1939-12-15 — Page 27

Luxembourg Goes To Work While Her Neighbours Go To Fight

Remarkable War Zone Scenes Described

By Ralph Heinzen

UNITED PRESS WAT CORRESPONDENT

-

Friday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

PEIPING

APATHY "Puppets" Anniversary

Celebrations Flop

PEIPING, Dec. 14 (Reuter)-De- state intense propaganda, the granting of a public holiday, decoration of streets and organised publie meetings, the second analversary of the instal Intlon of the Pelping Provisional Government has apparently "fulled to ellelt any enthusiasm from the Chin-

pubile.

Celebrations colnestled with the arrival of the Nanking delegates to

attend the "United Courell" meeting

WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES IN THE FIELD, Dec. 14 (UP)-The busiest corner in Europe is the tight spot where Luxembourg lies in a wide no-man's land

to discuss the position of North China On the French side of the border in the proposed new Central Govern- between the French and

Hles the faunous Briey fron basin andment, but owing to the absence of German armies.

lie Longwy steel zone where Lor-

Wang Ching-wei, it, is considered of raine ore and Belgian cost produen little political importance. 50 per cent, of France's total steri production.

On both sides and in between the lints, amoko pours from factory atacks as the Lorraine, Ruhr and Luxembourg iron and steel mills work night and day, despite the massed' presence of rival armies.

Since the start of the war, not one hour of work has been lost in the amall region where more than half of Europe's steel is made. Here is the chief source of munitions, guns and tanks with which the rival ammies are stocking.

Wading through deep red mod under the downpours of rain day after day, I covered the entire France-Luxembourg border during an Inspection of the French frontier defences.

No Luxembourg Defences Nowhere did I see a single Luxem- bourg defence position or a soldier across the frontier, nor were there any indications that the citizens of the tiny Duchy will try to defend themselves and the integrity of their Stute if ie Germun armies should repeal the 1914 Invasion.

At the start of the world war in 1914, more than half the Briey Iron inskie the German mines fay Frontiers, which then included Alsace- Leraine.

In the first days of the war, the German armies swept into the rest of the Briey basin and for four and

half yearn France was deprived of

chief sources of iron and a chief steel mills. When the German armies coming through Belgiura invaded the Lens coal region,France lost inest of its coal. Thus the Germans held for the duration of the war 70 per cent of the French steel-making potential.

This Time It's Different This time it is a different situa. Hon. The Briey mines lfe in a great circle well behind the Magnet fine, with fortresses forming what is be- Hleved to be an impregnable line be- tween the basin and the Belgium. Luxembourg and the German from liers.

Even L Germany tred again her 1914 "end run" through Belgium and But everywhere I saw signs of Luxembourg, she would still have to Intense activity on both sides of the break through the Maginot Line to frontier, where Iron and steel produc-grab the Briey mines. The Longwy tion has been kept up to the maximum steel basin can be attacked heavily schedule.

from the air, but so can the German

soot,

even

The drizzling rain holds soot and smoke in a thick for over the whole Alzette Valley as the Bossomor plants turn out high-grade armour-plate steel from are, which at this point is merely scraped from the surface of A great circular open plt by shovels.

Suar

The largest of the mills are within steel and iron centres in the riile shot of the French frontler de-and Ruhr Valleys. fences outside Luxembourg and the There is no tacit understanding, steel

of Esch, which out-but each side realizes the other can town Pittsburgh's

Pittsburgh for do equal destruction, and neither seems to want to take the initiative. Without drawing any conclusions, might state the geographical fact that it is only 200 feet from the French frontier into the Esch steel mills, while it is more than 100 miles, by the Germans could shortest route the take, to that corner of Luxembourg.

Galleries Of Iron-Mines Near Longwy, where the French, Luxembourg and Belgian frontiers common focal point in fog come to and mud, the area is honeycombed with guileries of iron mines. There is one mine in particular which bas entrances and workings in all three

steam

Ore In Abundance Coal renches the Alzette Valley milla from the Saar, and there is all a century's supply of ore within a few hundred yards of the blast furnaces. It is to be had for the work of scooping it up.

Mr. Kato, the Japanese Ambus- sador-at-large in China, stated in an interview that his visit was merely a route inspection and emphasised that the present situation involving the restriction of foreign Interest would be changed after the conclu- Dion of peace.

Viceroy Of India In Calcutta

NEW DELHI, Dec. 14 (Reuter).- The Viceroy of India has arrived in Calcutta, where he will spend Christmas.

countries, and the galleries meel

•nderground. This presents a con- sinnt danger for the passage of spies and other undesirables, so the French have provided their galleries with steel doors, and Incoming workers from Belgium and Luxembourg filter past control officers,

France's defences along the whole Luxembourg frontier from the Moselle to the Chlers River are comparatively simple. The frontier consists chiefly of a deep wooded valley which is nature's most perfect anti-tank obstacle. The French slopes of the valley are a labyrinth of trenches. machine-guns and anti-tank guns. Every turn of the road approaching the French border is swept with enfllading fire. Brigades and roads are ali mined to widen the obstacle within a few seconds.

Three or four lines of resistance lle between the frontier and the main Maginot Line obstacles which are at this point among the most powerful In the whole French chain.

Behind the Maginot Line les an- other famous defence triangle-the Metz-Verdun-Montmody area. There- fore, as long as steel and concrete in the last permanent French fortresses holds strong, the regiments will stand at their guns.

December 15, 1939.

U.S. LABOUR

BACKS THE ALLIES

NEW YORK, Dec. 14 (Reuter).-Mr. William Green, President of the American Federation of Labour, said to-day that the people of the United States wish to resort to all possible menus, short of war, to prevent the triumph of Nazism and aggression in Finland, Poland, Austria and the Balkans. He expressed sympathy for the Allies and said that the British Navy is now making effectivo economic war against Germany.

"May God help them and make it completely successful," said Mr. Green, who was addressing an anti-Nazi rally in Madison Square Garden.

Other speakers Included Governor Lehman and former President Herbert Hoover.

CHINA RE-ELECTED TO COUNCIL OF LEAGUE

SPECIAL TO THE "TELEGRAPH" GENEVA, Dec. 14 (UP)—The League Council to-day un- animously voted for the expulsion of Soviet Russia from the League of Nations.

the

The Assembly terminated entire session at 4 p.m. following the election of Egypt and China as non-

FRANCO-BRITISH

peramnent members of the Council ECONOMIC PACT

the

In the voting for the expulsion of Russia from the League of Nations,

were abstentioners

China,

NEW YORK, Dec. 14 (Reuter).— Finland, Greece and Yugo-Slavia.

Mr. Henry Morgenthau, Secretury of Council members young for ex- the Treasury, said thal he saw usion included Britain, France, nothing in the Franco-British econo- Belgium, South Africa, Bolivia, Iran, mie agreement that was detrimentul the Dominican Republic, and Egypt.

to United States interests. The Finnish delegate, M. Hoist, anld be abstained from voting in order not to further complicate the Russo-Finnish problem and avok possible increased military retaliation,

Two-Part TELEGRAPH"

SPECIAL TO THE

sian

the

He was of the opinion that provisions of the agreement did not vitiate" a tripartite monetary arch-

ment.

Dr. Wellington Koo at one end and GENEVA, Dec. 14 (UP).The ex- Fakry Pasha at the other, represent- pulsion resolution is framed in two ing China and Egypt the oldest na- parts; firstly, the Counell joined the tions in the world, the League of Assembly in condemning the Rus- Nations to-day expelled the Soviet invasion of Finland; and, Union at the conclusion of a dramatic secondly, it found that Russia, by her week in which Moscow has been, net had placed herself outside the branded as an aggressor. League,

The act of expulsion was signalled Dr. Wellington Koo said: "I have by a tap of the gavel after the Boll- the briefest declaration to make vinn Chairman had put to the Council' Under the circumstances, you all the resolution of condemnation before understand, the Chinese delegation that body found no opposing vote. will abstuln from partaking in the

The Council Room was crowded vote."

with almost all the League personnel, The official Soviet spokesman said the publle galleries were alled and the action would "certainly not im- the fournalists' benches were jamuned prove relations with Britain and tight.

France." He added that the Allies. But for the speeches of the British are against the Soviet's plans," and and French delegates the Anal are coming "more and more out into speeches were brief and to the point. the open,"

Before the motion was put to the vole, the Chairman welcomed China, Egypt and South Africa to the ranks of the Council.

Dramatic Final Sceno OPECIAL TO THE "TELEGRAPHTM GENEVA, Dec. 14 (UP).With

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