1940-12-19 — Page 18

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Hongkong Telegraph.

Thursday, December 19, 1940.

Wyndham St., Hongkong Telephone: 20015

THE prefix "Special to the Telegraph" It used by the tangkong Telegraph to tadients news which is strictly copyright under the provisions of the Telecommuni estions Ordinance, 1016. Such new bears the Indication “Up to received in. Hongkong on the date of publication by the United Press Associations, who ca serve all rights and forbid republications, either wholly or in part without previous Arrangement.

PREPAREDNESS

PREPAREDNESS for a new move by Hitler against Britain has again become the keynote of the speeches by the country's spokesmen, Lord Beaverbrook yesterday told in measured terms of the probable German plans for the future. Simul- taneously it was announced that Britain had officially requested financial aid from the United States in order to carry on making purchases of essential war materials, while the Ad- miralty gave added emphasis ̋to- the current situations and the threats of the future by reveal- ing the heavy losses which had recently been suffered at sca.

On the face of it there would appear to be good grounds for despondency, but such is not the case, and neither is it intended that the revelations

made by British lenders during the past 48 hours should pro- mote any such reaction. This is an honest, sensible appeal to face reall- ties and to be prepared for anything. It is a necessary attitude, for only by complete preparedness Empire thwart the evil machinations of Hitler and his allies.

can the

Britons have never been gulity of underestimating their opponents in a fight, though, perhaps, they have been in the post, too generous in the willing acceptance of specious pro- mites and alleged goodwill. But this is war, and the whole Empire is ready to take the Nazis at their face value. The enemy stul retains several advantages, but he has lost one of his greatest weapons-the clement of surprise. Britain now has a thoroughly good working idea of what totalitarian warfare means, and daily she is discovering means to counter and defeat it.

Preparedness is the watchword, and this applies both to the supply of war weapons and in the mentality of the nation. Beenuse of this, it de no sign of weakness that Britain now asks the United States for even greater.nld than she has been giving; on the contrary. Britain says to her. cousin nation. We are prepared; we nre doing qur aro preparing: we utmost in n fight, the result of which means as much to you as li does to us; therefore, give us generously the ald, of which so much is in your power; we nak only assistance against in com- mon Zanamy, Like Lord. Beaver- brook's speech, this is not an appan to sentiment, but to reason, and ide«!

"The finest thing we did. this year was the somewhat action at Oran. It raised our prestige as much as the Dakar episode and our gen- eral treatment of Vichy has lowered it..... Oran was no half-measure. We want more action of a similar kind."

THIS is no time for half- measures. In diplo macy economic warfare and military operations, we have to go all out.

The brilliant successes of our Air Force are due' to bold tactics. In this war, whenever the Royal Navy has been given its head, our seamen have won success by similar methods.

Why, then, the apparent hesitancy and vacillation of our diplomacy?

We had a sharp lesson from Japan, which re- warded our temporary closing of the Burma Road by joining the camp of our mortal enemies.

Another example is our dealings with the Men of Vichy.

Top Tender

f

Are we persisting in tender- noss towards these traitors? They have betrayed their own people as they have betrayed

us.

In every direction they have octed against British in- terests, which are also the interests of France in the long run, in order to curry favour with their German and Italian masters.

They prevented many French soldiers, sailors and airmen from joining us to continue the struggle.

It is known that hundreds of their airmen would have their own machines flown over to Britain if they had been allowed.

Instead, French aeroplanes are used to bomb Gilbraltar and kill British subjects as a so-called reprisal for Dakar. incident.

the

We seem to blow hot and cold towards Vichy. British subjects of military age in France are prevented from leaving, while we repatriate any Frenchman who wishes to return to Vichy-controlled France.

According to the official communique issued after the Dakár episode, we sent back the entire crew of a French submarine after the vessel had been caught red-handed

December 19

WHY THE VELVET

GLOVE FOR VICHY?

and sunk while trying to tor- pedo our warships.

In Africa

We encourage and support General de Gaulle and his ad- herents, and we are helping those French. Colonies which succeeded in throwing off the yoke of Vichy.

But when there is aerious unrest in Algeria and Moroc co, and the Vichy Government accuses the British Govern- ment of encouraging it, we issue an official denial that

this is 80.

If it is right for us to foment rebellion against the men of Vichy in French Equatorial Africa, why is it wrong for us to do the same thing in Algeria and Morocco?

Surely we should use every means at our disposal to en- courage the inhabitants of the French overseas Empire to join General de Gaulle.

And Indo-China Observe what has happened in Indo-China.

The Japanese are obtaining complete military control of that rich territory. From it they will be able to threaten both Burma and Thailand, and will have advance bases for possible operations against Singapore.

The local French citizens, Europeans and native, were enger to resist. The Vichy Government had to replace the Governor with one of its own creatures.

What has His Majesty's Government been doing to en- courage resistance in Indo- China? The United States of America was willing to help.

Then Dakar. The failure to stop the French warships sailing to Dakar from Tou- lon, manned by bitter anti- British elements and adher- ents of the. Vichy Govern- ment, was due, we are told, to a professional failure on the part of certain elements in the Services to inform the War Cabinet or the First Sen Lord of their departure.

We must accept this in-: formation, but it would be interesting to know which de- partment was responsible.---

Was it the Foreign Office, which is in superior control of all the Intelligence Services, or was the Secret Service it- self at fault?

Or did the

news reach

Gibraltar, but was not relayėd from there?

Though no doubt tho easiest place to intercept the Ahips WAB the Straits of Gibraltar, once contact had been made in the Atlantic, Burely more vigorous action was called for.

The kindest explanation is' that our Intelligence Service was hopelessly out in its rec- koning, and not by any means for the first time.

If this is the case, and wo had not the right information from West Africa, then the Booner there is a complete overhaul of all our various Secret and Intelligence Ser vicas the better.

In the last war, our Secret Service, as I had the best means of knowing on the Ad- miralty War Staff, was admir- able. Two men of outstand- ing personality were in charge of their respective Intel- ligence Departments.

Admiral Sir Reginald Hall looked after Naval Intelli- gence, and General McDonagh the military side, and between them they were highly suc- cessful,

Have they no successora?

More Sinister

There is a more sinister explanation; and in the na- tional interest it is desirable. that the fullest possible in- formation should be given to Parliament and the public, in open session, as soon as possi- ble.

It is being stated in circles which have means of informȧ- tion that there is still a good deal of tenderness in high places towards the Potain Government.

The reason given is the old atory of fear that if they fall they will be replaced by a Socialist, Communist or other Left Wing Government.

The same policy, In pre- war days, hampered our ac- tions and diplomacy in deni~ ing with Italy, especially at the time of Sanctions.

Certain powerful elements were frightened lest Musso- hig confederates lini and would be thrown out by the Italian people and replaced by a Loft Government.

We all know how this same tenderness for "Christian Conservatives" influenced our dealings with Spain, and we may yet eat the bitter fruits of that blunder.

I feel sure the Prime Minis- ter realises that this is no

Spain's Position May

Prove

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (UP)-Diplomatic and mill- tary observers here are close-. ly watching for any sign as to the position Spain will take in the "new European order" which the Axis powers are at- tempting to create.

Many informed quarters be- lieve that the course taken by the Franco government may prove decisive in determining the outcome of the present The European hostilitics. shifting of the centre of mili- tary activities to the Mediter- ranean region has given new import to Madrid's role,

Military cbservers generally are agreed that pay full-scale' Axis attack on Gibraltar, Britain's guar- dlan to the gateway of the Mediter- -canean, cannot be attempted with- out the use of Spain as a base of pporations.

NOT IN POSITION Axis noval forces are not at pre-

attempt in position adult of the Rock" and their alreraft, while crpable of nfleting considerable damage, would appur ently have le chance of forcing Gthealing to uhmil. Aircrat Scould

for an invasien, way

but they

rocky

conli

cause the United State, whenever #A CORALSE," Hot #capture" the

crisis has arisen. has never failed to demonstrate her good sense, thero sis overy hope that at this particular time she will support the British na- tion in her preparedness effort.

land and air effort, however, would seriously threaten this vital, basd, and informed mill- Lary coinion holds that the Rock could be taken it the attackers were willing to pay, the price in men and material.?a

નકશા

Decisive

By

Otto Janssen

(United Press Staff Correspondent)

Some quarters, have speculated that the Axis might reach some sort of agreement with Madrid whereby Axis troops would be granted passage across Spain with- out bringing that country formally Into war against Britain. How- ever, there appears to be no indica- tion at present that such an agree- ment has been reached or is active. ly being discussed.

BRITAIN'S LIFELINE

The loss of Gibraltar would be a sezkous, although not necessarily fatal blow to Britain. With the Axis in control of the western en- trance to the Mediterranean, Bri- tnin's "felino" would be cut and Itallan warships would be free to move into the Atlantic to join with Germany is attacks of British shipping.

Spain recently acquired complete control of the "international zone" pcross the Straits of Gibraltar in action created Tangiers. This widespread interest in government and unofficial quarters here.

Spain's entry into the war, or more setive collaboration with the Axis powers, might also endanger Britain's alternative route to her colonies and the East that is, the could around Africa. Spain poR- sesser territarios plona a rood rart of this route which would be valu- as bases for air and naval

operations against British shipping, and perhaps for land operations against

Africa,

Allied possessions

ATLANTIC BASES

ip

Probably the most important of these Spanish possessions, from a strategle standpoint, is the Canary

by Lord Strabolgi

are

longer a Nationalistic war. Since the French, surrender he must know that wa fighting the Quislings, the Lavals, the ex-King Leopolds and their like in a number of countries.

These men of Vichy are 'as hostile to us as are the Nazis and Fasciata.

Thev made their miserable surrender to Germany partly because they were afraid of a revolutionary Government in their own country..

They hate us for continuing. the struggle, and also for look- Ing like winners, because this destroys their main argument (for public consumption); namely, that further resis tance was hopeless.

Away With Fear

Mr Churchill knows all this, and he also knows that one of our strongest weapons in the future will be to en- courage Insurrections In the territories enemy occupied themselves.

That being the case, why does he allow certain elementa in his own Government to adopt this hot-and-cold atti- tude towards the

Vichy Government? }

We need not be afraid of the Vichy Government offel- ally declaring war on us. If 'jt. tried to remobilise the French forces under German and Italian command there would be a revolution in France; which would be a good thing from our point of view.

If the Vichy Government committed this final madness, we would at least know where we were. We could tighten up our blockade and there need be no more Dakars.

No Half Measures

Other French warships have. recently been allowed to leave the Mediterranean and pass the Straits of Gibraltar, and at the time of writing I have no news of their intentions of "whereabouts.

The finest thing we did thie year was the somewhat be lated but strong-handed ac- tion at Oran. It raised our prestige as much as the Dakar episode and our general treat ment of Vichy has lowered it. Oran was no half-measure.. We want more action of a similar kind.

OFFICER WHO SAVED

B. E. F.

HOW a British officer "prob

ably aayed the B.E.F." was told

Kalands, lying in the North Atlantic recently.

off French Morocco, These islands He is Maior William Robert are regarded ideal as bases for air-Reaves, D.9.0., of the Tank craft and submarines.

Regiment, once well known as

a runner at Cambridge.

This is the story of his ex- ploit:-

On the African mainland, eCTONE from the Canary Islands, Hes the Spanish Gold Coast and the tiny colony of Ifni. Farther down the African const, below the "bulge" He was in charge of a cruiser are several small Spanish islands, tank and three light tanks dur and several possessions on

mainland,

the

Including Spanish

ing the evacuation from France.

Guinea. It may be significant that He took his tanks straight down General Charles De Gaulle's "Free a road held by Germans. French" forces recently attacked and conquered the Vichy-controlled garrison in nearby Gabon territory, ATTITUDE OF US.

The United States maintains cordial relations with General Franco's Government in Madrid, and has indicatod a closire to create greater filendship between two countries. Shortly after the

the

The light was falling. and the Germans, thinking they were Germán tanks, lot them go through.

Further down the road the British ofleer found three anti-tank minés. Ho fired at them? * Oño, exploded, but the others did not.

***** Fought All Day

His sergeant removed them

Spanish war ended, for Example, hand and they went on to Grav the United States made a substan- tial loan to Spain for the purchase. of cotton to rehabilitate that coun ¿Lry's waredeynstated

textile in

irklus- tries..

In

However, any real com relations even German armoured vehicles and

Arriving there in the early morp ing, the officer turned his tank rqúrjd, stayed there, and fought.all the next day, t

With his

he destroyed own lank United Statós - Spaln wou'd apparently be determined held the bridze at Graveliness by Spath" attitude toward Creatrast probably sayed the BE.. Britain, since the United States cause if the bridge. Han gone tR naw la purching a policy of situation would certainly have been maximum ald short-of-war to the offical indeed at that Ume. 224 27. inter country, in its war efforts The British officer and two of his

inen, were wounded. i against the Axis, but yan