1936-10-30 — Page 6

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1936,

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

Mr and Mrs W. P. Barclay wish to thank Doctors. Sisters and Nurses of Kowloon Hospital, and al ferends and acqurdnianres, for Thela is kindness and floral Eributes ITI their recent sad bereavement,

The

Hongkong Telegraph.

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 1936.

LABOUR VIEW ON

COLONIES

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

to giving them greater equality of economie opportunity. The subject, in all its ramifications, has been studied by an advisory committee of the National Execu- tive of the Labour Party, whose not necessarily

LTD. port, whilst

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representing the views of the Party as a whole; contains a well- reasoned survey of the claims of the dissatisfied nations from the prestige, points of view of strategy and economic well-being, together with concrete proposals on 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 materials could not be satisfied by an exchange of colonial ter- ritories. At the same time.

raw

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 policy of non-intervention; but this. In practice has meant an embargo on the Spanish Gov- ernment's undoubted right to purchase munitions.

That the rebela were able to get all the arms they wanted from the Fascist 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 use what luppened. About half the Spanish Fleet, including the most powerful unit in that Pert, the dreadnought battleship Don Jaime, remained loyal. That

to say, the crews were able to in- sit on, at any rate, a porilun of the officers observing their oath of allegiance to the Republic. This portion of the Flect has as bases on the cast and south-cast coast of Spain the ports of Barcelona and Malaga, where the rebela were quickly overcome.

The naval port of Cadiz in the south-west of Spain fell into the hands of the rebels, as did the port of Vigo in the north. The loyal Fleet, though woefully short of re- lable officers, has done good work in tutung off communications be- tween the rebels in Morocco and the rebels on the Spanish main- land.

It bombarded the Moroccan for- tress and Port of Ceuts, and the Spanish Port of Algeciras, used as a disembarkation place for such rebel troopships as could break through or evade the blockaders.

It should be noted 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- ists 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, nз soon as the Spanish Government's naval forces in the south attempted to prevent the arms traffic 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

Dritish of the Mediterranean Fleet acted with such remendous vigour when Spanish warships, loyal to the Government, have attempted to arry out their right of visiting

Says Lord

STRABOLGI

A Spanish Covernment ship with two submarinos alongside taking on

supplies and ammunition in Tangier Harbour,

A

and searching vessels on the high soas kuspected of carrying contra- band to Cadiz?

The

time A Spanish Government cruiser stopped British vessel at sea, bound for the rebel port of Cadiz, the British super-dreadnought Queen Eliza- beth raised steam, cleared for action, and proceeded at 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 1s. If the rebels had been recognised as belligerents. the Spanish Government would have had the right to declare a naval blockade of any ports in Under the Law of their hands, Nations, Spanish warships would have had the right to arrest any merchant vessels of any nation- ality attempting to reach 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 forces at the disposal of the blockaders 1s such as to make it reasonably certain that they can apprehend the majority-of-would-be blockade

runners.

܀

An occasional successful evasion of 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 as belligerents. quibble might be made, therefore, about the right of the Spanish Government lo derinre a blockade; but in all the elreumstances, and In view of many precedents, in- the cluding the beginning of American Civil War when the Federal Government refused to the Confederates for recognise 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. It has had the com- cffect of hampering the manders of the loyal war vessels of the Spanish Navy in exercising their undoubted right to prevent supplies of war material reaching the rebels by sea.

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 off 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- rallar apparently had Information

Travel Snobs: Why I Hate Them

whilst actual discriminatory taxes NOW is the time when that most have not commonly been imposed

insufferable of snobs, the travel-By Tommy Handley

the Folies Bergeres on his mind, frogs galore in his stomach, some saucy photographs in his suitense, and

But to hear that fellow talk....my, the low-down on every

on exports from Colonies, pre-ling snob, sets about his snobbery, ferential taxes have on occasion One holiday abroad gives him enough, every day of iny life. particularly nothing in his pocket."

just now. been imposed and the report material for the rest of the year,

Surely you have heard of him? In the early stages of conversation | he'd done concludes that all discriminatory Please don't tell me Fin alone in this they are just a little superior. When half-inch of this little earth. and preferential export taxes misfortune. Why, I seem to run I tell them about my wonderful hol!- Why, he'd become to foreign he und any revenue tariff on a com- | across positive fördes of the chops day n Cheung Chow, their couldn't remember the English sea- modity preponderantly produced

you

was al

One of the queerest things about the holiday snob is the way his pride. swells in accordance with the dis lance travelled. The man who has just been to Shanghai is modest in comparison with the chap who has visited America, while the fellow who has done Australia-

ns | I wonder why people are like that. I wonder why the man new to travel feels so suddenly self-important. Be- cause, after all they can't get much satisfaction out of it. I know they never do with me, unless I want to

If only

(formerly of the

Admiralty War Staf)

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

For if the rebels have not belll- gerent rights, and if there is not a state of war, and if the Spanish Navy is not allowed to exercise its right of vlait and search on sus- pected vessels, then no offence, even teclinical, was committed bý passing through territorial waters off Europa Point at the southern end of the Rock of Gibraltar.

The' contrast between the vigorous and pugnaelous stultade of His Majesty's ships when the Spanish Government war vessels altempted to exercise thele 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 I is a case of one man being allowed to steal a horse and anothe; one ar- rested for looking over the fence,

If the rebels are not recognised as belligerents, the officers and crews of their

ure warships mutineers and their status is only that of pirates,

They have declared 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 sum- maries of the B.B.C.—sown a mine- feld off the harbour.

Bilbao is much frequented by British merchant ships, which call there to load iron ore, I should. have thought all the hematite iron ore available was urgently needed here, as we are notoriously short of steel for our rearmament pro gramme.

Inia trade is very important, yet we have heard of no protest by the Foreign-omce-against-this-un- doubtedly illegal action of these mutineers. 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 Scas apparently doct not exist on the north coast of. Spain, where the rebels are in con- trol, through their temporary naval command,

Needless to say, there has been no protest from the German Ad- miralty in Spanish waters on this... occasion, though presumably Ger- ntan 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- trality might-as has been the case -injure the forces supporting the Republic.

To 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.

Sir Samuel Hoare, the First Lord' of the Admiralty, in an infamous speech, referred to the "two fac-

tions contending in Spain. H lead has apparently been followed by our Admirals to the extent of

warship The Spanish Government

on every possible occa- sion in the south of Spain, where mutineers to do practically what they are strong, and allowing the

they like in the North.

I talked to him about Easter. superiority swells. Then, choosing sons. in a single political unit should be the report uivocates an extension launch their Now, when I was up of course.

the right moment to unicety, 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 African tropical is "Reminds me of Ball.

It's no good. I know one should control oneself. I know one should as follows:-(1) Colonies are of territories should be brought un-

i know...

And the subtic nonchalance of their be tolerant. But I simply can't stand some but not of great economie der mandates, The transfer

these chaps. manner. As though the idea had en- importance; (2) The non-posses should be conditions! on an ex- tered their minds quite by chance sion of them is only really intensive reform of the mandate without the least forethought. jurious in so far as discrimina-system in the following diree-

Hang it, why doesn't "It remind them of Macho?. And why can't they tory practices are adopted by the tions:Creation of League "possessors"; (3) The abolition Loans Authority to ensure quale some pride in their

volees, "Now, when of discrimination rather than the opportunity for investors of all Canton....

members; exchange of territories should League

Govern- { Men do not suffer from this,com- consequently be our aim from ment development to be used plaint alone. Women are just this point of view; (4) The whenever possible; members bad, perhaps even worse. Two days out at sca and they think they've abolition of preferential and dis- of the Mandates Commission changed their nationality entirely criminatory practices will not to undertake periodic tours of foreign in every sense of the world. remedy the dissatisfied Powers' inspection, close co-operation be Sheer Torture principal economic. troubles; the tween Mandates Commission and real remedy for those troubles is 1.L.O.; representatives

I simply can't stick them. They sidered the millions of people who in their own hands; (5) never-from African and 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 polsonous mixture of over, and never mention it. Surely, Japanese and English. If they hap- then, they would see that their affect- tion both for its modest economic membership of Mandates Com- pen to know a few words of Japanese, ed nonchulanec, their pigmy pride, Fascist Government in alliance and its general importance should mission; aggrieved parties in why don't they try them on the only lowers in lend of raises them in be undertaken; (6) Such return mandated territories to have Japanese "boys." They are used to the estimation of others. to multilateral trade as is possi- right to appear before Commis-it. I'm not. At least, not in letters. I know plenty of people who spend | ble in present

And "mon ami"-"mon ami. circumstances is slon; equality of opportunity for Mun Dieu!" It's sheer torture. Not almost their whole lives travelling, hostile flogs in any future war.

and the more widely they have desirable not only on 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-anme great dependence of certain of mandated areas; mandates should some very strong things about one's snobbery exists. No, perhaps not the the so-called dissatisfied Powers be hold in trust from the League language.

petual suitcases, but the labels they As and the League recognised as

There was a chap 1 knew who bear, If I were running, a series, far as the administration of 'ultimate authority over mandated came back, he had the Eiffel Tower at the top"Carefully scrape all spent a fortnight in Paris. When he "Things they Don't Do," I should put

colonial territories. is.....concerned, areas.

in his trunk, Notre Dame in his hat:

(Continued on: Page 5.)...

LANE, CRAWFORD, LTD. the multilateral system.

drawn

Amuse

paused to think. Con-

in

We have been zealous in the past upholding our own belligeront rights at Sca. Also, the British Navy-will suffer the most the Rebels win in Spain, eatabilah a

with Germany and Italy, and make the harbours in Spain and North Africa available for corsairs under

To-day's Thought ADMIRALS, człow'd for stand-

ing still,

Or doing nothing with a deal of

skull.

—COWPER.