the Axis and that Britain has the means and the determination to wage a long war and to fight to the end for victory.

From what I know of our peo- ple and of the situation I think

that both these unofficial fore- igners judge rightly. But I thinkc this for reasons which neither of them has mentioned. These rea- sons lie ore in the quality of recent events than In the events themselves.

If Hitler had attacked England by the Army. This is farming with all his strength last May rountry, and hospitality is a do-after the evacuation of the Brit- minant characteristic of the peo-ish Expeditionary Force from ple of Orkney, Many a time Dunkirk he might have crippled

rediscovered in the kitchen of chance of final victory would reighbouring farmhouse, where

have been small. Though the found them-Government rations are supple-

the wild duck fly, is lighted now heather, and Saturday night they and scones and boiled eggs. by the vagrant searchlights,

cliffs where the fulmar nests: in working-party gets lost and is this country so severely that its

Britain fighting for her very exis- upland fields, where once the cur- tence, is to be asked to cede ad-lew cried alone, you may see the that rolled and pitched in a con-

who, long barrels of anti-aircraft guns: ficting sea. They vantages to the Germans standing aloof and denying responsibility, are waiting tu seize every point misguided per-| sons or cleverly disguised anti- British sympathisers are gaining

and the darkness, through which | selves sleeping in a tent in the mented by a sizeable meal of tea/Greater part of its army had been

for her. It is for Britain and Britain alone to judge whether the blockade, which, incidentally, Ger many declares ineffective, should

And

patrolling an empty road or watching a deserted beach. always--or so it secmed--the wind

And

men miracul- saved, the 300,000 brilliance of the would spend not in a cinema but always, of course, wherever theously evacuated from Dunkirk had lost their guns, equipment and English go, there are gardens. munitions. Months were needed

But do not think the Army has

and to reorganise

reequip this become a sort of modern Utopia. These are mitigations, and miti-army. The British Air Force was relatively weak. Aircraft pro- gations only, of a strenuous, un- | duction was comparatively slow. comfortable und disagreeable The British coasts were inade-

out of

By-

Eric Linklater

You

England by

To begin with, the troops here were local Territorials. They were shrewd and capable men, and their northern blood did not much in- cline them to any emotional dis- play. In the early days of the war

existence. A cold and dangerous

But instead of quately defended. be nised for the benefit of those remember watching, with some

and boring exister ce--though

circumstances countries which Germany can of them, a German 'plane, shot in

mony have freely chosen it, and, profiting by these

Hitler preferred to move against rob at any moment without hin- mid-air, come tumoling

with good humour will endure it drance. Anne O'Hara McCur- the sky. This has now become a

till the day comes when the un- Parts because he knew that his agents had mick, the well-known American common spectacle over most of

tutored Hun has learned again the propaganda and his

already undermined French resis writer, put the case well when Britain, but then it was a novelty blew more fiercely than ever they lesson that war does not pay.

tance. He may also have believed she said: "by our

still

When exciting. (American), and

may recall. perhaps, a the had thought possible.

that French capitulation would be A change indeed, a drastic story told about Ribbentrop a few increasing investments and vital wounded 'plane put down its nose

So he lost valuable weeks while concern in its (Britain's) success and dived to earth, a few of the change, but they took it in their years ago. Someone told him that followed by British capitulation.

men beside me raised a little stride. Sometimes, of course, they Germany's most regrettable de-

His great we are restrained from interfering cheer. But quickly-almost im- grumbled-a man who doesn't ficiency was a sense of humour. Britain gained them. with measures the British deemmediately-that was stilled. The grumble has lost hope, or lost in- Ribbentrop, indignant, declared air offensives in August and Sep- necessary to win." Britain is in- occasion, they decided, required a

terest in life-and to be truthful, that in Germany they had cul-tember were defeated. His pre- deed fighting the battle for free- more modest congratulation. So they had cause for grumbling. In tivated a sense of humour that in parations to invade

Yet in Egypt dom for the world as well as for instead of cheering, they solemnly coast defence and air-defence you all the world was unequalled for sea were smashed herself, and no criticism, no argu- clapped their hands. And that, I have to be constantly alert and its balance and quick perception and the Middle East the British position was precarious. The ment should be tolerated or per- think, was evidence, not only of continuously ready to meet an at- and massive proportion

he French surrender had completely mitted which might force her to a decent restraint, but-of a keen tack that generally doesn't come. "There have been times," deviate even slightly

was at Berchtes- upset Franco-British plans for de- from the sense of propriety.

And that gets very boring. It be- said, "when I

Africa against with my Fuehrer, and fending North course she has adopted.

Now, as well as local Territor- comes so utterly, wearisome that gaden

When Marshal Graziani's ials, we have men here from even a change for the worse may Gcering perhaps, or Himmler and Italy. Admiral Darlan, encouraged by many parts of the United King-be welcome. Nobody likes being | Rudolph Hess, and someone has vanguard moved into the Western Berlin, adopted

A story So Egyptian Desert the British for- dom. To most of them, born and bombed, but to survive danger is told a funny story. tone, while Mr. Hoover, far re- brought up in busy towns, it was stimulating, whereas to survive funny that we have all seen the ces in Egypt were far inferior to Italians in numbers and moved froin the responsibilities like coming to a foreign land to boredom is boring still. A few point of it, and rolled upon the the of an administrative post, is free arrive in these remote islands, months ago, I remember, we were ground in the ecstasy of our un-equipment.

We know now from the huge to indulge in philanthropic works and make their home on the edge heavily attacked one night after controllable merriment. Does that

quantities of stores and arms without having to take much cog of a moor, or some desolate fore-a long period of quiescence, and not prove our sense of humour?" nizance of possible results. Ad- land where the turf was always the tonic effect of a little danger Perhaps it does, but a humour too captured how serious was the Ita

was strikingly apparent on the excessive,

Wagnerian miral Darlan, in his threat of en- wet with sea-spray. They were

onelian threat. Italy could supply her Everybody might say, for general sympathy forces across the Mediter- ploying force, agreed with the accustomed, these men from the following morning.

was in a cheerful mood, and there A more promising and engaging ranean whereas British troops Germans that the British block south, to the warmth and friend- ade is ineffective and to prove his liness of crowded streets, to noisy was an air of positive gaiety in sort of humour, I think, is that and supplies had to be sent round. which our soldiers daily show in the Cape of Good Hope.. Great statement declared that Germany factories, to the corner pub and the camps,

their uncongenial life. It comes, risks were successfully taken. In was able to release two million football games. They had always enemies, but we are conquering it

Boredom is one of our worst essentially, from good humour. these circumstances the quality quintals of foodstuffs from her lived where houses are built in too with many weapons. The Army hour, I was watching some men

The other day, at a little har of the British victories in Egypt store of 270 million plundered

a long row, shoulder to shoulder, of to-day is a more sensible in-unloading the long sections of cor- than their immediate political and and Libya is even more striking from France DS well as and where the street-lamps keep stitution than it used to be. It rugated Iron, of which Nissen huts other conquered countries. If out the dark.

Weightier still has acquired more understanding, are built. It was cold as usual, it in its moral and material influence

military effects. this is the case, though the It was a tremendous change more sympathy, more friend was raining as usual, and the gift was at best a one, considering the amount of ney, and felt the wind blowing as the growth of democracy, but the the soldiers, in high spirits, were war is the decision of President niggardly for them when they came to Ork-liness than once it had. Not only whole scene was very dreary. But upon the probable, course of the food taken from France by Ger- it never blows through the streets real soundness of democracy, are singing a ridiculous song of which Britain shall henceforth be lent

Roosevelt that - aid many, it woulà seem that the of a town. Instead of the jostling conclusively demonstrated in its the theme was expressed in the question of supplies lies between crowds they were used to, they new way of life. Discipline re-line, "There aren't many pickles not sold for cash or on credit. Of or leased by the United States, Hitler found a lonely hut and a search- mains of necessity, and discipline on a pound of pickled pork." Now all recent events this is the most and not between France and Brit-light three miles from nowhere has not been impaired by the that may or may not be true, but

They found themselves on the growth of democratic spirit. It has this assuredly is true: that only significant.

unfortunate: an

the French Premier and

ain.

the cheerful mob of spectators at

too

platform of a six-inch gun, with a only lost a great deal of its harsh-men who were full of good hum-

Therefore we believe that viċ- Admiral Darlan, was, before the fulmar petrel, sailing cliff-high, for ness. In junior officers especially our would sing at all in such contory will be won for a truly new fall of France, an ardent advocate their nearest neighbour, and the there is, I think, quite a new sense ditions, And this, I think, is also order in Europe and the world, of the blockade and cooperated grey-backed sea for their only of responsibility. A good officer true; that in their choice of sound that this now order will be strongly with Britain in the em- view. They found themselves go has always looked after his men's ridiculous a song, they expressed based upon what Mr. Ernest ployment of this device. Undering to their work, not lil a bus stomachs, and their feet, but their conviction that war itself, at Bevin, the Trade. Union leader different circumstances it is con- or a train but in a herring-drifter nowadays a good officer and this time of day, is a ridiculous who is British Minister of Labour, ←ceivable, he has changed his opin- --

there are many of them--will re-occupation. They were engaged in has called, the ideal of equality in fon, but it cannot be assumed tha British place reliance and any member also their heads, and ad- a war from sheer necessity, and a commonwealth of free peoples. the British Government. have demand that may be put forward mit that: their brains require a their will to victory was not Here, at last, we have a war changed their's. The blockade is, based on its ineffectiveness," is little nourishment as well.

fanatical but a civilised detor-aim that sanctions all sacriārna in fact; a weapon on, which the not likely to carry weight:

With material nourishment the mination,"

and ennobles” our struggle. ***