1940-03-29 — Page 16

Friday,

HONGKONG. TELEGRAPH

March 29, 1940.

The ROLLS RAZOR

PROMISES A LIFETIME OF PERFECT SHAVES

USE IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A ROLLS SHAVING MIRROR TO GET THE GREATEST SATISFACTION

THE HONGKONG DISPENSARY

A. S. WATSON & CO., LTD.": EST. 1841

TEL. 20016

MUSCLES

LANGE MUSCLES are GREAT on stevedores or carabao drivers.

BUT.

They're no longer necessary when waxing your automobile... Thanka to WHIZ LONDON COACH WAX. Don't spend HOURS and ENERGY. Use WHIZ LONDON COACH WAX and attain that LONG-LASTING ." WATERPROOF

BUNPROOF WAX

HARD

DIY

FINISH FOR YOUR CAR.

Your dealer or garage man recom- mends it.

RADIOS INCOMPARABLE! R. C. A. VICTOR

PERFORMANCE

QUALITY

VALUE

MOUTRIES

FOR ALL 1940 MODELS

TRIAL DEMONSTRATION AND HIRE PURChase terms ARRANGED

S. MOUTRIE & CO., LTD.

YORK BUILDING

CHATER ROAD,

STEARNS"

IMPROVED

PINE-TAR AND HONEY TO SOOTHE AND HEAL

THROAT IRRITATIONS

CHILDREN TAKE IT LIKE CANDY

Just good old-fashioned Pino-Tar & Honey of Stearns' quality—one of the best cough medicines in the world. Be prepared-have a bottle in your home

at all times.

Obtainable at all Chemists -

and Stores

THOUSANDS RESTORED

BY

THIS FAMOUS MEDICINE

In LIQUID or TABLET,

·form. · Of all Chemists

and Scares.

THE

REASON

Innumerable complaints arise from Impurities In the blood, and so long as the impurities re main, permanent rellef cannot be obtained. Clarkes Blood Mixture, by cleansing the blood, is invaluable in the treatment of rheumatic complaints, lumbago, painful Joints, neuritis, glandular swellings, sores, ulcers, eczema, boils and skin complaints.

CLARKES BLOOD MIXTURE

Ask for and be sure you got "Clarkes Blood Mixture."

..

Fold Here HONGKONG HOTEL GARAGE Stubbs Bd.

The

Thongkong Telegraph.

Friday, March 29, 1940. Wyndham St., Hongkong Telephone: 20016

THE preДx "Special to the Telegraph" is ured by the Hongkong Telegraph to indicate news which is strictly copyright under the provisions of the Telecommuni- cations Ordinance, 1038. Such news as bears the indication "UP" is received in Hongkong on the date of publication by the United Press Associations, who re- serve all rights and forbid republication, either wholly or in part without previous arrangement.

Food Prices And Cost

Of Living

THE cost-of-living index dates from the last war, and its introduction then was symptomatic. In war under modern conditions prices must always keep on rising if they are left to themselves. When they have come to pinch the working-class consumer, datormined-de- 664 | mands are made for higher wages; and

these, again, under war conditions cau not lang ba realated. But they never permanently overtake prices. For, oven If they do so temporarily in a particular Inetance, the increased spending-power conferred on the workers noon drives the prices higher again. That is the "vicious spiral" which produced the in- flation of 1914-18, It caused unemploy. nent in many classes and hardship in nearly all for at least ten years after the war wIK

over.

Most people.agree, in-tho-abstract, that we ought now, as far as possible, to avoid repeating it. But how far can we? la "cost of living" there are threa main ingredients-food, clothing, and house-room. It is Impossible to prevent the costs of the first two from rising at the source. Both are affected by submarine winkings, by the delays due to convoy, by higher Insurance rates, and in the caso of clothing by heavy extra demands from the armed forces for uniform, The question in, how for the Stalo should allow there risen to be borne by the ordinary consumer, and how far it can intervene to divort them from him. Two main ines of intervention are open to it-rationing and subsidy. Rationing checks the price-rise by limiting demand. Subsidy checks it by artificially cheapening up- ply.

In the funt war neither was resorted to until the struggle had been in pro- gress for years. By then the upward movement had nequired a momentum which could not be arrested, though some brakes wore put on its accelera tion. In the presont waT it was in- evitable that action should be taken much earlier. Subsidios began about the beginning of last December, and rationing soon after the beginning of this year. According to the full stato. ment made in Parliament by Sir John Simon, the present cast of the milk subaldy is £295,000 a week, of the meat aubridy £320,000, of the bacon subatily £80,000, of the brend aubeldy 2489,000. Thus the Exchequer is already contri buting £1,110,000 a week to keep down prices to the consumer.

Mr. Keynes has pointed out-and Bir John Simon agrees--that subaidies are not a complate policy, and, unless bai anced by others, may even be danger- out. For they encourage consumption, which, congrally speaking, needs to be discouraged. Bilk and bread can be Justified as oxceptions-milk because its production all! leaves a large margin which, for health reasons, it would be better to wes, consumed in the liquid state; bread, because it is a necessity for the poorest and its cheapening does not cause the better-to-de to aut mOTE of it. But bacon is rightly rationed,

and most is about to be..

THE TIGER: "You have not offended me in any way. HOW DARE YOU !”

BLITZKRIEG?-the Lowland's

are prepared

O

NCE more in their long history, a history that has earned for them the title of "Cockpit of Europe," the Lowland countries are standing to arms.

From the mouth of the River Ems to the hilly borders of Luxemburg a million or more men are ready to meet the in- vasion which they fear threatens them. '-

More than half of them are Bel- glans, song of the men who fought desperately to stem the German. advance of 1914, in some cases the "mon' themselves:"

The remainder are the Dutch, a people who have known peace for years, but who are resolutely do- termined to defend the neat farms and tulip fields that are somehow characteristic of Holland's tradi- tion of neutrality.

Once again David faces Goliath. ̧ ̈

But both in Holland and Bel- glum it is realised that the two armies, notwithstanding the assistance their natural defences provide, cannot hope alone to withhold a German advance for more than a limited time.

There is, however, one important factor in the Lowlanders' defence dispositions.. Her own history and the tragedies that have befallen small States in the past few years have taught Belgium to prepare for the worst.

Holland, which for 100 years has avolded war, has been kept fully

BY BERNARD MOORE

Locarno is now a dead letter, the undertaking has been renewed.

Her main defences, therefore, aro 'designed to check an invading force until such time as help could come.

Along her frontier have been built tiny concrete pill-baxes hold- ing one or two marksmen only. The men who man these pill-boxes have sworn to die rather than let the enemy pass.

stcop river banks; then a diver's gult to cross the water; and Anally a suit of heavy armour to get any where near the forts.

A few years ago Belgium's Air Force was a pathetic handful of rather old-fashioned planes. To-

day it is still amali compared with the armadas of the Great Powers, but its commander, Major-General Duvivier, regards it as a swarm with a vicious sting.

Holland's fighting forces, per- haps because they have not fought

Behind tho pill-boxes Bro trenches masked by "asparagus " beds for tanks. Some miles befor so long, are something of an hind the trenches are Belgium's main defences, the rivers and canals.

In the north is the King Albert Canal, more than 100 yards wide, with steep, deep banks. Along its 200-mile long south bank lies a line of low businesslike looking forts whose concrete and steel *walls are believed to be capable of standing up to any bombardment. From Liege, itself heavily forti- fled, run three lines of similar forts. most important of them. being that along the rugged banks of the River Meuse.

Talking of this defence line, ono humorist said that anyone trying to break through it would need three suits. One, a climbing out- fit to clamber up and down the

unknown quantity. Last time the Dutch fought in Europe was in 1831, when they conducted a brief 10 days' campaign in connection with the separation of Belgium from Holland.

Her peace-tinue strength at home la some 10,000 troops in four divi- sions, with an overseas army of 40,000, for, don't forget, Holland has an extensive Empire.

To-day, she has something under half

a million men under arms, with mobilisation only "partially completed. They have all scen service under the Colours, for Holland has compulsory military service.

Like the Belgians, they have been

Intensively trained, and Holland's Army Chief, Major-General I. H. Reynders, has worked out a plan of defence particularly suited to the country.

The system of flooding is well known; not so well known, are Holland's skating infantry, armed with Mannlicher carbines, who may one day play the same rôle in Holland that the crack skiers of Finland are playing to-day."

Unlike Belgium (which has one fishery protection vessel Holland has a fleet.

It consists of Avo cruisers carry- Ing G-inch guns, one coastal de-. fence, ship (11-inch guns), eight destroyers (with four building), 12 torpedo boats (with 32 building), 21 submarines (with nine build- ing), and a number of minelayers and minesweepers.

Her fleet is ninth largest. In the world.

Almost as important as the Army is the potential defenco force provided by the Dutch population.

All civilians between the ages of 18 and 00 are liable to be called. upon to aasist the military authorities.

They may be called upon to re- pair damaged reads, bridges and railways damaged by bombs; to build or pull down fortifications; to build and dig watercourses, help in the reinforcement of dykes and canal banks.

Like Belglum, Holland's Alr Force is small but efficient, con- xisting largely of the famous Fokker planes.

These are the armies, small but highly-trained, equipped with the latest weapons of war, which walt for any German move against their countries.

Latest news from the Lowlands is more reassuring. But, even if this crists blows over too, the Low- landers, armed and resolute, will watch and wait.

EUROPE'S FIGHTING-MEN

informed by her neighbour of THOUGH the,, war of action hus!

threatening developments. THOUGH, He way of ever has

The

element of surprise which enabled by no means ended. In view of this careful

the Kaiser's Uhlans to streamit behaves us to make a Ally and Enemy

Personnel

By LEWIS SPENCE

across the Belgian border in 1914 survey of the qualities of our allies can now be discounted.

and our foes as fighting-men, their] Plan "D" which the, Belgian Army Command put into opera-military psychology, lasting powers, tion during the week-end is the may arrive at provisional conclusions and physical make-up, so that we last stage but one in a defence concerning the reliability of each as Thrice Armed scheme which has been perfected ៥ factor to be during the past decade by Bel- gium's military experts.

And first,

reckoned

with

The sense of personal enterprise among the German peasant rank and file is almost nil, that to be found in the elty battalions being only a little more developed. As has been said by a keen observer, there "# suicide flash-point" in the character of the German townsman, tendency to sudden psychological breakdown and despair when confronted with precisely thoso overwhelming condi- tions which bring out the boat:

the French. As a soldier And there is this to be remembered; qualities of the Briton. the French pollu varies considerably no public is so liberally educated in from one generation to another. The the political sense as the French. It Unimaginative Leaders Europe of Louis XIV's time regarded realises precisely for what It is fight-

him much as it does the German to-ing, and a people which knows that

Already the peace-timo Armyrone

00,000 has swollen to 700,000 men.

If it is found necessary to put into

enemy, overbearing The have over been the

ID

No population has been so subject- RE a rather ferocious and is thrice armed. It may be added ed of the doctrines of

morbid and that in all ages no troops in Europe psychological theorists and pseudo-.

equals of the philosophers, as that of the great operation Plan, "E" there will be French grenadier of Napoleon's day French in technical knowledge and German cities, and this has induced over 1,000,000 men under arms in wao usually a gruff, hard-boiled use of their weapons, be these in them a keen sense of the tragedy Belgium alone.

cus swords, matchlocks, Lewis-guns, or of existence. The modernist tenden- fellow, tough as hickory, and

and accus And they will be a highly trained tomed to regard his opponents with modern artillery.

cles in thought of the hyper-"civi-- force whose members have all contempt. The conscript of the

a good, handylised" communities of Germany uro sarved between 12 and 18 mon all accounts, required a good den! of cally courageous, and with an almost himaclf calls "brain-sickness" and

Franco-Prussian War, to judge from The German is

soldier as regards weight, romanti-apt to produce what the German with the colours, undergoing in- tensive preparation. Belgium has encouragement at the beginning of a adolescent sentiment about military a belief that the world is very much. fight, and occasionally lest heart, but glory. His sense of esprit-de-corps sorrow by no means the best been

what Mrs. Camp called "a wale of isation of the land army during and lion-like at attack. the past five years..

nature of herd-instinct, Sho has the

nct, and the best latest tank models

The pollu of to-day is a cool, among them are determined fighters. if he be Intoxicated by Nazi and tractor-mounted guns.

life ho Her collected young fellow, the and In his first years of milltary frontiers bristle with Ingenious than the French soldier of a quarter natured, but a year or so of soldier-soldier has nearly

enthusiasm. much better developed physically is ustrally carefree and good. I fully believe, that the German- tank traps designed to frustrate of a century ago. The force now in ing seems to make him sullen and hampered by a wholly unimaginative always been any attempt at a Blitzkrieg.

action is by far the most intelligent dour, flo. Imbibes Belgium knows that Britain and and enlightened army which France military tradition, which is a callous strategic dogmas,, which makes noi

Prussian leadership, bound to hard-and-fast of Locarno to go to her aid if she some respects it might be called an a cruel tooth in a great and relentin France were pledged by the Treaty has ever put in the field, indeed in one and comes to regard himself as provision for unforeseen occurrences,

invaded, and although "Army of Intellect."

auch-and-such circumstancesi PLEASE Turn To Page 2.

The moilre for rationing, of course, MC bushing on with tho mechan- it under dashing lendership, was boldis high, but is apt to partake of the philosophy for a fighting man, oven,

I not merely to keep down cost of il Ing, but to satura an equal division st rostriated supplies. The question of opyllas is primarily one of tonnage, though that of foreign exchange plays sino an important part in it, And ́hosh Care only aspects of a larger proposition, vis, that we can only throw a maximum of the nation's resources into the means for winning the war,, in proportion we reduce to a minimum the demands minde en those resources by ordinary elvi) consumption,

were

'less harrow.

tho