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THE pres "Speetal to the Telegraph" i used by the "longkong Telegraph to Indicate news which is strictly copyright under the provisions of the Telecommuni- cations Ordinance. 1916. Buch new
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 republications, either wholly or in part without previous Arrangement,
STRATEGIC GREENLAND
GAMELIN starts a PANIC
ARLY in May it was Then he slowly closed his file
hands in French politics that the cannot make my point of view prevail, I am no longer head of Reynaud Cabinet would not the Government." escape the tidal wave which was The members of the Council, bearing down on it to sweep it looking on at the duel between the two men, were aghast. This dispute would mean a Minis- terial crisis, and what would be- come of them?
away.
The Premier was so haunted by the thought that to a grent extent he lost his head.
From the moment he canio to power and especially after the disappointments of the Nor-
Hitler Acts
Then, at dawn the next day,
wegian expedition, his actions Hitler ordered his troops to in- were consistently unfortunate, vade Holland and Belgium. There could be no question now Stories, went round, of his of a Ministerial crisis. blunders, his nerve-storms, his
fits of anger, and his ill-con- There could be no ques- sidered inspirationsnot to tion, either, of changing the mention his sins of omission. - Generalissimo.
Gamelin had staked everything—and he had lost.
brate, characterless military of- when all was added-together, a Relations between M. Rey- The avalanche swept down on ficial, whose will power had been panic. naud and M. Daladier, who was Belgium, on Holland, and then debased by twenty years of then Minister of Defence, grew soon on France.
Government red-tape and poll- The sitting of the Council was increasingly strained,
Gamelin chose the strategy of
tical pettifogging.
a sight which will never be for- the battle in Belgium.
"That front is broken! The gotten by those of the men German motorised divisions present who had retained their Nothing will stop them."
on the road to Paris, self-control.
Reynaud's Attack
He staked everything on one Nearly a month before, on throw. He raced towards his April 12, M. Reynaud had de destiny, dragging us after him. livered an attack on General In the afternoon of Monday, Gamelin at a meeting of the War. May 13, M. Daladier's face bore Council, M. Daladier bluntly the expression familiar to it on stopped him.
bad days.
But from that moment M.
Someone asked him timidly: Reynaud resolved to replace "Are you satisfied with the way Gamelin 24 Commander-in- the offensive is developing?"" Chief, either by General Georges, General Huntziger, General Giraud, or General front stood on
are
That is what he announced
to the Government on the
Confessions
A Generalissimo, hopelessly night of May 15-16, advising at sea who declared: it to leave the capital.
Rumours
It was M. Roy, Minister of
"I made a mistake. I thought
the instrument was sound, but it bent. Divisions fled without-
A large map of the battle- the Interior at this date, who fighting, a battalion of tanks
the an ensel. His received Generalissimo's would not move," etc., etc." glance went from the North Sea message. It was enough to dis- A Premier who showed spirit, to the Maginot Line, and he turb even an old veteran's but who grew excited and on
night.
What he had been unable to shook his head. obtain on April 12 he decided
edge; a President of the Re-. "I'm not at all satisfied. I now to try to take by force.
M. Roy tried to get in touch public who had a telephone call was wrong to allow myself to be with the head of the Govern- made every half-hour to find out what time his wife and house- hold staff were to leave.
On May he called a Cabinet bulky file, and it took him two He arrived with a. meeting. hours to read its contents to his fellow Ministers.
THE agreement recently sign-Weygand. ed in Washington between the United States Government and Denmark with regard to the defence of Greenland is perhaps one of the most significant events of recent months. It should enable the United States to play more effective part in the great battle of and air which will finally determine the outcome of the war. At the same time the extension of the principles of the Monroe Doctrine to include Greenland will naturally add strength to the wall of defence
Bea
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25
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Many of his colleagues had not seen him for a fortnight. They found him much altered,. thinner, feverish of eye, steady of voice.
un-
animated. His reading became Gradually Paul Reynaud grew
harsh, almost violent. He turned the leaves heaped before him with the regularity of a
metronome.
Daladier's Reply
France-the Whole Truth
Second Article In The Series
by ELIE J. BOIS
Famous Paris Editor-an intimate of France's Rulers.
carried away into sending soment. The poor man found it a many of our troops to Belgium, troublesome, business. I didn't want to..
M. Paul Reynaud, at first crushed, recovered himself.
He decided to go to the Cham- ber, where he made a short statement, which revealed and aroused emotion, a speech of the kind needed at that moment.
That evening, over the radio, he renewed his declaration in different words, swearing that it was when all seemed lost that the world would see of what France-was-capable.
was
I met him at the Foreign Of- fice as he was returning from When he had finished, M.
Orders had been given that the Palais Bourbon. He looked Daladier raised his finger, in-
"I ought to have followed my M. Reynaud's rest was not to like a man taxed to the utter- The pact is the outcome of an
dicating that he wished to presentiment."
be interrupted, and none of his most by fatigue, distress and intimates would say where he responsibilities, but he expressed desire for protection
speak.
Two days later a Council of could be found.
standing up to the storm. He made his reply to the Ministers was held at the Ely- of R.A.F. the people of Greenland
Premier's case in a tone of see, and the Minister of Na- At last the Minister lost his themselves, and covers the period seeming calm,
A Stand? He declared that tional Defence had the sorrow- temper, and was able eventually of the war and to such time as the problem raised was a grave ful task of announcing that the to communicate the incredible Denmark is in a position to
one and could not be a matter front had been broken on the news to M. Reynaud. resume adequate control. When of indifference to the Minister Mouse between Namur and Denmark collapsed, the United
of National Defence. Greenland Councils in May last yeur, adopted resolution, "reiterating their oath of allegiance to King Christian X of Denmark, and expressed the 1 Small High Explosive hope that for as long as Green
-land remains cut off from the Bomb
inother country, the Govern- ment of the United States of
1 Complete Set of Spark Plugs
1 Large High Explosive America will continue to hold in mind the exposed position of the Bomb
Danish flag in Greenland, of the native Greenland and Danish population and of catablished public order."
A Bren Gun
1 Day's Upkeep of
100
"
250
"
1 Bomb Rack
500
"
•
1 Stick of Bombs
1,000
5,000
"
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Bombs & Petrol for a Visit to Berlin
10,000
*
信息
a
100,000
11
»
500,000
#
*
1 Flying Fortress
1,000,000
**
*
2. Coastal Motor Boats
7,000,000
角兽
11
1 Destroyer
40,000,000
"
11
1 10,000 Ton Cruiser
160,000,000.
"
事
1 35,000 Ton Battleship
Squadron of Fighters
1 Spitfire or Hurricano
The South China Morning Post, Ltd. will be pleased to supply cards 14" x 11" of the above list, with the nama printed thereon of any Firm or Club wishing to start a Shrapnel Box,
Dinant.
We were face to face it was in his office and by way of be- The news spread in frag- ginning the conversation, I ments, no one knew exactly asked: Is it true that the news- papers are to withdraw to the provinces?"
"Who said crazy?**
"The Ministry of Informa- 'tion."
"Rethel has been overrun." "The Germans are at Laon." "They'll be in Paris this even-
anything
60
"In this particular case," M. At this same Council a most bow. Daladier declared (meaning confused discussion took place Norway), "the Generalissimo's over Italy's entry into the war, conduct is worthy of nothing but which was considered imminent. praise. I am prepared to cover One of the Ministers went one him fully in this matter," he better than the most rabid
Italophiles by proposing that ing." offers should be made to Italy. "Herriot said to a friend:
"We might," he suggested, 'Before two o'clock I advise you before Paris; we shall fight in
to internationalise to leave Paris.""
added.
therefore place my resignation offer
"If he is guilty, then I am. I
as a member of the Government Gibraltar." at the disposal of the Prime Minister."
Front Broken
"The sitting of the Chamber has been cancelled."
"It's stupid! We shall fight Paris, if need. bel"
As I left him, I said: "Game- lin?" He raised his arms with gesture of indignant grief, "Weygand?" I continued.
There was silence. For some
Someone with a sense of hu- with which we were harassed. It was rumours of that kind The text of the seconds, which seemed very agreement also expressed the long to those present, M. Roy. mour put an end to the discus- In the form they were bandied "They told me" "grave danger that European naud, white-faced, appeared to sion with these few words: about they were false. But territorial possessions in be waiting for someone to speak. "It seems to me that you want there was a basis of truth un- America may be converted into Greenland, the Faroe Islands and to offer something that isn't derneath. strategic centres of aggression Iceland as stepping stones across yours. I can't imagine, or, against nations of the American Continent."
:
"Perhaps."
The Generalissimo had re- the Northern Atlantle, and at rather, I can imagine only too fast enough. General
The newspapers were told turned to his G.H.Q. He was one time a German attempt to well, what the English would slon. Everyone was agog with as he had been asked,
confu- going to "try" to make a stand, The signing of the pact, which seize Iceland was barely fore- any when they heard of your the news. aroused considerable indignation | stalled by the landing of a party
suggestion!".
What was the good of asking in Berlin, did not attract much of British marines. The Atlan-
That was how the morning of him to try when he had lost his attention in the neutral press, tie shipping situation with
But this was only a joke in May 16 was seen from outside. faith and had just said: "The but it has nevertheless, & far many naval and air bases in ing on at G.H.Q.
so comparison with what was go- Seen from inside the Govern- instrument was not sound"? reaching influence on the conduct Nazi-occupied. Europe, is already
ment, it was in broad outline of the war. Berlin's wrath can sufficiently serious, but if Ger- everything. And he had lost.
General Gamelin had staked like this:- be considered the mensuro of many had succeeded in obtaining
General Gamelin, grently Germany's desire to obtain con- control of Greenland the position trol of Greenland herself. Bor-would have been doubly danger- and telephone calls that struck President, the two Speakers and starte with enthusiasm, but in three
Telegrama bringing despair alarmed, had alarmed the Pre- mier, who had alarmed the in, while talking glibly of ous. It is due to the foresight mortal blows overwhelmed him. his colleagues.
Woygand, called in to save Franco, illegality, hag broken written and unwritten code of well as to the readiness of the and big anppor's head nor Foch's alarmed some thousands of of
overy of the people of that country, as He had neither Joffre's back
days lose faith and folms' the de- - law and honour, and therefore United States to accept further
They, in their turn, had fentists. Incks the authority to do aught responsibility, that the highway!
imagination.
Bols warns Reynaud of a powerful,, but ncquiesce. Hitlor was cer-
ficials, journalists and friends; plot to separate France from Beliain.. across the Atlantic is now in a He had not the reflexes of the who, for their part, had taken ainly not blind to the importance fair way to receiving the protec- leader, but only those of a very it upon themselves to alarm Belgium capitulates. Was King Leo-
· The military collapse, continues, of these Arctic groups, such as tion it so sorely needs.
intelligent, over-pliable, Inverte- sufflelent people to produce, pold justified?
TO-MORROW
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