21/1/40 -No. l. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE (MORNING) PARIS. Sunday, Januar~ 21,1940. The following official communique was issued this morning from French G.HoQ. NOTHING TO REPORT. Air Ministry Weekly News Letter. EVENING PAPERS. IMPORTANT NOTE. THIS NEWS LETTER IS ISSUED PRIMARILY FOR EVENING NEWSPAPERS. FIRST PUBLICATION HAS THEREFORE BEEN FIXED FOR THE EVENING NEWS­PAPERS OF WEDNESDAY EACH WEEK. THE NEWS LETTER ISSUE)! FOR PUBLICATION ON FRIDAY OF EACH VVEEK WILJ.J CONTINUE TO BE DISTRIBUTED J\PD i.VILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FIRST PUBLICATION IN MORNING NEWSPAPERS. EDITORS ARE, THEREFORE, REQUESTED TO ADHERE STRICTLY TO PUBLICATION DAYS. SUBJECT TO THIS, THE MATERIAL IN BOTH NEWS LETTERS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL JOURNALS. Evening No. 1. .NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE EVENING NEWSPAPERS OF WEDNESDAY, 24TH JANUARY, 1940. AIR MINISTRY WEEKLY NEWS LETTER (Evening Papers). Note The information contained in this News Letter may be used by the Press, without acknowledgement if desired. • C 0 N T E N T S. HOT MEALS OVER THE ATLANTIC THE COLDEST JOB OF ALL PARKING FEE IN THE DESERT AIR COMBAT A FRIEND FROM EGYPT ARMS FOR WINGS RECORDS FOR RECORD BREAKERS. Press & Publicity Branch, Air Ministry, King Charles Street, Whitehall, s_w.1. 24th January, 1940. 2. Evening News Letter Item. HOT .MEALS OVER THE ATLANTIC, The crews of Royal Air Force Coastal Command flying boats spend so much time in the air every day that hot food is a necessity for them during their patrol, The flights may last for 14 hours, During an Atlantic patrol when the aircraft is escorting convoys or hunting submarines, two, or sometimes three, meals are cooked. The cook has a galley of his own in a separate compartment of the flying boat. He may be a rigger, a fitter or an air observer -indeed any member of the crew who has been relieved from other duty at the moment, Generally, several members of the crew can dish up a tasty1meal. Some flying boat captains _prefer to detail one particular man as cook. Others use the rota system to make sure that there are substitutes for the regular cook so that their crews will not suffer when he is not available. All the cooking in a flying boat is done over two primus burners, which have an oven between them. The cook has a comprehensive range of utensils -saucepans, a frying pan, a kettle and a complete set of crockery from soup plates to tea cups. He also has a sink in which to wash up afterwards. He keeps the fat, condiments and seasoning in a tiny larder. All members of the crew take their rations with them when making a flight. The airmen draw their food from the cookhouse; the sergeant and the officers from their r espective messes. So t he cook may be presented with three different kinds of food t o prepare. A way out of that difficulty is an Irish stew. This is a favourite dish with most crews, because it is very warming. A typical menu on an all day patrol would read:­ Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, tea, bread or toast, jam, Lunch: Irish stew, potatoes and peas. Tea: Eggs and and chips, bread, tea. butter or mar garine Whatever time the aircraft lands there is always a ho~ meal for the crew at their base. A man stays on duty at the cookhouse specially for them, Most f lying boats have a "kitty", to which officers, N,C. O's. and airmen contribute in varyinE degrees. The "kitty" provides tins of soup, salmon or other extra delicacies for the menu. 4. Eating the meal in the wardroom~ where there is a collapsible table is sometimes a long business. In bad weather only one or two of the crew can ·be spared from their duties at the same time. It may be two hours before the whole crew have eaten. In good weather, however, it will be nearer three quarter's of an hour from the time the cook serves the meal until he is ready to wash up. There is, however, no certainty that the meal will be finished iN peace. At .any moment, hostile aircraft or a submarine may be sighted, If this happens, the cook, like other members of the crew, jumps to his action statiorr. Before doing so, however, he turns off the stove. THE COLDEST JOB OF ALL. Living in a Maginot Line fort and working perched high on the top of the fortifications are four young airmen who have probably the coldest joh in the war. Their task is to keep a close look-out for enemy aircraft and to flash back the news of their approach both to R.A.F. and French Air Force squadrons a few miles behind the line, Their only shelter is a ~hallow trench. They must have an uninterrupted view of the ~ountryside, so they must operate in an exposed position. For regular periods, day in and day out, they stand on tbe top of one of the forts in the teeth of the ~iting wind9 in rain arrtsnow, keeping a constant vigil for the approach of raiders. Recently this part of France has had some of the coldest weather in l iving memory. There have been many cases of frost-bite among the French garrison, Sev~ral feet of snow have been covering the ground for weeks; canals, lakes and even rivers have been frozen over. A relentless east wind has bitten its way through the Vosges Mountains and over the Maginot Line. But through it all these four young men have carried on with their job as usual. They volunteered for this task and they are happy in it. Recently when War Correspondents for the R.A.F. zone visited them they found these young men quite happy and contented. They said that they found the work interesting and would not change it ~or any other. They live on excellent terms with the French troops in the fort and were warm in their praise of the treatment they r~ceive from the officers and men of the garrison. So whatever the weather these airmen will still be keeping their sharp watch on enemy aircraft; they are the "eyes and ears" of the Royal Air Force in France. t> P~KING FEE IN THE DESERT. Probably the only man in the world who has been charged a parking-fee f or leaving his aircraft in the desert is the adjutant at one of the Royal Air Force Fighter stations. He is partl y responsible for the defence of industrial Britain. Before the war, he wore Arab dress and a beard, and was one of that select band of Englishmen who have lived and liked the hard life of the Arab in the desert. He was Chief of the Saudi Arabian Air Force. Now, instead of flying thousands of miles over the Desert of the Singing Sands or the sandy mountains of the Western Desert, quelling tribal disputes for the greatest of the Arab Kings and landing where no aircraft had ever touched down before, he sits working with countless forms and telephones instructions. The Adjutant tells one story of a tribal war that was settled as soon as his landing wheels touched ground. The King of Saudi Arabia was his passenger. As they approached the troubled district, they heard sounds of spasmodic firing, and, flying low over the warring Arabs, they saw bursts of fire on either side. They landed in No Man's Land -and the war stopped. For miles in either direction were to be seen the recumbent forms of thousands of Arabs, · brought to their lUlees by a King, a pilot, and an aeroplane, /AIR . 7. AIR COMBAT. A British fighter pilot was ordered to pursue a Dornier bomber sighted over a certain area at a height of 189000 ft. "After flying west1r, his log reads~ "I sighted three anti-aircraft shell bursts at 18,000 ft. and later another three bursts. I then sighted a trail of frozen exhaust gas at a considerably greater altitude and climbed after it.11 The British pilot engaged the Dornier at 24,000 ft. He came up under the enemy's tail and opened fire in short bursts at 250 yards range. White smoke burst from the Dornier1 s starboard engine. The fighter pilot then climbed to 500 feet above the enemy. "I dived to attack at a right angle11 , reads his graphic narrative, "gave one good burst and broke away to the right and above. I saw two men leave the aircraftv and white and black smoke appeared from the port engine. As the aircraft was obviously finished I did not attack again~ but followed it down and saw it force land in a field with the undercarriage retracted," The pilot relates that he saw no signs of enemy fire1 but on landing he found the top of his main-plane to be slightly damaged. /This 8 .. This may have been caused, he writes, by a piece of the Dornier which was probably severely damaged in the air. A FRIEND FROM EGYPT. Pilots and crews of the Royal Air Force aircraft which made the great flight over Vienna and Prague found an unexpected visitor to welcome them on their return. Standing there in his red tarboosh, the national headgear of Egypt, was Mahmoud Abdul Fath, a member of the Egyptian Parliament and proprietor of "Al-Misri", one of the leading Egyptian newspapers which circulates extensively among the Arab population. He had special permission to visit the Royal Air Force zone in France. The pilots talked with Monsieur Fath and sympathised with him because the bitter weather on the airfield was so unlike the warmth and sunshine of his own country. He, on his part, congratulated them on their magnificent flight. He was particularly pleased when one officer replied to him in Arabic. He had lived in Egypt for some years. Indeed, he had done much of his training there. /ARMS 9 • .ARMS FOR WI.lli!§. .J) AN OPENING 'FOR HERALDS. You need not know about heraldry to serve in the Royal Ai1• Force~ but such knowledge may prove useful. The German reverence for :titles and insignia has found a new expressi on: several enemy aircraft brought down by the R, A. F. have borne a coat of arms or a device. One had a magpiej not a very· h ppy choice, for the old rhyme says of magpies: "One's sorrown, and in Scotland a magpie may foretell an early death, Another~ more aspirings had for its emblem an umbrella stuck through with a sword~ which is certainly a pithy vvay of representing the respective British and German attitudes to war, though it gives a wrong idea of the way we conduct it, Such gestures hardly call fGr official recognit·ion, but private enterprise that can get hold of a paint pot will probably' want to reply. Th~ most obvious retort is a broom. since many of our bombers are on 11 sweeping11 duties and the broom has a famous precedent.. This is a simple instance~ but there is obviously room for more elaborate devices ~ Only~ fortunately or unfortunately~ the enemy are seldom likely to see them.. /RECORDS 10. RECORDS FOR RECORD BREAKERS. The airmen who sang The Blue Danube whilo flying on reconnaissance recently over Vienna emphasise the fact that in war time if you want music up there you have to make your qwn. Things are different on the ground. Many R.A.F. stations have their own amateur bands and there is no lack of talent. Instruments are bought with funds raised by concert parties$ boxing displays and so on. In leisure hours R.A.F. men are not dependent solely on wireless and gramophone. All the same, gramophones are very popular and stores of gramophone records are eagerly compiled. Anyone with records to spare (especially jazz) might remember that they would be welcome in R.A.F. stations. They can be sent through the *Corn:f'orts' Fund. The R •. A.F. which has a reputation for smashing records can be trusted to handle this sort, at ·any rate, with care. *Officer-in-Charge, R.A.F. Comforts Fund, Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, W.l. -----.. ?.1/1/40 No. 3. ROYAL G1JN-P01.~i_I)ER F~CTO~y EXPLOSION Normal work will be resumed tomorrow morning in some of the buildings at the Royal Gunpmvder Factory, rJaltharn Abbey, damaged by the explosion, Colonel Je Jo LleYvellin, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Sup:-ily, stated today, after inspecting the prei:nises where repairs proceeded th1'oughout the vrnek-end. Colonel Lle\'!ellin spoke vvarmly of the courage and discipline of the factory workers who remained at their tasks during and. immediately after the ex~losion. As a result of the steadiness and courage of the men and of the lay out of the factory where all "danger" buildings are constructed in small separate units, each surrounded by "traverses" or thick concrete vrnlls v.ri th mounds of earth running up beyond the height of the roofs of the enclosed buildings, the effects of the explosion 1.-1ere localised. The traverses and the structure of the buildings, all of which have light roofs are designed to prevent an explosion spreading horizontally to nearby buildings containing explosives. The force of an explosion is directed upwards and outwards . over the roofs of other buildings in the factory. This explains why vv :. t_,__:..::;: vnncc0ws in houses and shops sorne distance away where shattered9 windows in factory buildings within a fe'IJY hw1dred yards of the centre of the explosion remained intact. The snH,11 number of casualties -five men virere killed and only three sufficiently injured to be detained in hospital -was at:tributable to the safety measures, with the further requirement limiting the number of nen ei;1;,;loyecl in any one danger building, and to the conduct of the r.ien themselves, which Colonel Llewellin said was beyond praise. After visiting the three wen detained in hospital, Colonel Llewellin said one was returning to his home irnrnediately, a second would be discharged from hospital within a week and the thir~ was making satisfactory progress towards rec.every. All three expect to resume work at the factory. PRESS OFF'ICE_, . MllUSTRY OF SUPPLY. 21.1 ~40 . No. 4, ADMIR/\LTY COMMUNIQ,UE. The Secretary of the Admiralty regrets to announce that H. M. Destroyer GRRNVILLE, Captnin G.E. Creasy, M,v.o., has been sunk by mine or torpedo in the North Sea. 118 officers and men have been landed. 8 men are known to have been killed and 73 nre missing and must be presumed to have lost thciP lives. The next of kin of those killed and missing have been informed. NJ\V.f\L AFFJ\I'R.8. No. 5..!.. WEEK'S GOOD CAUSE APPEAL ON BEHALF OF SERVICE MEN AND THEIR DEPEND'.ANTS, BROADCAST BY GENERAL SIR EDMUND IRONSIDE, CHIEF OF THE IMPERIAL GENERAL STAFF, THIS (SUNDAY) EVENING, JANUARY 21, 1940, IN THE HOME SERVICE PROGRAMME. ++++ +++++++++++ NOTT: TO EDITORS: Realising that General Sir Edmund Ironside might at the last minute be unable to come to the studio to broadcast this appeal,it has been recorded with the followingopening explanation:­ "I have, unfortunately, been preventedfrom speaking to ;y-ou personally tonight, for Service reasons, but I know you will not be less sympathetic, on that account, to the cause for which I am asking your aid". +++++ ++++++++++ AS THIS SCRIPT IS BEING RELEASED IN ADVANCE IT IS NECESSARY TO CHECK IT AGAINST THE ACTUAL BROADCAST AT 8.40 p,m. on 391.1 a.nd 449.1.metres, RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION AFTER 8.45 p.m. JANUARY 21, 1940. ++++++++++++++++ -1 ­ "I cannot imagine a subject which will appeal more to the hearts of my listeners at such a time as this than that concerning the needs of serving men and their dependants. "Their welfare is in the hands of two well established organisations, both of whom will benefit from this appeal. "These organisations which e_re personally known to me are The Incorporated Soldiers and Sailors Help Society (foundea_ 40 years ago) who deal with the Service men, and the Soldiers', Sailors 1 amd Airmen's Famj_lies Association ~founded 54 years ago) who assist the families. Her Ma jesty Queen Mary as President of the Families Association takes the closest personal interest in its affairs and in the activities of its voluntary workers. "No one who has witnessed the departure of troop trains can fail to be stirred by the scenes vsels \'!~ich opened he av3r anti-aircraft gunfire, The aircPaft retaliated b3r c1rOilping bombs, some of \~ich were seen to fall within a few yards of the enemy vessels. No damage or casualties were suffered !Jy our aircraft. AIR AFFAIRS. 21/1/40 -No.9,~. FRENCH OFFICIAL Q.Q.1'.Ik.11JNIQUE (EVENING) Paris, Sunday 21st January 1940. The following official communique was issued this evening from French G.H. Q: ­ A QUIET DAY ON THE FRONT AS A ViHOLE. 21/1/40. -No .. 10. PRESS NOTICE FRENCH HAR CORRESPONDENTS ENTERTAINED IN LONDON. A party of French war corresp·.ondents attached to the B. r;; .F. who are touring Great Britain as the guests of H.M. Government arrived in London to-day and were entertained at dinner at the Dor~hester Hotel by the Ministry of Information. Sir Edward Grigg,Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry, was in the chair. The French guests were :­ General A. Lelong, French Military Attache, Commandant Dumas, MM. Cendrars, B. Franklin, F. Chenevier, P. Ichac, R. Lacoste, P. de Lacretelle, J .H. Lefebre and Andre Maurois ... · Other guests were :-Sir Kenneth Lee , Director General of Ministr3r of Information, Warne::: Allen, H.E. Balfour, E.St.J. Bamford, D. Barrington-Hudson, H.B. Brenan, Tom Clarke, Colin Coote, H.R~ Cummings, Captain Taprell Darling, H. R. Francis, Miss Joan Gilbert, A. Lawson, I.S. Macadam, C.N. Mac Laren, Miss Enid Mc Leod, Charles Peake, Mrd. D. 1-i. Pickles, B.S. Townroe, P. HopeWallac;:e, A. Watson, and Miss J.N. Westley. Sir Edward Grigg welcomed the guests in a short speech in French in which he emphasised Franco British solidarity, and General Lelong replied. Mr. Colin Coote, representing the Viar Office who also spoke in French, gave the guests an outline of their programme. It is expected that the French correspondents will stay for more than a week,during which time they will visit important Naval, Milltary, Air Force and Supply Centres in this country. PRESS BUREAU. ·' FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR COMPILED FROM TELEGRAPHIC ·REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATIO~ No. 6 ...f.?J.§.t....J§D.JJ.~J'.Y..L ................ , 1940 u.s.A: TOTALITARIAN THREAT TO .AMERICA? The possibility ~'hat t::c.e Germans or Japanese might obtain such a foot-hold in S:Juth .America that would leave the U.S.A. n-~ other course but to abandon her policy of isolation, has been expressed in the American Provincial Presso "Germany and J"apam are frankly out for all they can get 'LL'l.der the direction of their ambitious leaders." stated the CHICAGO NEWS. "They are imbued with theories of their own superiority, which in their view entitles them to conquer and rule others. There is no suggestion yet that they would direc'tly attack the United States but there is a possibility that, flushed with victory and thinking them­selves invincible, they might begin a series of encroachments in South .America that would leave us no choice but to abandon the Monroe noctrine @r defend it with arms." The important part played by the Allied Navies in policing the seas was stressed in the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER. "In the event of a totalitarian victory1 this country would be faced with a hostile world without the pr11tection given to the Atlantic area by the .AJjglo-French Naval hegemony~" stated the paper, "That is our great stake in this war.. Honest dealing in the matter of Foreign Pe"licy has been made almost impossible by those who sincerely believe that our entry into the Wcr·J.d War was a disaster and by those who lack the imagination to picture to themselves what conditions would exist tc.day had we not entered into i to 11 ~~sted Aid for Finlando Referring to the Russo-FinniEh dispute, the CHICAGO TIMES stated: "Those things for which Finland is fighting are the most precious rights of .American tradition, liberty and freedom~ .America wants peace but wants an honourable ;peaceo 11 On the same subject~ the CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER commented: "Quibbling over the Presidentts proposal to give immediate help to Finland leaves a bad taste in the mouth.. The Finns need assistance right now. As the only nation which pays its War Debts to this country, Finland merits favourable consideration. An even bolder line W,as taken 1/y the OE.ATII·E STAR which stated: Finland needs lots of money~ There is little doubt that whatever uan be done to aid this heroic country against invaKion, and can be done neutrally, will meet vvi th the approval of the .American P».?11()." The belief that Nazi prcpaga:oda was losing its efficacy was expressed by the GALITESTON NEWS o 21/1/40. FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW · Page "If the German official reply to the French Yellow Book on the crigins of the War is a fair sample of Nazi propaganda, then it is losing its punch,." stated the paper, "Germany accuses France of following a changeable Foreign Policy but German Foreign Policy has shown an inconsistency without parallel in modern history. "The French kettle may not be spotless, but it is nothing like -so black as the German p0 tc" Sunday Papers' comments on U.S.A. 's Position. Commenting on the Pope's reply to Mr. Roosevelt, which was made known yesterday, the HERALD TRIBUNE states: "It would be a sheer folly for Americans to pretend that what happens across the Atlantic or Pacific cannot possibly concern them. If this nation, without violating the laws of neutrality or committing itself to further action, can express :Ln a material way, the deep sympathy and lasting admiration which it feels for F1nland, it should do so." The fairness of British tribunals considering cases of aliens is stressed in the NEW YORK TIMES which states: "There has been no finer example of the survival of common sense and decency in wartime." Mr. C!ul.rchill 1 s speech is given -cons.iderab.le prominence as is also the spet:ch of Lord HalifaY.. · GERMANY: REICH'S LEATHER SHORTAGE. That the shortage of leather in Germany is assuming serious proportions is shown by a Nazi press campaign to ende~vour to accustom the German pecple to wear wooden shoes. The newspaper which has b~gun the cari1paign is the NATIONAL ZEITUNG of Essen and in its issue of Thursday, the paper argued that not only wculd-w.-:<.den ;.:,hoes "a:s wQrn· in the ·-time o:r--y-our_.gr-e.nd:fathers" help ti) save leather, but they 'were just as practical as real shoes. The German people's dissatisfaction at the lack of food-stuffs was revealed by the same paper which gave a long list of cDimes in West Germany all concerned with the theft of food. The German reply to the French Yellow Book on the origins of the war was given some prominence in the Press but the expl~sions at the North London Gunpnwder Factory were covered only briefly. There was little attempt at distortion. VENEZUELA: GERMANY'S LIGHTNING WAR IMPOSSIBLE. The German idea of a lightning_ war has become a r~mote possibility, according to a leading article in A.HORA. "In spite of the talk of an imminent Nazi offensive, this has been rendered impossible' by the Franco-British reserves which are vas~ly superior9 " stated the paper. "German attacks on sea and in the air have been energetically and adequately answered. The German idea ~f a lightning war has disappeared." An article in LA ESPERA stated that according to an UJ'lcensored dispatch from Prague 116 .Skoda W\:rkers have been executed and 3 ,000 tc.,ns of steel had :~een damaged. No fewer than 7,000 guns made from this steel last January had been sent to the front and many had ~urst ~fter a few shots had been fired. FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW · Page 5 ITALY: tiTTAC~_.QN BR.I_TI.§H DIPLOMACY, The allegation that British diplomacy had been fore-stalled by the astuteness of Herr Von Ribbentrop-~ was made in last night'sI.ta lian press. The GIORNALE D' I1'ALIA in a Berlin dispatch published a Nazi denial of an accord with Rournania and stated that the question of the Gazizia Oilfields had been settled in the Rueoc>-German agreement. The CORRIERE DELLA SERA' s London correspondent wrote: "Once more it seems that British diplomacy has been fore~stalled by the astuteness of Von Ribbentrop and his collaborators&" This paper insisted that ' the world was not impressed by the advantages of British and French riches but would prefer some sign that the Allies war aims showed a desire to destroy any inequalities and repair injusticesQ "Instead, everything points to their intention to increase their already spectacular riches." added the paper. "How cann the world believe that from such cc-operation anything like a new order or better international justice can arise~" HUNGARY; I.R.A. 1 s ALLEGED ACTIVITY. The North London Gunpowder Factory explosion was due to the I.R.A. according to a section of the Hungarian Press. The majority of the newspapers yesterday gave some prominence to the explosion and the FUGGETLENSEG stated that it was believed that Irish terrorists were suspected. This paper added that L1verp~ol Harbour had been closed and this also was due to the ectivities nf Irishtneno Several papers suggested that the Russians would . hand over a numbeP of oil wells in Galicia to Germany and others published a Rome report that the Germans had discovered a type of incendiary,rbomb which wculd "melt the cement in the Mag1D.ot Line." HOLLAND: DUTCH PRESS REJECTS Gh~RMAN ACCUSATIONS,. German attempts to justify the sinking of the Arendskerk were emphatically rejected by the Dutch Press yesterday. "The German arguments cut no ice," stated ·HET VADERLAND, "The Arendskerk carried no contraband and it is absolutely untrue to say that she attempted to escape from the submarine. The argument that Holland admitted cargo destined for an enemy country only holds water if one accepts the German argument about contraband. The whole incident reminds us of the sinking of the Sliedrecht." FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW · Page 21st January~ 1940. 4 .. S'v/EDEN: 'NAZ I BLITZKRIEG B:CL.IEVED IM.POSSIBLE. The belief that a German iiBlitzkrieg" in the West is now almost impossible has been exprosscd in the Swedish Press. "The chance of a Gurman lightning war has nmv been greatlyreduced" stated tho GOTEBORGS 1vIORGErTPOST on Friday, "We cannot avoid tho impression that tho Dutch exports are too optimistic as regards th~ winter defence ~casuros~ but we sustain the . peoples' belief in the strength of the defences", Regarding a suggested change in the freedom of tho Swedish Press the HYA DAGLIG'r 1-1.LL:L:HANDA stated yoste:rday: "If the freedom of the Press is to be changed in such a manner that opportunismbe the dominant factor and each case is to be treated differently, the Government is treading a dangerous path, Tho fact that papers in certain totalitarian states arc subordinate to tho Government is no reason for us to allow a similar development," Signor Mussolini and tho Balkans. Signor Mussolini is attempting to obtain a foothold in tho Balkans at the expense of Britain and France. A report to this offcct was reproduced in the GOTEBOHGSPOST.E.N.. -­ "The suspicion has arisen tho.t Mussolini exaggerates the Soviet dang01~ to the Balkans in order to obtain influence there" it was stated, "Mussolini wants to play a game of big politicsin the Balkans ancl to obtain strategic positions at the expense of ::=::::..e;lo.nc1 and France. " SWITZ~RLAND: SWISS H:CUTR./..LITY ATTACKI:D. The Swiss Press reacted sharply yesterday to renewed German accusations of S-vviss "un-ncutrality" • The German Press, according to the N..1\TIONAL ZEITUNG, has admitted tho.t the Nazis arc keeping a list recording instances of. "un-ncutrality", the purpose being to attempt to render neutral states submissive to Germany. "Manifestly t hi s is anothor attempt at intimidation accord.L.vi.g to a recipe which has long lost its novelty for Switzerland", stat ed the NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, 11 A now feature is the extension of the accusation to Swiss official q_uart.oPB. Tho sole consequenceof the accusations is to increase and foment feelings of mistrust11 , DER BUND stated: "Wo will not allow our duties to neutrality to be twisted by bcllig~rcnts to suit their purpose, but we will adhere to the rights and duties of neutrals as l aid down in~ tho Hague Convention. " . FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW · Page DENMARK: MR. CHURCHILL CRITICISED. Mr. Churchill's speech was given great prominence on the front pages of all Danish newspapers to-day, with the exception. of the socr;JiDEMOKRl:..TEN. The BERLINGSKE TIDENDE used the headline: 11Ghurchill Sharply Criticises Small Neutral Oountries". The headline "Small Neutral Countries invited to Join the Western Powers in War" was used by the POLITIKEN and the NATIONALTIDENDE used the phraseology "Churchill invites the neutrals to join up". B~LGIUM: VIGILPJiJCE c;~NNOT BE RCL.t0CED -BI:LGIAN PRESS. "We must continue vigilantly to ·watch the development of the situation and no precautions must be relaxed". This was the keynote of the Belgian Press yesterday conunenting on the situation in the Low Countries. The IliJDEPE1TD:SNCZ BELGE stated: "We must all consider ourselves mobilised. We must no longer act in a spirit of political partisanship". Writing on the Northern European situation the LIBRE BELGIQUE stated: "It is agreed that Soviet Russia has suffered a substantial check, but that does not mean the end of Bolshevis~ and it is not prudent to imagine that the Russian problem has been turned. It would be singularly premature also to think that Russia will abandon the struggle." EGYPT: EGYPT OPPOSED TO AGGRESSION. A strong denunciation of the methods .of aggression was made in yesterday's REVUB DU CJ~IRE. This journal stated: "Egypt, having reached politicaJL maturity, understands clearly the t ask assumed by the Vlestern Democracies and is bound to o.pprov0. If there is one regime pro:.Lounclly repulsive to Islom it is that founded on oppression and the refusal of liberty of thought. 'Despitc the horrors of vmr, a comfort and CO!lsolation is to be found in the new solidarity betYeen East and V~st and the sincere cooper ation which proves once more that the defence of spiritual values is not westcr>n or eastern but simply human11 • HOLLAND: NAZI ECOlirUMIC POSITION 11 .AN INTRIC..\.TE PUz~:;LE" Commenting on Dr. Goebbels' spe0ch the lHi::UWE ROTTERD.AJvlSCHE GOUR.ANT· stat ed yesterday: "Goebbels' Sl-Jeuch was for home consump­tion. Those who have read only the German White Paper may be inclined to agree with the Propaganda Minister on the war guilt question, but the more detailed Allied Blue and Yello11 Books prove that Germany could have pr event ed war". Referring to Germrmy 's economic position HET HAND:SLSBLAD .stated that even for Germans the; position had become an intricate puzzle. 81/1/40. FOREIGN PRESS REVIE\'Y Page The view. tha t the loss of the Roynl Oak . a'_c.d. the Cc.1.~~ez_)\_1.S­vrns ~~.ot so gr..e.at to E~1gland as was the l :) ss of ·the Graf' Spee to Ge..vmany 1 was expressed in the YOMIURI SHIMBUN by a well known milita ry critic" "Mr. Chamberlain's Ma:osion House speech was based on the real facts," he stated.a Hit is a fact that the Ge:...,ma:;:\s ha'!e been lmsu.cc.essful tr.: dee-;t:(•o;y-ing the enemy's trade ai1d further, the 1J ss of the Royal Oak and the Cm.i..rag1:;0us :_,y the powerful British Navy is insignificant corapared. with th8 l ::. s.s_ of the Graf Spee to the inferior Ge rman Nav::l-o '11he nava1 battle ''.i.'f Uruguay was clearly a victory :for Br-i ta.b10 11 The speech by Lord Halifax yesterday was described by ~he POPULO DI ROMA today a s the most intranstgeant speech the British Foreign Secretary has made since the out~)reak of war. Mr. Churchill 1 s Bpeech, according to this paper, was even. severer "as might be expected from a o.escendant of Marlb;)rougho"