HONGKONG DAILY PRESS
Chamberlain's Challenge
Continued from Page 1
"I do not propose to give an ae- count of the military operations in Bouthern Norway, but to pre- sent a picture of the situation and also to consider the criticisms of the Government's actions.
"No doubt, news of our with- drawal created a profound shock in the House and in this country fertes of. "Abroad and all over the world"). Ministers rust expect to be blamed for everything, but there were reports from Stock- holm, maybe invented by the emergency, which aroused expec- tations which were never justified and which were never endorsed by any Ministers."
The Opposition members inter- rupting at this point, the Speaker intervened sternly and the Prime Minister, resuming. said: **The Government did their best to damp down unfounded reports, but, of course, they had to be care- ful not to say anything, which would inform the enemy of the true situation."
Mr. Chamberlain said that, in the circumstances, the shock and disappointment were inevitable.
We
CABLES
"CHAMBERLAIN | Ironside Pays Tribute
IMBUED WITH
MUNICH IDEAS" To British And
ATE eagerly
check those reinforcements, also knew that the aérodrome facilities in, Trondheim would be PARIS, May 7. (Router)-Public inadequate to allow our planes to and official circles operate, without repairs and ex- awaiting the outcome of today's tension, but, on the other hand, debate in the House of Commons we had considered the effect upon which is expected to have reper- the Norwegian Government, forces cussions on the French Govern- and the people if we had made ne ment's position. attempt to hold Central Norway.
URGENT APPEAL
"We received a most argent appeal from the Norwegian Commander-in-Chief to attack Trondheim at all costs. It was made clear to us that un'ess ..we attacked Trondheim the Norwegians were nat likely to feel able to continue their re- sistance and the whole coun- try would have fallen into German hands.
"In those circumstances, we felt that, despite the hazards, we must run risks to give help to a brave people, who had almost for- gotten what war meant, to stand up to a German bully in an effort to save their freedom and inde- pendence.
attack on Trondheim
"Is there anyone here who CAUSE OF FAILURE
would have done otherwise? „I Mr. Chamberlain proceeded:
feel that if we had refused to
"I will try to examine the his-
answer the call. We should have justified tory and causes of this fallure
the reproach that our only object in Scan- and to answer some of the
dinavia was iron ore and that questions. I do not "wish to
we cared nothing for the extenuate anything.. but, at
freedom of small nations. the same time. I hope that we
"I come next to the point that shall not exaggerate tba ef-
we ought to have made a direct fect, or importance, of the check we have received. The
This is a point en which experts may and withdrawal from Southern
will differ. And there will be Norway is not comparable with
cpinion which deserves respect. the withdrawal from Gallipoli,
"Since the operation was not "There were no large forces in- tried, it will never be possible to volved. In fact there
not decide anally, The idea was con- much more than a single divisionstantly before us and plans for a and our losses, therefore. were not direct assault on Trondheim com- really great in number nor was bined with operations in Namsos there any considerable: or valu- | and Aandalsnes able, amount of stores left be- upon and carefully considered. hind."
WAS
were reported
CONSIDERABLE TİME Mr. Chamberlain re-emphasis "Such operations are necessarily ed that if we had losses the Ger- complicated and need considerable mans had far heavier losses in time for thorough preparation if warships. planes, transports and success is to be assured. More- men (cheers). The Prime Minis-over, for a time, it seemed that ter continued, "Still I am, quite the capture of Trondheim might aware that the result of recent be effected with forces alone that events is not to be measured mere had landed elsewhere. We had ly in losses on the spot. (Cries of always supposed that the hear hear. from all over the mans would be delayed by House>.
blowing up of bridges and structions on the roads up two valleys from Oslo.
Ger- the
the
L'Auto writes: "Mr. Neville Chamberlain la imbued with Munich ideai. M. Reynand, da you hope he will easily abandon them?"
L'Ordre writes: "Let Mr. Cham- berlain beware, Pacifism and treason are too often the same thing. It is a fact that the German Government knew of the Allied decisions on Norway remarkably quickly."
JEWS FLEEING FROM HITLER
Special to H.K."Dally Press Fleeing from Hitler, some 210 refugees, mostly Jewish, passed through Hongkong yesterday on an Italian liner en route for Shanghai.
It is learned that although fur- ther Jewish refugee immigration into Shanghai was once forbidden and discouraged by the S.M.C. au- thorities, refugees are now per- mitted entry into the port upon the presentation
Gnancial guarantees or resources..
French Soldiers Back From Norway
LONDON, May." (BWS)-Some of the British and French troops, who have been fighting in Norway, have arrived at a Scottish port Where General Sir Edmund Ironside, Chief of the Imperial Genera! Staff, addressed them.
He said, "We all realise the difficulties under which you have been fighting. You were the advance guard. Speed was essential. If you had been delayed 24 or 48 hours the collapse would have been even worse than it was, We thought we would be able to give you the necessary guns and aviation which would have made it possible for you to fight against the machine to which you were opposed but, as you know, the race went against us,
"It was impossible to bring up those things. I think each one of you will know in his heart that, man for man, and under proper conditions, you are more than a match for the Germans.
ter conveying his "sincere ap preciation of their splendid efforts in the face of great difficulties"
In an interview General B. C, T. Indeed, Paget, D. 5. O.. M. C., who direct-
I think the story of your marched the withdrawal, disclosed that back from Dombaas and your em- the troops had fought five separate barkation is the thing that will rearguard actions on the way back. live in history. Only very dne "We were not successful in pre- discipline and the help of the Navy venting the Germans breaking and Air Force brought you back through from the south to Trond- as you were ordered. Do not any heim but we may claim to have of you think you were driven out delayed them very considerably
of Norway. You were ordered out and to have inflicted a lot of and the great thing was that you casualties. There is no doubt about could come. Your discipline that. We were actually a hundred brought you out, I want you to miles from our base, when we got bride yourself on that.
orders to withdraw, and we were BOMBERS DOWNED
also in close contact with the "You will hear that some of our enemy We successfully carried planes did land and brought down out the very dinucult operation of It is of interest to note that many of the German bombers but withdrawing over about 170 passengers were Jews it became apparent that it" was in contact with the enemy.
long distance trem Germany, 30 were "stateless" not possible to give you the neces Jews. while the rest of the imsary support in the afr and you was due, as it had been in the past **The success of that operation migrants were Czechs. Poles and a few former residents from Danzig.
were ordered out of the country," history of the British Army, to the General Ironside then read a splendid endurance and fighting message from the War Minis- qualities of the units engaged,"
War Office communique
LONDON, May 7 (Reuter)
yesterday afternoon" says there is 13sued
nothing to report from the Narvik
sren
troops were retained here and the House must understand that the ob-seater despatch of troops to Nor- way was riot given by the nvall- ability of troops in this country, but by the speed with which, they could be landed at these very few ports which alone were open to us to use, therefore, Members would see that under these ar- rangements there would have been no delay in following up the ad- vance troops with
from men France if we could have establish-
"In that we were disappoint- ed. No demolitions, except a couple of bridges by a British party were made. "The rapid advance of the Ger- mans, accompanied by tanks. artilery and mortars first held up our troops and then forced them to retire.
"We had to take account of the fact that we suffered a certain loss of prestige, that à certain co- lour had been given to the false legend of German invincibility on land, that some discouragement had been caused to our friends and that our enemies are crowing. We must accept that position for the moment but we need not help cur enemies in making it worse.
"As regards the reaction in for-
I now come to the criticised the first troops in Norway." eign countries I think it might which has had considerable cir- The fact that the main body well have been more serious.culation. and appeared in many was in France would not have in- Throughout the whole of this organs of the press-namely, that volved any delay whatsoever pro- difficult period, France has shown the force designed to assist Fin vided that establishment could remarkable steadiness Yoneers) land should never have been dis- have taken place. Therefore, #he and, as in this country, the only persed and that, if it had been said, no time was lost by the dis- effect of the reverse is to stiffen kept in being, we might have fore persal of that part only of the her determination. Turkey
stalled the German seizure of Nor- Anglo-French force, which. in any ally remains unperturbed. Egypt wegian ports or, at least, sent case, would not have gone with continues to strengthen her de-larger forces more quickly to the the first contingent and which, if fences. The Near East position scene of the operationis.
the first contingent could have es- "Whatever forces we had at our tablished itself. would have been
time as if it had been all the time. able to follow it in fust as quick
tion In the
A
(Cheers).
OUT
has been quietened by a reversion disposal we could not have fore- to normal of our Fleet distribu-stalled the Germans unless the
Mediterranean
Norwegians had allowed us to come in. I do not suppose anyone would suggest that we should have in- vaded Norway before the Germans did.
now is
"As you will have expected the reaction has been more serious in Sweden than any-` where else and I fully appre- ciate the reasons why. I re- kret certain comments of a polemical character which ap- peared in the Swedish press. "What we are concerned with not the recriminations which could equally well have been made, by either side thear, hear) ⚫ but rather measures to be taken in the future and if the Swedish Government and people decide for a policy of neutrality in the face of pressure, I trust that at least that neutrality will be strictly in partial as between belligerents." (Hear, hear).
CABINET DECISIONS The Prime Minister then came to the sequences of events and the successive decisions of the Cabinet "I have not heard any criticism of our decision to send a force to Narvik, the gateway to the North Bea, from the previous ore fields
"Unfortunately, their deter- mination to preserve the strictest neutrality, the last thing the Nor- wegians would do was to allow us to "enter
in this country
Another consideration, it is well not to forget, was that for the transport, of the Anglo- French forces 3 substantial amount of shipping was re- quired and for a considerable time that shipping was kept standing idle until it should be required.
Consequently we were helpless to their ports unopposed. prevent the German stroke which theft ships or the high seas, can The Germans, who cannot use was made easy by treachery from afford to keep them standing by inside and which had been pre- until they think a favourable mo- pared long before-hand by the ment has arrived for another as- concealment of troops and materi sault upon innocent neutrals. als in apparently innocent looking ships.
"I the argument was that by dispersing the Anglo-French troops we had missed the opportunity of successfully attacking after the Germans had delivered their blow, then we could say that the argu- ment was founded upon complete misconception."
"TRUE, FACTS " · Mr. Chamberlain went on to ex- plain that the "true facts" were as follows.
'We are in a different position. We can usefully use every ton of shipping space for carrying food- studs. or raw materials, or muni- tions, or equipment to this country and it will be quite unjustifiable to keep a whole feet waiting in definitely on Scandinavia, which might never have come.
"I stress again that we did keep rendy certain forces to occupy cer | taln Norwegian ports if her mea- trailty had been previously violat ed by Germany.
of Sweden and I assume that our The forces prepared for the
"We had reason to belleve that decision in that respect was fully Anglo-French expedition consisted a relatively small force would be approved.
of two parts. One part was the necessary to occupy and hold these "But it may be asked why should advance, troops who were to be places until these larger forces we send an expedition to Trondsent first to Finland. The other were landed. After the forestal heim when we must have known part was the larger body who ment, they were insuficient to re- of the local enemy air superiority would have followed after the store the position, though they and the probability that rein- first had reached Scandinavia. vere embodied in the forces land- forcements would be hurried from This second contingent was the ed in Namsos and Aandalsnes. Oslo.
main body of the forces.
Lastly, there was the, question "I am not going to pretend that "When the Finnish campaign whether it was right when we had in the first anxious days we fore- was given up we decided that there | decided that our operations could saw everything, but we did realise was no need to keep this large catch up at Trondheim, to with that the expedition would be full force in this country and, socord draw or should we have reinforced of risks and we also realised that ingly, it was despatched to France the forces we already had in Nor- ́ ́it would be dimenit to take Trond-where. It had been originally "in- | way with the idea of making a
heim, and hold it. unless we could tended to go, but the advanced further attempt."
General Hsu Says War In
Europe Will Be Prolonged
CHUNGKING, May 7 (Reuter) -The fighting in Norway has stili nowhere reached the decisive stage In the European war but the German successes are likely to prolong the conflict, desfires General Nsu Pei-kenk, former C.-in-C. of the Chinese Air Force and now counsellor to the War Operations Department of the National Milit ary Council, in a special article featured In yesterday morning's Central Daily News, the officiaj organ of the Government,
Shanghai Murder
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8.
NEW
1940.. →PAGE
KEDS
WITH A
“SELF-COOLING SYSTEM
Perfect For Every Spóris Occasion!
The sole is channeled and cross channeled with a system of air ducts which pump fresh air in and out" continiously with each step of the foot.
The
WING ON
Calra
Famous Nazi "Strength Through Joy" Steamer Sunk In The Skagerrak
.
He expresses the opinion that, despite the Allies' hold on Narvik | it will be most difficult for them" to drive the Germans out of Nor- way since almost impassable
LONDON, May 7 (Reuter)-The Admiralty announces mountain ranges separate Narvik
that since April 1 the Germans lost 300,000 tons of mer- from central and southern Norway, SHANGHAI, May 7 (Reuter)-chant shipping practically all of which was sunk during while harbour conditions along the Hsia Tse-ting, believed to be a the Norwegian operations and include transport and west coast of the country make fairly important pre-Wang official supply ships. This brings the total German losses in the landing operations extremely dit- here, was murdered last night
war to 600,000 tons gross representing about 15 per cent. Acult.
when leaving a Ballroom in the
of Germany's pre-war tonnage. The German control of central International Settlement. He was
German mercantile and southern Norway, General Esu killed by two gunmen as he was
ton- adds. is likely to increase German walking from the well-lighted en nage, definitely accounted for economic staying power by reduc- trance of the ballroom to a tax as captured, sünk or scuttled,
fig the effectiveness of the Allied The assassins fired" at point blank amounts to 454,000 tons. naval blockade. It may also give range and escaped in the ensuring
It is estimated that in addition the Germans facilities for air and confusion. It is generally accept- "a further 30 unidentified ships, of naval attacks on England, and in-ed that there was political motive approximately 150,000 tons were finence the attitude of neutrals, "for the murder.
sunk by Allfed submarines, mines and aircraft.
ITALY WILL NOT JOIN GERMANY IN WAR
Daily Mail Correspondent
Looks Into Future
LONDON, May 7 (Reuter)-"Britain is convinced that
side by declaring war against the Allies," writes G. Ward Signor Mussolini will not enter the conflict on Germany's
Price in the Daily Mall..
·
Mr. Ward Price belleves that at a moment considered opportune, Italy will seize some territory" in the Medi- terranean which she would keep in case of a German vic- tory,
she would use the territory as a In the event of an Allled victory
basis for bargaining at the peace conference.
HITLER'S FEARS
WEDDINGS AT REGISTRY
Three weddings were solemnised Mr. Ward Price says Yugo-Blavia yesterday at the Registry, Supreme cannot prevent Italy seizing the Court, before Mr. J. Reynolds, De Dalmatian coast and would then puty
ber.
Registrar. The
According to Rotterdam' re- ports, the announcement con- tinges, the German motorship Robert Ley (21,288 tons) was sunk in the Skagerrak during the night of April 12-13. This
the
famous " strength
through 10y" ship.
RUSSIA FEARS . Continued from Page 1 Germany control Europe.
South East
"Remember," she said, "ibat Rusia has been, and probably still is, afraid "that Germany, France and England will one day form an alliance against her and, therefore, we should do nothing to show that we fear Communism more than Nazisin.”
ANGIO-FRENCH FRIENDSHIP She then went on to speak of It is also reported that the the very close Anglo-French rela- Bayn (2,321 tons) and another in- tions existing at the present mo- named Gerinan ship, were sankment.
"You are now closer to us," she near Delfazil,
Up to the week ending Sunday said. "There is no comparison midnight of April 28-29 four Bri- between now and the last war. It tish ships of a total tonnage of is only one country now not two. 6,689, were sunk by enemy action: Wherever you go in France today. one Allied ship (1,468 tons) and you will only hear two tunes be- - two neutral ships (298 tona) the ing sung-La Marseilles and God names of which are not revealed Save the King. After the last war under the new procedure.
we did not keep friendly enough British tonnage was less than But now the man-in-the-street one-third of the average weekly says this time we are going to win tonnage lost hitherto.
the peace."
The statement continues that the success of the convoy systém continues. Up to May 1, 19,098 British, Allied and neutral ships had been convoyed.
British Wireless adds that no
TRANSPORT WORK
information is available whether parties the German "Strength Through
"
To a question by Mr. Wor- mouth as to how France would regard a United States off- Europe Mme. Tabonis said that the French people today were the nucleus of a new Europe. They wanted a Federation and they wanted Germany inside that Federation. Referring to the Allled with-
be faced with a German invasion were: of Croatia, where à puppet gov
Joy" "ship, Robert Ley, was eris Mr. Chow I-shik, of the Lee gaged in troop carrying when the drawal from Southern Norway. ernment would be installed.
Chang Co., Ltd. of No. 144 Des was sink in the Skagerrak, but it she said that the feeling in France After declaring that some Italian Voeux Road Central, and Miss Yu is assumed that the, and ther was one of regret, but that regret action is imminent, the writer Pel-yung, of No. 15 To Li Terrace; vessels accounted for, were em was not so adds the opinion prevails in Italy
great as people": that Hitler fears a second winter British Cigarette Co., Ltd.,, and with the Norwegian campaign.
Mr. Lam Kwok-fai, clerk of the played on duties in connexion thought. The of war and the consequences of Miss Memat Cheng, of No. 136 The Inference is also drawn help of Norway and that losses of French people realise that the Allies went to the Roosevelt re-election in Novem- Jaffe Road;
from the Admiralty announce ships and planes, etc were to be Mr, Ho Bu-cheong, of No. 147 ment that the 100.000 tons of expected. The experience gained The Italians also expect a Ger- Lockhart Road, and Miss Lo Kwal German shipping lost since April by the Allies in Norway would do. man offensive "on the western fan of No. 209 Wanchal Road. I were engaged in the Norwegian them a lot of good. front in the summer.
ZONE ANNOUNCEMENT
campaign in transport work. Concluding, Mr. Ward Price ex- The forthcoming marriages" i
LONDON, May 7 Teater) Dr. presses the opinion that rumours announced of Mr. Tong Chin-pan, PARIB, May 7 (Reuter)-Last Koht, accompanied by the Nor of a German attack on the Mag-cashier of the Fu Han Trading nights communique states that wegian Minister in London, M. Col- not Line are probably a blind to Co., Ltd., and Miss Emmie Ruth there is nothing of importance to ban, called on Mr. Neville Chame hide preparations for a lightning Wong. of No. 10. Prince's Terrace, report. Some artillery fire was au-berlain yesterday afternoon and offensive against the Balkans. second floor.
dible in Lower Alsace,
remained for some time.
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