1936-10-30 — Page 18

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1936.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT,

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The

Hongkong Telegraph.

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 19:16,

LABOUR VIEW ON

COLONIES

There has been considerable speculation regarding the likely altitude of the British Labour Party on the question of the de- mand by certain Powers for view colonial territories, with a

not necessarily

to giving them greater equality of economic opportunity. The subject, in all its ramifications, has been studied by an advisory committee of the National Execu- tive of the Labour Party, whose report, whilst representing the views of the Party as a whole, contains a well- reasoned survey of the claims of the dissatisfied nations from the view of prestige, points of strategy and economic well-being, together with concrete proposals Jan the matter. With regard to

the much-talked-of problem of raw materials, it is stated that the dissatisfied Powers do not, except in a few cases, draw the bulk of their raw materials from colonial territories under the control of other Powers and that, therefore, the demand for con- trol over the sources of raw materials could not be satisfied by an exchange of colonial ter- ritories. At the sane time, whilst actual discriminatory taxes

Our Admirals are all

at SEA about SPAIN

ROM the beginning of the struggle in Spain, public attention in Britain has principally been focused on what has happened on land." All through the struggle our "National" Government has pretended to be following a polley of non-Intervention; but this, in practice has meant an embargo on the Spanish Gov- ernment's undoubted right to purchase munitions.

That the rebels were able to get all the arms they wanted from the Fascial Powers is well known. But when it came to the campaign at sea, the partiality of our "National" Government has been undoubted; and has been partiality against the legal Government in Spain and in favour of the rebels..

Let us see what happened. About half the Spanish Fleet, including the most powerful unit in that. Pert, the dreadnought battleship Dani Jaimie, remained loyal. That to say, the crews were able to in- sin on, at any rate, a portion of the officers observing their oath of alleghinee to the Republic. This portion of the Fiert has as bases on the cast and south-east coast of Spain the ports of Barcelona and the rebels were Malaga, where quickly overcome.

The naval port of Cadiz in the south-west of Spalu fell into the bands of the rebels, as did the port of Vigo in the north. The loyal Fleet, Though woefully short of re- itable officers, has done good work in cutting off communications be- tween the rebels in Morocco and the rebels on the Spanish main- Kund.

It babarded the Moroccan for- ress and Port of Ceuta, and the Spanish Port of Algeciras, used as a disembarkation place for such rebel troopships as could break through or evade the blocknders,

It should be noled in passing that though tremendous efforts were made by the British Navy im- mediately to evacuate all British subjects from Spanish coast towns, especially those where the Loyal- ints were in control, the large British colony in Algeciras was en- couraged to remain until that hot- bed of rebel conspiracy was bom- barded by the loyal Spanish war- ships:

However, as soon as the Spanish Government's naval forces in the south attempted to prevent the arms traille to Cadiz, they were in- terfered with.

The Commander of the German- naval forces protested against

of examination

German any vessels bound for Cadiz. That was to be expected. But why have the powerful units of the British Mediterranean Flect acted with - such tremendous vigour when Spanish warships, loyal to the Governinent, have attempted to arry out their right of visiting

Says Lord

STRABOLGI

A Spanish Government ship with two submarines alongside taking on supplies and ammunition in Tangier Harbour.

and searching vessels on the high scas suspected of carrying contra- band to Cadiz?

Spanish

The first time Government cruiser stopped EL British vessel nl sea, bound for the rebel port of Cadiz, the British super-dreadnought Queen Eliza- beth raised steam, cleared for action, and proceeded nt full speed to the spot, warning off the Spanish commander.

And this conduct has been re- peated.

Now let us see what the inter- national law is. If the rebels lind been recognised as belligerents, the Spanish Government would have had the right to declare a unval blockade of any ports in their hands. Under the Law of Nations, Spanish warships would have had the right to arrest any merchant vessels of any nation- ality attempting to rerch a rebel port with any kind of cargo what- soever.

The only proviso in law is that the blockade must be effective; that is to say, that the naval forcés at the disposal of the blockaders 1s such as to make it reasonably certain that they can apprehend the majority of would-be blockąde

runners.

An occasional successful evasion ut the blockade at night or in thick weather does not invalidate a blockade. Vessels attempting to break a blockade can be con- demned as prize and confiscated.

Even if the blockaders are tem- porarily driven off by bad weather, the blockade is not raised. That.

is the law, and it has been recog- nised and acted on for centuries. Now the rebels have not been recognised

A belligerents, An quibble might be made, therefore, about the right of the Spanish Government to declare a blockade: but in all the circumstances, and In view of many precedents, in- cluding the beginning of the American Civil War when the Federal Government refused to for recognise the Confederates some time, there is no doubt of the right of the Government vessels of war to visit and search mer- chant ships of any nationality suspected of carrying contraband or other aid to the rebels,

The action of the British war- ships was, therefore, high-handed in the extreme. I has had the effect of hampering the com- tanders of the loyal war vessels of the Spanish Navy in exercising their undoubted right to prevent supplies of war material reaching the rebels by sen,

On the other hand, the least breach of the strict letter of the, law by Spanish loyalists at sea has' been the occasion of the most. drastic action. There was the case of the armed' trawlers of the Spanish Navy proceeding to Malaga which passed within the three-mile limit of Gibraltar at night.

It is not too easy to pass through the Straits of Gibraltar in a small ship at night without infringing territorial waters.

The British authorities in Gib- raltar apparently had information

Travel Snobs: Why I Hate Them

the Folles Bergeres on his mind, frogs

(formerly of the

Admiralty War Stoß)

of the voyage-we can guess from which sources-and the Spanish Government trawlers were arrested by British destroyers. They were afterwards relcased, it is true, but I know of no technical offence which they had committed,

For if the rebels have not belli- gerent rights, and if there is not a State of war, and if the Spanish Navy is not allowed to exercise its right of visit and search on sus- pected vessels, then, no offence. even technical, was 'committed by. passing through territorial waters of Europa Point at the southern end of the Rock of Gibraltar.

Chr

The contrast between vigorous and pugnacious attitude of His Majesty's ships when the Spanish Government war vessels nitempted to exercise their rights at sea and the polite protests addressed to General Franco in Morocco was very striking.

But now let us see what has hap- pened in the North, where the rebel warships have for the time being command of the sea. Here it is a case of one man being allowed to steal a horse and another one ar- rested for looking over the fence.

If the rebels are not recognised as belligerents, the omeers and erews of their warships mutlucers and their status is only that of pirates.

are

They have decinred a blockade of Bilbao which, in the hands of the Loyalists, is besieged by the rebel army. Not only have they de- clared a blockade, but they have actually-according to the news- paper reports and the news 'sunt- maries of the B.B.C.—sown a mine- field off the harbour.

Bilbao is much frequented by British merchant ships, which call.

I should there to load Iron ore. have thought all the hematite iron ore available was urgently needed here, as we are notoriously short of steel for our rearmament pro- gramme.

This trade is very important, yet we have heard of no protest by the Foreign Omce against this un- doubtedly illegal action of these -mutinoors, There are no stories. of British warships clearing for action and demanding a free pass- age for British merchant ships on their lawful occasions. The Free- dom of the Seas apparently does not exist on the north coast of Spain, where the rebels are in con- trol,

their through

temporary naval command.

Needless to say, there has been no protest from the German Ad- miralty in Spanish waters on this ocension, though presumably Ger- man merchant vessels wishing to enter Bilbao suffer with our own. But, then, the German Govern- ment has made no pretence of strict neutrality,

The difference is that our Gov- ernment has; and had taken very good care to apply it where neu-

-injure the forces supporting the Republic.

have not commonly been imposed NOW is the time when that most

insufferable of snobs, the travel By Tommy Handley galore in his stomach, some saucy trality might as has been the case

members;

every day of my life, particularly Just now.

me

Ball, you

photographs in his suitcase, and nothing in his pocket.

But to hear that fellow talk....my. he'd done the low-down on every half-inch of this little earth.

on exports from Colonies, pre-ling snow, sets about his snobbery, |ferential taxes have on occasion One holiday abroad gives him enough been imposed and the report material for the rest of the year.

Surely you have heard of him? In the early stages of conversation concludes that all discriminatory

Please don't tell me I'm alone in this they are just a little superior. When

he'd become so foreign he and preferential export taxes misfortune. Why, I seem to run I tell them about my wonderful holl- and any revenue tariff on a com- ncross positive hörden of the chaps | day at Cheung Chow, their couldn't remember the English sea- superiority swells. Then, choosing sons. I talked to him about Easter. modity preponderantly produced in a single political unit should be the report advocates an extension unch their:"Now, when I was up of course.

the right moment to a nicety, they "Easter," he repeated blankly, "Oh, We call it something quite abandoned. The Committee's of the mandate system and in the Yangtse Gorge...." "Or possibly different out there..........” conclusions may be summarized particular that

It's no good. I know one should African tropical its "Reminds

control oneself. I know one should as follows:-(1) Colonies, are of territories should be brought un- the subtle nonchalance of their be tolerant. But I simply can't stand

And some but not of great economic der

transfer mandates. The

manner. As though the idea had en- these chaps. importance; (2) The non-posses-should be conditional on an ex-

tered their minds quite by chance One of the queeres. things about the holiday sab is the way his pride sion of them is only really intensive reform of the mandate without the least forethought.

Hong it. why doesn't it remind swells in accordance with the dis- jurious in so far as discrimina-system in the following direc- tory practices are adopted by the tions:-Creation of a League them of Macao? And why can't they tance travelled. The man who has May, with the same pride in their just been to Shanghal is modest in "possessora"; (3) The abolition Loans Authority to ensure equal voices, "Now, when I Was

at comparison with the chap who bas of discrimination rather than the opportunity for investors of all Canton.....

visited America, while the fellow who exchange of territories should League

Govern- Men do not suffer from this com- has done Australia.

are just as I wonder why people are like that, consequently be our aim from ment development to be used plaint alone. Women

Two days I wonder why the man new to travel this point of view; (4) The whenever possible; members bad, perhaps even worse.

out at sea and they think they've feels so suddenly self-important. Be- abolition of preferential and dis of the Mandales Commission changed their nationality entirely cause, after all they can't get much criminatory practices will not to undertake periodic tours of foreign in every sense of the world., satisfaction out of it. I know they never do with me, unless I want to remedy the dissatisfied Powers' inspection, close co-operation be-

amuso myself. principal economic troubles; the tween Mandates Commission and Sheer Torture

If only they

paused to think. Con- drawn. real remedy for those troubles is | LL.O.; representatives

I simply can't stick them. They sidered the millions of people who in their own hands; (6) never-from African und other popula- address you as "sahib," They write have travelled the world over and theless the removal of discriminations concerned to be eligible for to you in a poisonous mixture of over, and never mention it. Surely, tion both for its modest economic membership of Mandates Com- Japanese and English. If they hop- then, they would see that their affect- and its general importance should mission; aggrieved parties in pen to know a few words of Japanese, ed nonchalance, their pigmy Bride, why don't they try them on the only lowers instead of raises them in be undertaken; (6) Such return mandated territories - to have Japanese "boys." They are used to the estimation of others.

I know plenty of people who spend to multilateral trade as is possi- right to appear before Commis- it. I'm not. At least, not in letters. ble in present circumstances is sion; equality of opportunity for "Mon Dieu!" It's sheer torture. Not and the more widely they have.

And "mon

aml""mon am!"-- almost their whole lives travelling, desirable mot only out general nationals of all League members to mention the dear old ladies who travelled, the less superior they are. grounds but also because of the to enter the public services of are apt to misunderstand, and say

Even among suitcase, this self-some grent dependence of certain of mandated areas; mandates should some very strong things about one's snobbery exists. No, perhaps not the actual suiteases, but the labels they the so-called dissatisfied Powers be held in trust from the League language.

There, was chap I knew who bear. If I were running a series, upon a multilateral system. As and the League recognised as spent a fortnight in Paris. When he Things they Don't Do I should put far as the administration of ultimate authority over mandated

came back he had the Eiffel Tower at the top: "Carefully scrape all colonial territories is concerned, areas.

in his trunk, Notre Dame in his hat,

(Continued on Page 5.)

Ta raise this illegal blockade. Loyalist warships had to leave the entrance to the Mediterranean and go north to Bilbao, giving the pirates temporary command in the

south.

This is why the Government destroyer Ferrandiz was sunk and the rebels able to transport a Moorish army by sea for the first. time to fight in Spain;

FA

Sir Samuel Hoare, the First Lord of the Admiralty, in an Infamous speech, referred to the "two fac- Lions contending in Spain. lead has apparently been followed by our Admirals to the extent of Impeding the Spanish Government- warships on every possible occa- slon in the south of Spain, where- they are strong, and allowing the mutineers to do practically what they like in the North.

We have been zealous in the past in upholding our own belligerent rights at seq. Also, the British Navy will suffer the most if the Rebels win in Spain, establish a. Fascist Government in alliance with Germany and Italy, and make the harbours in Spain and North Africa uvaliable for corsairs under hostile flags in any future war.

·To-day's Thought ADMIRALS, extoll'd for stand-

tag adult,

Or doing nothing with a deal of

skill.

-COWPER,