1941-04-01 — Page 16

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 1, 1941.

FRENCH SHIPS IN U.S. MAY ALSO BE SEIZED SHANGHAI America Likely To Put All Into Service ELECTION Within Terms

RUMOUR

The action of the Shanghai Municipal! Council in again postpon- ing the elections is belicv- ed to be connected with the current negotiations)

Of Formula Of Aid To Britain

WELL-INFORMED CIRCLES IN WASHING- concerning changes inTON THINK THERE IS A STRONG POSSI- number and representa-

BILITY THAT FOLLOWING THE SEIZURE OF tion on the Council.

This is the second postponement ITALIAN, GERMAN AND DANISH SHIPS, THE the first postponement. no de- UNITED STATES WILL TAKE THE SAME AC- finite date has now been fixed for TION IN REGARD TO FRENCH SHIPS, OF

at the eleventh hour but, unlike

the elections.

It was merely announced that WHICH THERE ARE NOW 15 IN AMERICAN the plection set for April 9 and 10

has been cancelled and that such PORTS.

an election has been postponed to

a future date.

It was unconfirmably report-

·

Replying to questions, Treasury officials

ed that the British. American in Washington yesterday intimated action

and Japanese authorities are

to an was possible later this week.

putting the final touches agreement by which the three

Attempted Sabotage

nationalities will equally divide Officials are now studying the The nine seats on the Council, mal disposal of the seized ships

Twhich at present remain in “pro- The seized ships totalled 296,-|

that is, three each.

It is also reported that such an tective custody.** the title still 715 tons, announced the Coast- agreement will hold good for two remaining with the original guard Service in Washington years.

yesterday.

Reuter

WOMAN FINED

A fine of $50 was imposed by Mr. H. C. Macnamara at Kowloon this morning on Chan Chun, 22, a married woman, for collecting for charity without the permission of) the Commissioner of Police.

owners.

of

Mr. Cordell Hull. Secretary State defended the Government's action at his press conference.

at

He said he would not talk present about the final disposition of the ships.

According to Treasury off. cials it is very probable the ships will be placed in service In view of Britain's need of ships and the general shortage of shipping.

Mr. Hull had not heard anyone Meanwhile President Roosevelt question the absolute legality hus indicated that he personally the seizure, and emphasised that justification for it was based on Accused, with another girl. urdered the seizure of Italian, went to a house in Apliu Street German and Danish ships during in the ships endangered Ameri- the fact that attempted sabotage last Thursday, asking for dona- the week-end.

can ports.

tions.

taking but

This was revealed at a press The occupants asked them for conference on the train the permit, which they could not him back to Washington, produce. Accused was arrested, he declined to comment. while her companion escaped.

Sole Agents for

"NORVIC"

"SIR HERBERT BARKER“

"MASCOT”

and

"FINN-FLEX"

SHOES

Made by the Norvic

Shoe Co., Northampton,

In these brands of highclass footwear you are assured of finding your requirements, whether they are for a lightweight shoe or one of sturdy construction.

SLIPPERS

Brown, Black, Red and Blue with softw

solid leather soles in all sizes.

Wm. POWELL, Ltd.

10, ICE HOUSE STREET.

The Formula

of

Asked whether the seizure could be construed as a step towards war, Mr. Hull replied that the United States Government had for some time pursued a course of ald to Britain and other na- tlons under a formula of all avail- able aid short of war.

"That is the formula follow- ed so far," he added, Four Danish ships in the Philip- pines, aggregating 23,000 tons, were taken into "protective cus- tody" by the US Navy yester-

day.

Admiral Thomas Hart, Com- mander-in-Chief, U.S. Asiatic Fleet, explained the action was taken in order to prevent sabo- tage by the crews. ~ Reuter.

First Step

(SPECIAL TO “CHINA MAIL"] The seizure of 56 Italian, Ger- man alid. Danish ships in United States waters, hy coast guards re- presents the first step towards possible requisition of the ships by the American Government. for Use In the Pacific, according to # Washington message, while American ships may be trans- ferred from the Pacific route to the Atlantic.

In the case of the 35; Danish ships seized it is stated that they may be purchased for fears that the Germans and Italians might sabotage them. International News Service.

OVATION FOR MR. MATSUOKA

•

(SPECIAL TO CHINA MAIL")

Mr. Matsuoka, th

the Jap anese Foreign Minister, received an ovation by large crowd of offcials headed by Clano, the Ita- lian Foreign Minister. when he arrived in Rome yesterday.

* Mr. Matsuoka expressed, regret, that “shortness of time't precludes"

a vilt to the United States.

"I believe that personal contact, -with leaders in all countries is the | best medras, of avoiding unfor- Itunate occurrences,”: Mr. Matsuo- ike tolɗkthe press International News Service,

ELEVENTH QUIET NIGHT RUNNING

London had no air raid warning last night. This was the eleventh quiet night running, though over and around Britain last night there was again slight enemy activity, mainly off the north-east coast.

Raiders were report- ed over several other areas but up to a late hour

no incidents were reported.--Reu- ter.

S. AFRICANS OCCUPY DIREDAWA

The advance towards Asmara, in Eritrea, con- tinues, stated an official communique issued in Cairo yesterday.

The occupation of Diredawa, in Abyss.nia, was carried out by South African troops. who

are

now advancing westwards

The forward movement developing in other sections:

The number of prisoners is steadily mounting while guns and war materials abandoned by the retreating enemy are being collected in large quantities. Reuter.

STOP PRESS

Printed and Publ

1

GORDON

New health laws to be in- troduced at the ratepayers' meeting in Shanghai on April 17 provide for registration of all doctors and midwives. compulsory quarantine for victims of communicable diseases, compulsory vaccina- tion, and prohibition of spit- ting in all public places, Reuter.

Continued exodus of Chin- ese members. of the Shanghai:

· Municipal: Council is causing. anxiety in Chinese circles in Shanghai. Following the de- parture of Yu, Ya-ching, Mr. William Gocksan and Mr. Chen Ting-jui have left for Hong Kong. Only two of five Chinese councillors are still in Shanghal-Reuter.

The British Government have agreed to help the Burmese Government to ex- tend the Burma. Rallway to Lashio. - Reuter.

Cost of living in Shanghai rose in terms of the Chinese dollar, from the index figure of 602.29 (compared with 1936-100) in February to 079.999 in March. These con- ditions responsible for un- broken succession of strikes: Walkouts cover the thiloring trade and the foreign tele- graph.companies, the messen- gers of which are striking for increased living allowances, Reuter.