1939-10-05 — Page 7

HONGKONG DAILY PRESS

CABLE

"PEACE OFFER" DEBATE IN COMMONS: UNANIMOUS DECISI ON IN FAVOUR

OF STOP

PREMIER'S POLICY Loud And Prolonged

Mr. Lloyd George's Speech Criticized As Suggestion Of Surrender

"LONDON, Oct. 4 (Reuter)-There was pointed vigour in Mr. Neville Chamberlain's speech In the House of Com- mons yesterday in contrast to his normal unemotional delivery and his delivery stirred the House to cheers when he asserted that no threat would cause Britain and Francè to abandon their purpose; to more cheers at his statement that no mere German assurance could be accepted; and to still louder and longer cheers when Mr. Chamberlain in- dicated that the rule of violence must cease.

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Continuing his statement in "There is ample evidence that atu still operating the House, Mr. Chamberlain submarines

round said: "To attempt-as Ger-

our "coasts, Absence of | sinkings, therefore, is, in the main. man propaganda does-to saddle us with the responsi-dopted by the Navy."

due to the successful measures

bility for continuing the war because we are not prepared German to abandon the struggle be- fore this purpose is achieved, is only another instance of German war technique.

WORTHLESS ASSURANCES

"The responsibility for the war rests upon those who have con- ceived and carried out this policy of successive aggression and it can neither be evaded nor excused,

"No mere assurances from the present, German Government could be accepted by us, for that Government have too often proved in the past that their undertakings are worth- less, when it suits them that they should be broken,

II. therefore. proposals

are

Cheers Greet Premier's Speech In Commons

n

LONDON, Oct. 4 (Reuter)—In the House of Commons yesterday, Mr. C. R. Attlee, Leader of the Labour Opposi- tion, welcomed Mr. Chamberlain's statement and agreed that they must carefully examine every kind of peace proposal, but that they must also deal with realities.

"It is no use saying there is peace when there is no peace," he declared, “and the mere relteration of the situation of the last year or two will not bring the world back to peace."

This war began long before there was any formal de- claration of war and deeds not merely words would be re- quired before they could get any peace.

The international situation any such proposal were put for- was still obscure and it was ward they should not be in a not possible at the moment to hurry to give it an answer. He decide exactly what had been aw no reason at all why the House should not have ample MT Chamberlain added that the effect of the Russo-Ger-

opportunity of seeing and con. submarines were now man Pact. being driven to operate in far dis-

sidering any proposals which MORE INFORMATION

might be put forward and for tant waters where their menace Discussing the Ministry of In-hearing from the Government could not be so great, but until formation and news broadcasts, what" they would recommend the they could be found and destroyed Mr. Attlee said the country need- House to approve by way of they might be an embarrassmmented a great deal more riformation, answer.

SINISTER DEVELOPMENT In the recent broadcast by Mr. Continuing, the Premier said: Churchill they got more informa- "Another and more sinister de- tion then in a great many other velopment in U-boat warfare is cases and sometimes he thought the announcement by Germany they got more in Empire Broad- that she will regard every vessel of casts than at home. the British Merchant Navy as

a warship.

"If this means anything, it means 'she will pursue her uns restricted sabmarines

paign. Illegal, attacks only serve to underline the impor tance of providing our ship. ping with adequate defensive equipment and we are pressting this with the utmost despatch, "Further evidence in unrestrict to submarine warfare is to be found in the number of neutral merchant ships Germany has sunk. Sirice the outbreak of war the total of these sinkings amounts to seven ships of a gross tonnage of 13,194

made, we shall certainly examine them and we shall test them in the light of what I have just said. Nobody destres the war to continue for an unnecessary day, but the overwhelming mass opinion in this "country, and I am satisfied" also that of France, is determined to secure that the rule of violence shall cease and that the word of Governments once pledged must tons. henceforth be kept."

PROGRESS OF WAR

to give a summary of the war's progress.

.

י,

Mr. Attlee also expressed pleasure at what was Rhodesia, The amazing "unity of the British Commonwealth had been due to the fact that it was a free association of free peoples.

41

SIR ARCHIBALD SINCLAIR Sir Archibald Sinclair. Liberal leader, sald they earnestly wanted prace "but we are not prepared to buy peace at the sacrifice of freedom and the moral values of our civilisation. It is, therefore, essential for us to go on with this War until that force of Hitlerism in Germany is broken."

Sir Archibald Sinclair renewed his previous appeals for e Secret! Seaalon

It would be premature t this stage to build any hopes of the likelihood of such a proposal being made, although the House realised that no man would welcome more whole-heartedly than he any proposal which he could really feel had achieved the aims which he had already described as the aims of this Gov- ernment and this country in entering the war.

"PEACE OFFER" DEBATE

A debate then ensued on the possibility of L "Peace Offer! coming shortly.

Mr. Duff Cooper' said that' a' further argument for a Secret Bes- ston was Mr. Lloyd George's speech which would be misrepresented in Etrope as a suggestion of surren-

THURSDAY OCTOBER, 5, 1939. —PAGE 11

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WESTERN

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Importance Of Gains

By French

der, which he was sure was not 100,000 ACRES OF

Mr. Lloyd George's intention.

"We stand solidly in support of Mr. "Chamberlain's state- ment that we can make no peace" with the present Gov-

"In addition, eight ships with a gross tonnage of 27,765 tons have.

MR. LLOYD GEORGE Mr. Chamberlain them went on been sunk by mines or bombing.”

Mr. David Lloyd, George said Referring to the German raider that if the whole situation in re-ernment in Germany because in the South Atlantic, Mr. Cham-gard to peace was dependent on

any peace they signed will On the Western Front," he said, berlain said: "This fresh menace the word of Harr Hitler, he was never be kept. "some further progress was made will be dealt with according to afraid they had no alternative but Mr. Lloyd George interposed to proceed until they had some that he was the last man to pro- by the French which enabled them prearranged plans,”

NAZI REPORTS

other better and more sure pose a surrender. Chamberlain referred to guarantee.

COERCED NATIONS

transported to France

NAZI TERRITORY

NOW TAKEN PABIS, Oct. 4 (Renter) hitherto achieved on the Western

strategic importance of the gains

Front is summed up, by a military expert in the “Petit. Parisien,” who says that the French have occupied approximately 100,000 acres of German territory and that a large part of the outposts of the Sier-

to secure useful points for observa- tion over the German positions. A Mr. large British Army had been the reiterated mis-statements in Judging from what appeared in The Labourite, Mr. DR Gren-

and 13 German broadcasts" regarding the the press and the discussions at fell, declared that in the past tried Line is now in French hands, taking its place alongside our attempted bombing of the Home the Invitation of Herr Hitler with year 30.000.000 non-Germans were

Between the present front and French Allies.

Fleet by German planes and Ger- the Italian Government, "who on tom from their own lives and

the Maginot line is a band of ter- man claims to the sinking of an the whole have shown a friendly handed over to the Nazi regiineritory several kilometres wide, act- aircraft carrier,

disposition to us, it is quite clear and every day smaller nations that somebody WAH going to were being coerced. submit detailed terms for thei consideration of His Majesty's) Government.

"We have reason to be proud of the eficiency' with which' this complicated movement has been carried out.

"Reconnaissance fights, both by day and night, are being made by the RAF units in France, and there have been encounters with enemy fighter aircraft.

"The facts are that no Brit- Ish ship was damaged and that all of them, Including the Ark Royal, are carrying out their normal duties, subļimely unconscious of these rumours. The only casualties incurred in that "action were suffered by the German aircraft them- selves."

DOMINIONS HELP

"The aircraft coastal command. have continued throughout the week to carry out anti-submarine and other routine patrol and escort work and special reconnaissances and advantage has been taken of Mr. Chamberlain declared that the light moon to continue the re-preparations in the Dominions lentless hunting of submarines were continuing and particularly

the during the night hours. A number mentioned

splendid help

11

of U-boats had been sighted and from Newfoundland and Southern"

attacked."

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Rhodesia.

"Southern Rhodesia has mobilis- ed its forces and men for service ders of this self-governing colóny." on land and air outside the bor-

THE HOME FRONT.

"I think it is very important wel should not come to too hurried a conclusion. It needs very careful consideration. If we accept the? conquest of Poland as an accom- plished fact and enter into peace on those terms. we should be dishonoured,

"Eurage ought to be ready to discuss peace when we' have gone back at least as far as before Munich. when the Czechs were masters of their own country, the Poles re- gained their own national life, the Germans went back to Germans went back to Ger- many, and Russians were back in Russia. Sir Henry Page-Croft (Con) said that Mr. Grenfell voiced the opinions of the people in every part of the British Isles.

The Labourite Pacifists, Mr. Geo, Buchanan and the Rev. James BAIT, together with the. Communist, Mr.

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COMMONS GEORGE: LIKELY

UNPOPULAR SPEECH IN BY MR. LLOYD "TO DO HARM

ar

ABROAD

CHARACTERISTIC DEBATE

spirit of the country and likely to do harm abroad, writes. Reuter's

· löbby, correspondent,

There was also some criticism of some speakers who treated Mr. Lloyd George's speech as though It would not be heard outaide the House (where there" was no dia- position to misinterpret it) and so appeared to lend it support.

There was corresponding support for Me Duff Cooper's speech,

CHARACTERISTIC DEBATE

ing as a bulwark to the Maginot

Mr. David Lloyd George -- Line against action by German LONDON, Oct. 4 (Reuter)—Mr. artillery by lengthening its range. Lloyd George's Intervention in yesterday's debate in the House of DOING. NOTHING

Commons was unpopular except At present, German guns are among those Labourites whose doing nothing to the Maginot Deviews on a war of any kind are characteristic of the Commons. fences. Should a large-scale offen- invariably extreme pacifist.

As a whole the debate was

All individual views were freely

sive be attempted, the enemy. There was mach support for, the expressed without affecting:⠀ would first come up against his protests of the two other Welsh-basis of the feeling of meral former positions; then, even as men. Mr. D. R. Grenfell and Sir that the vague talk of undefined suming the French forces retreat, John Morris-Jones, who described peace proposals and the assump the enemy would have to take the the speech as ill-timed. blockhouses recendy established.

tions that the United States would

The vast majority of members, automatically · join" an inter conversation, condemni the!tional conference are at pres

the of little use.

speech

He will have to 'face 21 in unimaginable barrage of machine- gun fire and for him it will be an- other Verdun..

WAR COMMUNIQUE PARIS, Oct. 4 (Reuter)A War W. Gallacher, favoured the open-communique states: "Enemy raids

ing of negotiations on the ground that the issues were not worth the millions of liv

"It is clear you are going to get Some thing which goes far beyond that and there are certain questions which have to be considered. There is not merely Poland; there is Dze- U-BOAT MENACE

choslovakia. (cheers) "There is also the Mr. Chamberlain "then referred}

very important to the attacks on the German Fleet

question "of colonies." by bombers and said: "We had

QUESTION OF COLONIES suffered some losses, but the Ger-

Mr. Lloyd George considered mans had admitted that two "of]"Mr. Chamberlain then dealt with that when the Prime Minister got

“L... G.” ' DEFIED their fighting planes were shot the home front, in the course of the proposal one which is suspect

The Liberal, Sir John Morris " down.

which he discussed the Ministry of than the one they had received up Jones, defiled Mr. Lloyd George to "At sea, the war against sub- Information. As a result of the re- to the present the Commons go to Wales and repeat his speech marines continued with unabated view of arrangements for the dis- ought to be consulted,

The Conservative, Mr. Vyuyan vigour and his confidence, pre-tribution of news it was decided to He also urged that their discus- Adams, asked how long it would Flopsty expressed, that the increase revert to the practice existing be-sions should be in Secret Session, be before another act of aggression in anti-submarine measures, would, fore the outbreak of war, whereby The fate of this war depended not cause the submarine menace to the press representatives had on Britain, France and Germany, dwindle no less rapidly had been direct contact with various Gov- but upon the neut Justized.

ernment Departments, and· each Italy and Russia had proclaimed "Trade is flowing to and department, now make its own ar- their neutrality and the United from our ports in ever-increas.

rangements. for communicating States was neutral Even without 'Ing volume,” he declined, “As I

news to presa representatives, taking sides, they could either be speak, hundreds of vessels are

There was at present no inten-friendly or unfriendly. moving over the great ocean tion of doing away with, the *We know, and the United routes protected both by con-

mechanical facilities in the Minis- voy and unremitting and re-

try's building for the receipt and lentless action of our anti-sub- distribution of Government com- marine forces, chang

munications. The new arrange- "Between Sept. 11 and Sept. 20ments will come into force on vessels of a gross tonnage of 3.678.- Monday next. 000 tons entered or cleared United Kingdom porta. And only 1.75 per cent of the total tonnage was lost by U-boats attacks or mines. No ship has been lost in convoy...

BRITISH LOBSES

CENSORSHIP CONTROL Central, censorship was concern-

ed with the material.submitted by

States know they can help us as neutrals. When you DOMÒ, to Russia and Ifaly, within the Ifmits of neutrality, they can make all the difference in the world between friendly and hostile neutral

PREMIER'S REPLY

was commited perhaps against Switzerland, Belgium, or France or even a part of the British Commonwealth?

The Conservative, Bir. Chas. Cayzer, pursaid - Mr. Lloyd George's speech had been palsunderstood and "misrepre- sented. Germany had not won this var; she had already Jost it and nobody knew that. het-

· ter than ́· Herr Hiltier in the [merry game of grab.

The debate concluded with Labourite speeches in favour of a drm front

HA BETTER TERMS A

Mr. Chamberlain replying said, Me, J. J. Tinker (lab) wanted | the press and would as before be that in the present condition he did the Government to prosecute the operated by Censor Oncers guided not feel disposed to think that a war until they were abia to get by the Directions. Department, Secret Session would be of any better terma than they were likely

Mr. Chamberlain announced that particular. value. All they had re- to do now, y

"Between Sept. 20 and Sept. 24 three British ships were sunk by Bir Walter Monkton had been ap-garding the peace proposals was Mr, & 6. 6lverman (Lab) advo- German submarines. Since then, pointed Controller of Censorship an indication that some proposal cated that “we should state on that is to say for the period over and he would at the same time might be made, Mr. Lloyd George What terms we ourselves are pre- the week, no British ship has been supervise arrangements of the cen- had anticipated that proposal, but pared to make peace, and publish reported sunk by enemy submarine trai communication of news to the he might be mistaken, we them to the world and not leave action.

preas.

Mr. Chamberlain agreed that if the initiative to others."

have been repulsed to the east of Mosell and the Baar. Artillery was active on both sides in the same regions."

GERMAN AIR LOSSES PARIS, Oct. 4 (Reuter) It has been officially announced that twenty-four German fighter planes were shot down in September for the loss of eight French fighter. machines.

HOW SOUTHERN

RHODESIA CAN-

HELP BRITAIN SALSBURY (southern Rhodesia), Oct. 4 (Reuter) The Premier, Mr. G. M. Haggins, stated in a radio address yesterday, that, the coun try could help Britian best on the economic front.

By producing every ounce of todde they could help to pay for the purchase of munitions from neutral countries

In Southern Ribdesia, as in Britain, there are more men ready for training than they could cope with

The premier also announced the resignation, for reasons of health, of El Percival flynn, Minister for Internal Affairs. He would be succeeded by the Labour Leader.

as misrepresenting

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