1939-09-11 — Page 4

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THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE

ALL WAVE PORTABLE RADIO

Monday,

HONGKONG. TELEGRAPH

September 11, 1939.

10-HORSE Frontier

Defences

sense

SENSE

a

Ordinary horse senso says "get value for money." 10-horse

means says "that Vauxhall," because, no other Ten in the world offers such value.

INDEPENDENT SPRINGING

HYDRAULIC BRAKES

40 M.P.G. (with morinal

driving)

Why not

try one

of France

to-day By Major-General

VAUXHALL

SIR C..W. GWYNN,

No

TO GREATER safeguard has been devised in

to the strongest French works has been thrown out some len miles East of the town, und with its left on the Meuse the Dutch frontier.

The defences of Liege now insure that the tunnels on the East bank of

"10"Western Europe, than the the Meuse should never again fall

HONGKONG HOTEL GARAGE

Phones: 27778-9

Stubbs Ru

the

Hongkong Telegraph.

Wyndham St., Hongkong

'Phone 26615 September 11, 1939

Demographic Evolution

A curious fact has become apparent during 1938 in regard

in

Into the hunds of an Invader. Von

formidable systems of fron- Schlieffen's plans have waned Bel- tier defences constructed by gum that she ennot rely on an aggressor respecting the neutrality France and Belgium. The of Holland; and the construction of great sums spent on them have been well invested.

the Meuse-Antwerp Canuf, hus given

new means of meeting the danger. The Canal joins the Meuse nt the) left of the Liege defences, and. capable of taking shipping up te In constructing the defences 2,000 tops. forins formidable not elifficult to defend, "the lessons of the last War have obstacle

especially as approaches to it are been fully applied to the parti- covered by an outpost line of pill cular conditions of terrain in the boxes along the frontier. different sectors of the frontier

Although Belgium relies mainly on i region. The deep dug-outs first her frontier line of defence, she has in evidence in the Somme Battle, modernised the defences of Namu the reinforced concrete pill and thence to Antwerp a field de- fence position could be held. Behind the Passchendaele boxes of

that anal, covering the coast and tinking up with Antwerp, the line at ridges, the resisting power of the Furts of Verdun, and the the Scheldt can be inundated. Thus Belgium has taken very complete principle of Works distributed

precautions nul only to protect her keep the way upen in depth all find their counter

for the arrival of assistance eveni part in the new defences.

should her frontier defences for any reason rail.

A belt

frontier, but

dell

fer garnisorts is essential, and those? garrisons must consist of well-trained'

men.

trained.

the

Antwert

BE

Hague.

Nijmegen HOLLAND

GIUM

LLiége Namur Maubeuge

*Ne

ARDENNES

Cologne

GERMANY

Coblenz Trankor

Longwy

Bney

Verdunk

Toul

Strassbourg SE

FRA N

Fortresses Heary Fortifications ★

Pill Boxes *****

Miles

50

SWITZERLAND

MY BOY IS

JUST 19

by

ELLEN FRANCE

ONSCRIPTION is like thousands of other young men.

Co

30

After 1970 France construct- ed a defensive system in the

So far we have considered defence; region of her Eastern frontier works, but what of the human ele

mut? Works are valueless unleas so powerful that it became military necessity for Germany Property garrisoned. In the face of deliberate attack, neither country The chief danger to invade Belgium in order to has much to tear. turn it. But the system was would be that the long line of fron- ter defences has absorbed and im- designed mainly to afford pro- mobilised an undue proportion of the ultimately to demographic matters. This tection for the deployment of resources and man power

France's field armies, to block available. It is, however, not is that,

of move berate attack that the two countries countries certain main avenues many

blue, made more practicable through where the birth rate had for ament, and to provide pivots of chiefly feared, but a bolt from the

manoeuvre for the field armies the development of mechanical trans long time past been decreasing when deployed. The well-known port. To meet this danger a condi- from year to year, not only has Trousee de Charmes, for exam- tion of imunediate readiness of fron- the backward movement ceased, ple, was intentionally left as a gap in the defences, providing but. the curve has resumed an opportunities for counter attack

France, we know, maintains should the German invaders at-

nothing new to me. In He'll have to try to fit to their. strong covering force, with a high

pattern. upward tendency. In Europe,

tempt to penetrate through it.

proportion of professional soldiers at Australia, where I was born, it" He won't care for that. He thinks this is the case, for example, in

short call in her frontier regions; was called Universal Training, and talks a lot about the rights of the

the United Kingdom. Belgium,;

The new system is of a different and to provide a force of sufficient and I remember when it came individual. He dresses so that you

size and training lengthened order. It is in the strictest sense term of conscript service. In Bel- into force in 1909 there was a can't miss him, and It's his own money, the

I can't say anything. He won't Netherlands, the

of public good deni of talk, for and be pleased at finding himself just one Baltic

a frontier defence system.

that the against. opinion are not solisted

of a mob. States, Switzerland, the three extending along the whole frontier, 5m, however, sections

which of conscript service. as far as practicable bnpregnable ter

My father, who was a lawyer; laid But I don't know: I think it may be Scandinavian kingdoms; while, every point; though naturally works varies from eight months to thirteen

boy of 19 are of a more elaborate character monilts according to the particular stress on the fact that it was the good for him. After all, outside Europe, it is the case where the nture of the terrain pro- are, would provite men sufficiently first time the principle of universaloughin'i to think of himself as walk- liobility to training was made inw in Ing through life on his own. (I don't vides facilities for invasion. in United States of America,

Obviously, for many months of the an English-speaking community, in reckon the girls, they'll do their best

to keep him company.) Let us follow the general scheme Australia and New Zealand. from South to North.

year the army would not. consist of time of peach

My brother and other young-men-We've all got to 01-in with other trained men. It is true that in th Signiflennt figures are given on To guard against the possibility of Ardennes sector regiments of Cyclists between 18 and 26 welcomed their people, whether we like it or not, and through Switzerland the and Chasseurs des Ardennes are time in camp as a kind of yearly whether it's pence time or war. If this subject in the Statistical roads through

and holiday. But when in 1917 during we can't learn to fit in we can't be the mountains of formed from local reservists well with

the Great War the Australian happy. And if we refuse absolutely Savoy and the Jura are blocked by

spcial training and know-

of compulsory military think is right, they call us lunatics, forms something of n corps d'elite. But in mensure Nations which has just been North of that the Rhine

great frontier

moat, and has behind other parts of the frontler the altus- service, the people turned it down by and put us away. the second Hino ot the Vosges tion is not so satisfactory, especially referendum. Later, even the train- published. In the United King-

TO, I belleve Michael ought especially now that the whole falling on nucleus garrisons of half-cause it cost too much.

And here it is, the same old pro- system has been rendered move effec- trained men under cover of a long

to Bnd out that there are blem, in England, just as my boy's

other young men in the world, and in the period from 1935 to 1938, tive by the extension of the French spring night.

ratiways Into Alsace.

On the whole, however, it is only turned 19.

learn to watch his step among them. TO BE LIKE THE OTHERS from 711,000 to 735,000; in

That sounds as if I'd spolit him. encourage- The critical section of the frontier the possible failure of the human

element that gives ony

risk the

ITE'LL have to go, of course. (My husband died when he was nine.) Belgium, over the same period, really begins where it leaves the ment to an aggressor

Rhine and runs enclosing the all-

Learn to shoot, I suppose, No, I've tried to keep him in order. of failure, desperate consequences it rose from 127,000 to 130,000; important Briey area to the Belgian and the existence of the defence and handle tanks. He'll have to fearr He hasn't had all the things he's

frontier near Longwy, at the

South-

Immense de- how to march about. He'll have to asked for, by any manner of means. systems is clearly an in the Netherlands, from 170,- west corner of Luxembourg. This

try to look, walk, and answer Just But the fact is, mothers nowadays haven't got the command our mothers had. 000 to

178,000; in Sweden, sector is the natural and often used terrent to aggressive action.

gate for invasion by German armies, und here

ere the French engineers have from 85,000 to 93,000, etc. It done their utmost to close the door. the United States, in the same The details are,racter of the works of course, secret, but general from is well known, large forts mutually supporting each other, and, with the crete pill boxes and wire obstacles, (tralin, from 111,000 to 120,000; forming an impassable barrier,

in New Zealand, from 23,900 to

shell-proo! Absolutely bomb and underground accommodation and 27.200. This development will communications have been construct-

invasion

WITH SELF-CONTAINED ANTENNA V Yeur-Book of the League of small forts and concrete pill boxes jedge of particular tasks. They form Government tried to bring in a full to do that sort of thing the majority

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BATTERY MODEL

SOLE DISTRIBUTORS:

lom. the number of births-rose.lains-obstacles easily strength- if one visualises' an unexpected blowing scheme was dropped, chiefly be-!

years, the figure rose

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be extremely

watch.

interesting to

humon cle- ed, and follure of the ment is the only possible danger in case of surprise attack.

To make assurance doubly sure, the fortresses Thien-ville, Melz, Verdun, and

modernised, Toul have been

and now where necessary faced in the direction, and they provide an extra protection to the Briey mines.

Thi

10

GRIN AND BEAR IT

The Statistical Year-Book shows also that the population of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, according to the cen- From Longway westward along

the Belgian frontier French de sus of January 1939, was 170,- fences, neglected before the War, have now been provided, though on

further? 500,000, and that the Reich, more modest peale than

East Maybouge has been modern- including Austria, the Sudeten Ised, and advantage has been taken Territory and femel now has of natural obstacles and the possibl-

lities of forming inundations, 79,800,000 inhabitants. In Ger- sector must, however, be looked on as forming second line to the pro- many proper, the birth rate tection afforded by the Belgian de- fences for the defence schemes of continued to rise and in- 1988 the two countries form an integral reached the figure of 19.7% (ns against 14.7% in 1983). In Austria, the rise in the birth rate is still small, but the num- her of marriages has been

schemas. Defence in depth has not nearly doubled, rising from 46, been.neglected. At Tiere the fold

SLARWORKS HAVE Domoded but You said you'r '000 in 1937 to 85,000 in 1938. more formidable new system similar

whole.

Let us now, therefore, look at the Belgian defences. From Lonaway to lege the dimeult Ardennes country formniz "a" considerablo natural barrier to invasion, and orificial defences take the form of bill boxes covering road linked up with demolition

By Lichty

15 RACE FOR SAL TIGHT FRIEN

B-17

sayos fish last week, yet the fish market sends us a bill for twelve!"

2

LIFE PULLS HIM AWAY.

No.

I don't know the reason-moderns lite,

I dare say. It's so easy for a young fellow to get into a job and get a little money; not enough to make him Independent of home, but enough to let him get about and find amusements outside. Home's there ull the time, but the whole current of He pulls him away from it.

It's easy for a nice-looking boy to make friends his mother doesn't know about. And it's hard for her to keep him under her eye.

This conscription will give Michael the discipline that, I can't give him. He'll have to Jump to orders, keep or they'll find a step, be punctual, way to make him. Discipline's got to come from somewhere when a man's young. Ile hasn't, got the sense or the

experience. nine times out of ten, to acquire it for himself. It must reach him from outside.

HEALTHY AND TIDY.

HEALTH, too. Michael's

boy who is strong enough, bar hd doesn't sempțio' care for games. Ho'dockn't like making any kind of effort, that I can see. The sort of exerciso he likes is table tennis, and [he_reads a lot and swims

Of course, none of this takes him into the open air; even the swimming la indoors. And his father's family 1 inclined to be a bit chesty. So if this compulsory service keeps him out of doors, and makes him walk a bit more, I shan't have any Dbjection

to

...

Another thing. I've always soticed that men who have been in the Bervices are usually tidy men. Handy, pollab boots well, and they know how to put the joint in the oven. That's ail to the good. I don't believe n man&oughts for the “abhornický "dapen- PLEASE Turn To Page: 3.