FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR COMPILED FROM TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 71 No. 8th April, 1940 U.S.A: DISCUSSION UN NEUTRALS * POSITION. The position of the smaller neutrals is the subject of comment in today’s New York Press, which examines the Axllied and German view-points towards neutrality. In an editorial article, the NH,> YORK TIMES writes: "If there is one axiom in European Naval Geography, is that Norway cannot, and will not, go to war it with Britain. She is not only hopelessly exposed, but her life as a seafaring on are nation depenas British sea-power* Her people overwhelmingly in favour of the Allied cause. "The present alarm in neutral countries may be premature. The Allies have made it plain in the past few days that they will try to achieve their ends by Diplomacy rather than by illegal high-handedness." The NEW' YORK HERALD TRIBUNE declares: "At about the same time that the German trade Norwegian Foreign Minister was repelling Allied pressure against through Norwegian waters, a German U-boat was torpedoing, without warning, 5ti11.... another Norwegian freighter and drowning a few more Norwegian sea-men in cold • Northern seas. This grim Coincidence is * sufficient answer, if any were needed, to the crocodile tears being shed in Berlin on the^JAlii^e^EdJALegal,.,_results Upon the neutral purity of the Scandinavians. "If Allied pressure should,ever become severe to the point of forcing the Scandinavians out of their neutral position, it will be worth bearing two points in mind. Firstly that the whole law of neutrality pre-supposes a limited and restricted war. In a this is not a limited war. Not very real sense, however, only is it being fought on the Economic Front throughout the world, but every nation in Europe knows that d/t is going to be .intimately affected by the outcome* of Secondly, only the defeat of Germany holds—out any hope ever re-establishing any effective rule of international law,at all* If in encompassing that defeat the Allies strain the. laws which the Nazis have so freely broken, At-will be unfortunate but no defender of the ideal of international law can safely raise his--voice' against the Allies in doing so unless he is quite certain they they can win without it." In a dispatch from Paris to the NEW YORK TIMES, Anne McCormick analyses the significance of Anglo-French unity, writing: "This is the big story of the war, regarded from the point of view of its causes and effects. Nothing has happened to date to compare in importance with the Franco-British union. "The French and British have united to fight Germany and brushing aside their differences in temperamentality and experiences they form a union which they believe must be indissoluble if their civilisation is to survive. Supposing that these great empires are as bent as they seem on merging inth a political ant economic defensive entity, their insurance policy casts a new balance and a new pattern which will vitally affect the position of every other Power in the world and our own most of all." The pc sition of British shipping is analysed by Hanson Baldwin in the NEW YORK TIMES. This writer shows how the replacements campaign will meet the latest stage of the Nazi counter-blockade plan. He cites the decline in March losses, but out to points that attacks by aeroplanes caused a higher ratio of damage sinkings. In conclusion he writes: "Although the German counter-blockade is as yet far from any decisive success> it has been, and probably will, remain a serious and consistent drain upon British resources." FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR COMPILED FROM TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 71* 8th April, 1940 No. S./ITZERL.END: GERMANY TO LAUNCH OFFENSIVE? launch a Swiss newspapers today. Germany is likely to military offensive shortly, according to The Berlin correspondent of BUR BUND, the Radical Democratic organ, writes: "There has been so much diplomatic activity lately that the purely of the military aspect war has appeared, neglected but recent official German statements leave no doubt that Germany is preparing to seek a real decision " in the military sphere. of the After describing the "nervous uncertainty German population at the a prospect of grand-scale offensive" the Berlin correspondent of the usually well-informed NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, states: "The rumour that the war will end on July Ist is so assiduously spread that it is impossible to believe it is accidental. It is accompanied.by increased military preparation and the fresh calling up of recruits, " The TRIBUNE DE GENEVE states: "Marshal Goering foreshadows intensified operations in the west where the decision will take place. The declaration with Berlin's theory at the outset of war that the Reich is hardly squares stand of sufficiently strong to several years siege and therefore does not need to take the offensive. It looks as though the German army, numbering some five million men, is preparing for a sortie which is the proof that the besiegers' tactics are beginning to bear fruit." BELGIUM: NEUTRALS ;.H0 BENEFIT FROM EAR, Frank criticism of neutral states which are alleged to use the war for their own profit is made in today's GAZETTE DE CHARLEROI, the Liberal organ. This paper writes: "The Allied decision to strengthen the blockade of Germany has caused a shiver in certain neutral countries where neutrality consists in enriching oneself at the expense of one or other of the belligerents* The figures of cotton imports from the U, S, A* to European countries are to become interested staggering. For unscrupulous people suppliers’ of Germany is inadmissible from the moral viewpoint and inacceptable by the Allies from a strategical viewpoint, " - LE PEUPLE, the Socialist organ, declares: "The question ’Have the - neutrals the right to exist and live in liberty and independence?* cannot - easily be disassociated from this other question ’ when humanity is torn by a terrible struggle between two forces opposed on both moral and material grounds, can the small nation under the pretext of neutrality permanently maintain an and the attitude of indifference towards the responsibilities for, final issues of, the conflict?'". The question of elementary laws of humanity in connection with neutrals1 rights is discussed in LIBRi! the Conservative organ. BELGIQUE, This journal rejects the Allied, thesis that the neutrals should help defeat "when a neutral country answers in the Allied Germarry but adds: reproaches Press it should not forget the radical difference between the Democracies ' attitude and the Reich'smethods. It is the latter alone which has brought destruction to numerous neutral vessels and has caused hundreds of innocent deaths in defiance of the most elementary laws of humanity. "The neutrals should have courage and loyalty to recognise this, and those B too the elgians who frequently confuse correct practice of neutrality with Pontius Pilateism should take daily lessons from the Vatican organ 03GERVAIORE ROMAN. 0 £ . FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW WORLD COMMENT ON THE WARDAILY SURVEY OF REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION FROM TELEGRAPHICCOMPILED 71. 8th April, 1940 No. TURKEY: "TRAGIC ATTITUDE OF CERTAIN EUROPEAN STATES." Advice to "certain European states" was given by the Istanbul .newspaper CUMEDRIIET. "Their attitude is more tragic than the ostrich which hides its head in the sand," declared this journal. "But for the Allies the Scandinavians would lose their independence, and Holland and Belgium too would long ago ceased to have existed. If the .Allies succcaab no state will Writing .on German'allegations of American responsibility for the war, TEN! SABAH remarked: "It is no sooner reported that the German have published a book or pamphlet than one is assailed by doubts* The Germans have so perfected the art of railing the ia difficult to take theii*; truth that it .statements seriously." In another issue this paper 7/rote: "Turkey esteems Britain.add Fr«n#te "Hecvause they respect moral considerations in international relations. On the other hand the totalitarians seek to destroy small nations under the pretext of living room. The Democracies•stand sanctity of treaties apd for the the pledged word of right and. morality." CQMHURIYET, referring to the blockade, affirmed: "Despite Leakages, the Allied blockade is a powerful weapon. The Nazis who a are compelled to feed large army and population cannot prolong, the struggle with contraband supplies obtainable here and there." TUNIS: ASTONISHMENT AT LcIY'S iGffjLCTGgS TO SOCIALISM. The references to Socialism by Dr* Ley, the leader of the German -Labour J£ron.t> have astonished the Tunis newspaper JAHJOUH. Commenting on Dr. Ley's recent speech in which he said "This war is a con*» flict between Socialism and Capitalism," this journal wrote; "We are astounded that Dr. Ley should speak of Socialism in Germany, where the workmen are exhausted by overtime and intensive work and do not enjoy any freedom. "Is it in the name of Socialism that Czechoslovakia was assassinated, that Poland was invaded, that defenceless towns were bombarded and that merchantmen are sunk -and is the lebensraum principle different from brigandage or ought that too to be imputed to Socialism?" BRAZIL: THE //ILL TO WIN. Analysing the respective advantages of Totalitarian and Democratic regimes, Senhor Dantas, in the CORREIO DA MANHA, said: "The final factor for victory is the people's will to win. Prance possesses this through all Ministerial changes." In an article on the position of the neutrals, the DIARIO DE NOTICIAS stated yesterday: "The Allied arguments are irrefutable. The Allies are defending the status quo which the British Empire has maintained for centuries, thus affording the neutrals the liberty of peaceful self-development." the Democracies and they are only withheld' from active support by the factor of fear. The article concluded by declaring that all neutrals sympathise with FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR REPORTS RECEIVED THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATIONCOMPILED FROM TELEGRAPHIC BY 71 No. 8th April, 1940 VENEZUELA: "TYPICAL COLLECTION OF FALSEHOODS." "A typical collection of falsehoods" is the the description applied by Venezuelan newspaper LA ESFERA to the latest German White Book. This paper states that by use of the documents "German ingenuousness wishes to exclude Mr. Roosevelt from his third term and keep America from the wag*. They do not realise the meaning to America of Nazi victory in Europe. Over­confidence lost them the last war and over-confidence will lose them this." In a leading article devoted to Mr. Churchill's new appointment, this paper declares: "fyEr. Churchill, due to his experience, talent and energy is well chosen for the supreme control of the British war effort. We are not aurprised that the news has been received by Germany more with fear ’than with anger. They now have to face a man who does not k. ow fear and who knows how to fight." Discussing air questions, a leading article in AHORA states: "No one would under-estimate the merits of the German airforce, but fortunately for the world, the Allies' aerial preparations have been in no wise inferior to the Reich*s and regarding the quality of the human element, the Allies are decidedly superior. Air battles so far are all unfavourable to the Nazis. Franoo-British aviators have re-affirmed the faculty of initiative which has always distinguished the sons of these democracies." CHILE: NAZI Sri CONDEMNED. Nazism and the policy of lebensraum are condemned in the current issue of the Chilean magazine HOY. In an article entitled "America and the War", an analysis is made of German expansion at the expense—of_neutral nations* It continues: "Chile has suffered no hurt from Germany, a nation to which she-He—united by traditional from which she has received notable services. friendship and "There is no doubt at all about that, but it is beside the question, "We do not want Germany to be defeated because she has done us any hurt, but because, if she should triumph, she would do us hurt, the greatest hurt of all being the taking away of our sovereignty and democratic regime. in a certain sense, we have already been attacked by Germany "Further, in her official declarations uttered against the democratic regime. In her establishment of dictatorship and racial persecution she* has attackedprinciples which serve as a basis for our modus viviendi with the Western nations. the rule of force "By legitimising internal despotism and in foreign and affairs, not only in theory but in brutal reality, by proclaiming the Germany has a* fended the dignity of all nations superiority of her race, cult of individual liberty, peace and the international frater­professing the nity of all races. we her in "We are not therefore being unjust to Germany when oppose and It is not we defence of those things of ours which she disdains menaces. time who would abandon our neutrality. .it is Germany which, some ago, abandoned neutrality towards us." foreign press review OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR DAILY SURVEY OF INFORMATION THE MINISTRY RECEIVED BV REPORTS COMPH.® FROM TELEGRAPHIC 71-8th April, 1940 No. COLOMBIA: GOERING’3 "V ,RB..L STRATEGY". was referred to in a sarcastic Marshal Goering’s "verbal strategy" a Liberal editorial article in the Bogota evening newspaper, EL ESFECTADOR, organ. This journal wrote: "Though they are monotonous because of the constant repetition of the same phrases, the speeches of the Nazi chiefs are surprisingly to a daring. The speech by Marshal Goering group of airmen in which he expressed, the Reich's confidence in the effectiveness of its air force in the task which it would have to perform in a lightning war, is a typical example of the verbal strategy predominant in the Reich, "It is difficult to believe that all Germans, even the most fervent satellites of Nazi-ism, accept as possible short and. decisive action by its the undeniable Allied, forces of Britain and. troops against strength of the France." France know LA RAZON, in a leading article, stated: "Great Britain and. The Reich is in economic difficulties well what to think of Goering’s statements. and of primary materials have been reduced by the blockade. its supplies world of the While Goering was making his speech the was still hearing the echo cannot the Government in Paris words of M. Reynaud. France deal with Hitler and a is resolved to finish with Nazi-ism in order to be able to cement peace on basis of open loyalty. as if M. Reynaud knew •¦./hat Goering was going to say about a "It seemed lightning war. shores of neutral countries for the purpose "British vigilance along the discussion. Great Britain of controlling contraband, is the subject of much is resolved to prevent Germany from provisioning herself with Swedish iron, even if, in order to do so, she is obliged at some time to annoy small neutral countries. The speeches of Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Churchill have been very clear. The fear of invasion makes neutrals favour prolongation of the the war by the supply of materials to the Reich. " PANAMA;1 GOERING’S THREAT AN EMPTY BOAST. an offensive on the The view that Marshal Goering’s recent threat of Western Front was an empty boast was expressed in the Liberal newspaper ESTRELLA. DE PANAMA. has ona Writing in this journal Senor Leopardo stated: "Goering, who number of occasions been a patient in asylums, has just made a speech in Berlin an audience of millions of school-children in which he said, 'Hitler will to deliver the decisive blow in the West. ' blow. MHe will do nothing strike no "If he vvere going to strike he would, not give notice of it and put his adversaries ’wise 1 . one variation of the "Goering’s statement is nothing more than more in which the Allies’ nerves nerves German theme, a nev/ move in the war of to God and their ov-n experiences. have been thoroughly cured, thanks 8/4/40 -No.1. The attached statement by the British and French Governments was broadcast this morning April Bth, 1940. IN recent weeks the German Campaign against the merchant shipping of all nations has "been intensified and even pursued with greater "brutality than before* The number of neutral ships destroyed by German action is novtr well over 150, and the number of neutral lives lost is nearly 1,000. These attacks have been carried out in almost case in defiance of every the recognised rules of war, frequently in circumstances of the greatest barbarity, and on many occasions without the slightest justification for interference of any sort with the ship. Germany has announced that she regards herself as entitled to destroy any neutral ship en route to any British port including contraband control harbours, and there have, moreover, been repeated cases of vessels being destroyed on voyage between two neutral ports, when the vessel had no intentions of touching at a British port at all. It is obvious that the German Government are the waters engaged in an indiscriminate campaign of destruction throughout in which their unnotified mines are laid, or in which their submarines are in a position to operate. 2. While in recent weeks the greatest losses have fallen upon neutral shipping, British and Allied vessels have also suffered from the adoption of this policy of destruction, a new development of which is the bombing from the air of British and neutral trawlers and fishing boats and the machine-gunning of their crews. The innocent character of fishing boats has hitherto been universally recognised, but this has not prevented aimed at Germany from committing nearly 200 attacks on fishing vessels, sinking them and murdering their crews. Even lightships, the object of which is to protect shipping of all nations and which are by international usage treated as non-combatants, have been with their crews ruthlessly attacked by bombs. 3° It is a fact deserving of constant emphasis that these German attacks have been deliberately aimed at the destruction of neutral lives and property, and it is abundantly clear that the purpose behind them is pure terrorism. The Allies, on the other hand, have never destroyed nor injured a single neutral ship or taken a single neutral life, On the contrary, they have not only saved the lives of many innocent victims of these German outrages, but they have also not failed to rescue from drowning German airmen and submarine crews who have been guilty of the inhumanities in question. 4o The position is therefore that Germany is flagrantly violating neutral rights in order to damage the Allied countries, while insisting upon the strictest observance of rules of neutrality whenever such observance would provide advantage to herself. International law has some always recognised the right of a belligerent, when its enemy has system­ atically resorted to illegal practices, to take action appropriate to the situation created by the illegalities of the enemy. Such action, even is recognised to become, lawful in view of the other belligerent’s violation though not lawful in ordinary circumstances, becomes, and generally of law. The Allied Governments therefore hold themselves entitled to take such action as they may deem proper in the present circumstances*, 5* The Allied Governments have observed that a heavy proportion of the losses inflicted upon neutral countries both of human life and in material has fallen upon the Norwegian Mercantile Marine Yet while the German o Government repeatedly sink Norwegian shipping and murder Norwegian seamen they continue to demand from the Norwegian Government the fullest use of Norwegian territorial waters for their own and the commerce, NorwegianGovernment have even felt obliged to provide armed escort in these waters for German ships, while unable to take effective action against German Brutality on the high seas, of which their own vessels have been the victims* 6* Whatever may be the actual policy which the Norwegian Government, byGerman threats and pressure, are compelled to follow, the Allied Governments can no state longer afford to acquiesce in the present of affairs by which Germany obtains resources vital to her prosecution of the war, and obtains from Norway facilities which place the Allies at a dangerous disadvantage o 2 to Government that they reserve the right to take such measures as they may think They have therefore already given notice the Norwegian necessary to hinder or prevent Germany from obtaining in Norway resources or facilities which, for the purpose of the war, would be or the to her advantage to disadvantage of the Allies, If the such successful prosecution of the war now requires them to take measures world opinion will not be slow to realise both the necessity under which they are constrained to act and the of their purpose action. Their in this war is to establish principles which purpose the smaller States of Europe would themselves wish to see prevail and upon which the very existence of those States ultimately depends, The Allies, of course, will never follow the German example of brutal violence, and any action they decide to take will always be carried out in accordance with the dictates of humanity. 7. His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and the French Government have accordingly resolved to deny the continued use by the of stretches of territorial waters which are clearly of enemy particular value to him, and they have therefore decided to prevent unhindered of vessels carrying contraband of war passage through Norwegian territorial waters. They accordingly hereby give notice that the following areas of Norwegian territorial waters have been rendered dangerous to navigation on account of mines. Vessels entering these areas will do so at their peril. - Stadlandet. An area enclosed toy the Norwegian Coast and lines joining the following positions (i) 62° 11' 06"N. 5° 06' 12" E. (ii) 62° 09' 24"N. 5 00' 13" E. (iii) 62° 12’ 18"N. 4° 49’ 30" E. (iv) 62° 19’ 30"N. 5° 05' 36" E. (v) 62° 12’ 00”N. 5& 09' 00" E. Bud. An area enclosed by the Norwegian Coast and lines joining the following positions:­ (i) 62° 58' 27" N. 7° 05' 30" E. (ii) 63° 03' 30" n. 6° 54' oo" E. (iii) 53° 07' 12" R. 7° 04' 30" E. (iv) 62° 59 i 24" N. 7° 07' 15" E. - West Fiord, An area enclosed by the Norwegian Coast and lines joining the following points:­ (i) o7° 24* 4o" n. 14° 34* oo" e. (ii) 67° 27’ 30" N. 14° 24' 00" e; (iii) 67° 28’ 55" No 14° 06’ 45” E (iv) 67° 33’ 55" N.' 13° 51 f 30" e! r (v) 67° 37 55" n.l4° 02’ 15" E. (vi) 67° 26’ 20" N. 14° 38’ 30" E. It will be observed that the laying of mines in these areas will in no way interfere with the free access of Norwegian nationals or ships to their own ports and coastal hamlets. In order to avoid the least possibility of Norwegian or other vessels inadvertently entering these areas before there has been time to give warning of the mines being laid, arrangements have been made for the limits of the areas to be patrolled by British naval vessels until a period of forty-eight hours has elapsed from the laying of the first mine in each area* This measure, in conjunction with the broadcast warning, should fully provide for the safety of shipping* - 8.4.40 No. 2. A CATALOGUE OP CRIME. The attached material is made available to the press as demonstrating the gross and repeated brutalities to which neutral seamen and ships (and in particular those of Norway and Sweden) have been subjected as a result of the illegal policy pursued by Germany in her prosecution of war at sea. 1 SINKING OP MERCHANT VESSELS; . POIN'-S OF INTERNATIONAL LAW. 1. The rules governing enemy action by submarine are those laid down by the Submarine Protocol contained in Part IV of the London Naval Treaty, 1930. These Rules, to which Germany acceded in 1936 are set out below for reference established rules International Law:­ ’’The following are accepted as of (1 ) In their action with regard to merchant ships, submarines must conform to the rules of International Law to which surface vessels are subject. (2) In particular, except in the case of persistent refusal to on or of stop being duly summoned, active resistance to visit and search, a warship whether surface vessel or submarine, may not sink or render incapable of navigation a merchant vessel without having first placed passengers, crew, and ship's papers in a place of safety. For this purpose, the shin's boats are not regarded as a of of place safety unless the safety the passengers and crew is assured, in the existing sea and weather conditions, by the proximity of land, or the presence of another vessel which is in a position to take them on board.” 2. It is assumed that these Rules must be applied in such a manner as to allow the following propositions with regard to enemy action. (i) A submarine may not sink or render incapable of merchant vessel without the and unless the vessel has persistently navigation a securing safety of crew, passengers papers, refused to stop, on being duly summoned or has made active resistance to visit and search. (ii) Having regard to the fact that a submarine is such a vessel that it can practically never be expected to be able to spare a prize crew, it may properly adopt a general practice of sinking or rendering incapable of navigation enemy merchant to the vessels, but subject obligation of securing the safety of crew, passengers and papers except cases mentioned in the two in (1 ) above. 3. Whilst it can be generally said that the rules cited in paragraph one have to be at least equally observed in the case of belligerent action against the ships of neutral countries there is the important distinction that in their case it is a well recognised principle of International Law that the ships themselves (if not guilty of unneutral service) must not be destroyed. Any departure from this rule would be justified only in most exceptional circumstances where the destruction of the ship is the the concerned to essential to safety of warship or the success of the operations in which she is engaged at the time# That fit to Germany has, however, advisedly and maliciously seen flout this time-honoured obligation from the outset of the present war is abudantly evidenced not only by the ruthless manner in which she has sunk neutral ships, but from no less a telling source than her own Prize Regulations issued on the 28th August last, Article 73 of which provides for the destruction of neutral vessels if it is "inexpedient" to bring them in. 4* Conclusions. Neutral of their (a) ships are sunk regardless /destinations 2 destinations or of their cargo. (b) The intentions of the ruthless action adopted by the Germans against neutrals at sea seems clearly to be to frighten them into refusing to trade at all with the Allies or to allow their ships to be used for the carriage of their goods. In this connection there is appended hereto a statement giving extracts from the neutral press and these are both interesting and significant. (c) The action taken by Germany clearly involves considerable unjustifiable interference with, and even in some cases the stopping of, the export trade of neutrals. The case of the Latvian steamer ARIJA reported in The Times of November 9th affords a striking illustration of the reckless and ordinarily purposeless lengths gone in this respect. The steamer to was proceeding to Argentina with a cargo of plywood, seed potatoes and sardines when she was captured by a German warship and taken to Stettin. It is further of interest that at the request of the Latvian Minister instructions had been given for this to be allowed to pass through the British Contraband Control base without delay. 11. NEUTRAL SHIPS SUNK BY ENEMY ACTION. Complete details regarding the time, place, and circumstances of the sinking of all neutral vessels lost are not officially available. The number of neutral vessels officially known to have been sunk by the enemy is therefore smaller than the number of vessels which have failed to return to port and can probably, therefore, be presumed to have been so sunk. NORWAY. 52 ships of 120,000 tons gross Official figure given by M. Koht, Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Norwegian Parliament on April 6, 1940. British official records cover only 45 vessels of 101,000 tons gross. SWEDEN. British official records cover 33 ships of 69,433 tons gross. Andersen in a to the (Carl message from Copenhagen Daily Herald published on April 5, 1940 a figure of 39 ships). DENMARK. British official records cover 28 of 64 tons ships ?372 gross. (Carl Andersen in a message from Copenhagen published in the Daily Herald of April 5? 1940 gave the same figure). NETHERLANDS. British Official records 18 of tons cover ships 83,654 gross. (Press reports have stated that the total of Netherlands ships which have failed to return to port is 23) 3 GREECE, British official records cover 13 ships of 61,760 tons gross. FINLAND, British official records shins of tons cover 7 16,629 gross. ITALY, British official records cover 7 ships of 34,560 tons gross. BELGIUM, British official records cover 4 ships of 12,660 tons gross. OTHER NEUTRALS. Estonia 2, Yugoslavia 2, Japan, Latvia, Spain, Lithuania 1 each. 111. NEUTRAL LIVES LOST. Complete official figures have not been issued, but from official records and reports appearing in the British and neutral press, it is possible to give approximate figures for the lives which have been lost. NORWAY, 392. (Statement by M» Koht, Norwegian Foreign Minister, in the Norwegian Parliament, April 6, 1940), SWEDEN. 262, (M. Carl Andersen in a message from Copenhagen published in the Daily Herald on April 5, 1940 stated that Sweden had lost 308 menTT DENMARK, 290, (M. Carl Andersen in the Daily Herald on April 5, 1940 gave 337 )• the number as NETHERLANDS, 191 GREECE 78 ITALY 56 SPAIN 22 FINLAND 11 ESTONIA 2 YUGOSLAVIA ) BELGIUM ) LATVIA ) 1 each, LITHUANIA ) Approximate total 1318 (or on the basis of the higher totals - for Scandinavia "given in Carl Andersen’s cable to the Daily Herald -1401 c 4 IV. DETAILS OP SINKINGS OP NEUTRAL VESSELS. Total of Neutral vessels sunk. Neutral vessels in convoy (Compiled from official Admiralty (No figures available before Communiques.-). Date. Tonnage September 3-9 4,339 10-16 11 >101 17-23 3,624 •24-30 10,582 29,646 October 1-7 8,427 8-14 15,238 15-21 4,221 22-28 7,203 28-31 19,660 54,749 November 1-4 1,342 12-18 32,381 13-25 23,949 26-30 15,193 72,865 December 1-2 15,739 3-9 27,951 10-16 23,905 17-23 14,281 24-30 1,643 83,519 January 1-6 5,385 7-13 9,382 14-21 46,661 22-28 28,709 29-31 6,588 96,725 February 1-4 4,742 5-11 15,455 1 2-18 59,455 19-25 8,600 26-29 4,211 92,463 March 1-3 9,743 11-17 15,321 18-25 16,703 26-31 7,159 48,926 February 7) Number ¦Date Total Weekly Number lost Week to date total in convoy ending / / // 3 2 2 6 13 3 5 2 2 \/­ 4 16 1 6 4 2 13 4 9 14 9 2 38 / / / 3 / 5 /­13 12 / 2/ 35 / 1 3 February 57 1 580 18 14 744 160(sunk on 1.12.) 2 '21 904 225 1 on 1 28 1075 171(sunk 31«1• ) 29 March 4 1360 285 6 4 13 1614 254 9 20 1851 237 3 28 2215 364 1 on 20 (sunk 28.3. Total 478,893 164 2215 3 5 Vo NORWEGIAN SHIPS. List of sinkings in regard to which illegality has been established from ascertailiable details o (in the case of vessels underlined details are attached ) (a) denotes torpedo attack by submarine (S/M) " '¦ ,rH (aa) without warning* (b) " gunfire* (c) " mined in unnotified area„(M) to (d) " neglect to take adequate steps secure safety of and crew* passengers (e) ,r aerial attack (A) (f) " on voyage between neutral ports* Date Name Tonnage(gross ) How Sunko September 13 RONDA 5,136 (0) — 28 JERN 875 S/M (Dynamite) — 28 AAKSTAAS 1,830 s7m (sD October 13 GRESSHOLM 619 (c) 14 LORENZ Wo HANSEN 1,918 Raider — (Deutschland) - 21 DEODATA 3? 295 A) - 29 VARANOHOLM 3 s 61 8 M November 4 ¦ SIG 1,342 (c) 12 ARNE KJODS 11,019 S/M (aa) & (d) - December 1 ARCTURUS 1,277 (c) 6 BRITTA 6,214 S/M (aa) - ~ 15 RAGNI 1,264 ( c ) - 15 H«C, FLOOD 1,907 (c ) ~ January 14 FAGERHEIM 1,590 s/m (a) - 17 ENfD 1,140 S/M (aa) & (d) - 21 MIRTH!DA 1,328 s7m“ TaaT* (?) - 22 SONGA 2,589 S/M (a)(5) & (f) - GUDVEIG 25 1 ,300 S/M TaT - 27 FARO 844 S/M (aa) "& (d ) - 27 HOSANGER 1,591 S/M (aa) & (d) 29 LIKA 1,503 S/M (a) - February 3 TEMPO 629 A (b) & (d) 12 NIDARHOLM - 3,482 S/M (a) & (d) 13 ALBERT L, ELLSWORTfi S/M (not sunk) - - 15 STEINSTAD 2,477 S/M (a) & (d) 18 SANGSTAD 4,297 S/M (aa), (a) & (f) March 1 VESTFOSS A 1,388 - SVINTA 1,267 S/M (aa) JERN. Sunk on 28th September* tons Bound for Gravesend with a 875 gross cargo of pulp* Stopped by U-boat 90 nautical miles off Haugesund* Crew ordered to boats* Vessel sunk by dynamite* Crew eventually rescued from boats by Swedish steamer Caledonia* The Times (Press Report 30th Sept* ) /TAKSTAAJS. 6 TAKSTAAS. Sunk on 28th September. 1830 tons gross Bound for London with a cargo of planed wood. U-boat Torpedoed by Crew took to boats. Crew resoured by Norwegian Warship. (Press Report The Times 30th September) LORENZ W. HANSEN.Sunk on 14th October, 1918 tons gross Sunk by the German raider ’’Deutschland’' in Atlantic. ARNE KJODE 11,019 tons gross Sunk on 12th November. U-boat Torpedoed by without warning. Bound from Aruba to Nyborg with a cargo of gas oil. Master and 4of crew lost their lives. The remaining - them after 5 in an 35 were picked up 12 of days boat. open LUNA. Sunk on Ist January, 959 tons gross Within a few hours steaming off Bergen. U-boat Torpedoed by without warning. Torpedo caused such danger that crew had time to sank. launch only one lifeboat and a raft before she Crew picked up later by Norwegian ship. (Press Report Daily Telegraph 2nd January). ENID Sunk on 17th January, 1,800 tons gross Bound from Trondjhem for Dublin with a cargo of pulp. U-boat shelled ship while ENID picking up survivors of a British vessel and then torpedoed-her. Crew abandoned ship and were left to fend for them- a selves in open boats in bitterly cold weather, considerable distance from land, Norway protested to the German Government on 13th February„ FAGERKEIM. Sunk on 14th January. tons 1,590 gross Torpedoed by U-boat, Crew took to boats and left to fend for them- were selves in the Bay of Biscay. Five survivors were the picked up in an exhausted condition, (including Captain who had both legs broken). 14 others were missing, (Press Report The Times 19th January.) SONGA Sunk on 22nd January..2,589 tons gross Bound from New York ’for Rotterdam with general cargo. Torpedoed by u-boat. Crew left to fend for themselves in two lifeboats in the middle of the Atlantic. Rescued after five boats. days in open (A press - - report The Times, 27th January stated that submarine commander asked Captain where they were going and in spite of protests that they were neutral ship'bound for neutral port said he was bound to sink them in any case). Norway protested to the German Government on February 12th, GUDVEIG. Sunk on 25th January, 1,300 gross Torpedoed by U-boat, tons Seven survivors landed in Scotland, 10 missing,(Press Report The Times 27th January, FARO. Sunk on 27th January, 844 tons gross Torpedoed by U-boat without warning. Crew left in boats.-. Wreck drove ashore. Captain and six men rescued by breeches buoy. One boat originally containing eight men washed ashore with one man alive and three bodies. 7 HOSANGER. Sunk on 27th January. 1,591 tons gross torpedoed by without warning. U-boat Crew left in boats. One boat containing three men in an exceedingly exhausted condition ?/as British war- picked up by' a ship. These were the only survivors. EIKA Sunk on 29th January. 1 ,503 gross Torpedoed by U-boat without warning, tons 16 of her crew of 18 were lost. Survivors stated on oath that the vessel had not (as alleged by Germany) tried to ram the U-boat. (Press Report, Daily Telegraph Bth March; Norway protested to the German Government about this sinking on Bth). NIDARHOLM Sunk on 12th February, 2 tons Bound gross. from U.S.A, for Liverpool, After three warning shots, crew took to the boats which drew away. Vessel was then torpedoed. Two shells were fired by U-boat and exploded near boats. Crew picked up after drifting for 9 hours. (Press Report, Manchester Guardian 18th March.) STEINSTAD. Sunk on 15th February. tons Bound 2 ,477 gross. from Turkey to Norway. orew ordered to abandon ship which was torpedoed by U-boat. Grew left in open boats. Captain and 12 men missing, Survivors picked up completely exhausted,after• being adrift for five days in a crippled motorboat off West coast of Eire after a hard struggle in seas. heavy Norway protested to the German Government on March 26th. A communique was issued by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 30th March. It read, as follows; "On the 15th February the Norwegian ship "Steinstad" was torpedoed off the Western coast of Ireland on a between Turkey and Norway with a of voyage cargo chromium ore* From the maritime declaration it is clear that the crew wre ordered to take to the boats and left to fend for themselves in the sea. One of open the lifeboats disappeared with all who were in it - twelve men. The other reached port after a hard struggle in heavy seas which lasted five days (127 hours) Eleven men were still alive but completely exhausted, and the twelfth man the captain of the "Steinstad" - - had been knocked overboard and drowned on the 16th February, In a note delivered to the German Ministry for Foreign Affairs by the Norwegian Legation in Berlin on the 26th March the Norwegian Government entered a grave protest against this sinking, which took place in open violation of the provisions of point 2 of the London Protocol of the 6th November, 193&, laying down that crews and ship’s papers must be brought into safety before a ship is sunk. It is further stated in the Protocol that lifeboats cannot be regarded as a place of safety unless the security of the crew can be satis­ factorily established with reference to the state of the sea and the distance from the shore weather conditions, being small another vessel being neighbourhood or in the which can take the crew on board* The note adds that in any case there was not the slightest basis in international law for this sinking, as the "Steinstad” was on a between two neutral voyage countries with a cargo destined exclusively for a Norwegian firm. A governmental guarantee had even been given that the cargo would not be re-exported from 8 STEINSTAD Norway. The Norwegian Government at the same time (contd,) reserved their rights as regards compensation and reparation for all the damage which the sinking involved. They further demanded insistently that suitable measures should be taken against the U-boat captain responsible, and asked that they might be informed of the measures taken.'1 SANGSTAD Sunk on 1 Bth February, . . 4,297 tons gross. Bound from Buenos Ayres to Stavanger with a cargo of grain. Sunk by U-boat without warning while steaming with all lights burning and powerful light on national flag. Master lost his life, U-boat seen. SVINTA Sunk on 21st March, tons gross Torpedoed by a U-boat without warning,(Already attacked by German aeroplanes and damaged on 20th March). TEMPO Sunk on 3rd February, gross Attacked and sunk by bombs from three German bombers. Crew of 14 took to 2 boats which were machine-gunned. One boat capsized near shore and five out of six occupants drowned. Eight picked up from other boat by a lifeboat from N.E. Coast of England. Norway protested on Bth February, VESTFOSS Sunk on Ist March. 1388 tons gross Bombed without warning in North Sea. Four bombs were dropped, the last scoring a direct hit and sinking the ship. (Official announcement in Oslo on 12t?h March) BROTT LYSAKER (Not sunk). The Lysaker was attacked with machine gun-fire by German aeroplanes in the North Sea on 3rd February. The Brott was bombed as well as machine-gunned on Ist March, seven men being killed. The German aeroplane continued to fire after the crew had taken to the lifeboat. The Norwegian Government protested to Berlin on March 1 Bth and 19th respectively against this breach of international law, reserving the right to claim compensation, (Press Report,The Times, 25th March). TORA ELISE Also attacked from the air. ERLING LINDOE 21' SWEDISH SHIPS. List of sinkings in regard to which illegality has been established from ascertainable details. in the case of vessels underlined details are attached). denotes torpedo attack by submarine (S/M) f 1a) * " " """ aa) without warning, b)” """ gunfire ” mined in unnotified area. c; d) " neglect to take adequate steps to secure safety of passengers and crew, (e) " aerial attack. (f) " on voyage between neutral ports. 9 How Date, Name, Tonnage (gross ) Sunk, September 24 25 28 — - GERTRUD SILESIA NYLAND BRATT 1,510 1,839 3,378 S/M Xal s/ST (a; S/M (a) (f) October 1 GUN -1,198 S/M (a) 9 — VISTULA 1,018 S/M (a) & (d) 23 - ALBANIA 1,241 (c) November 19 26 - B.0. BORJESSON GUSTAF REUTER 1,586 6,336 (c)W December 2 RUDOLF 2,119 (c ) 12 — TORO 1,467 (c) 13 — ALGOL 978 (c ) 15 16 — - • URSUS LISTER 1,499 1,362 S/M (c ) (aa) and (d) January 1 LARS MAGNUS 1,951 S/M (aa) TROZELLI 3 - SVARTON 2,475 S/M (aa) and (d) 18 18 20 22 ---- PAJALA FLANDRIA BATRIA GOTHIA 6,875 1,157 1,185 1,640 s/m" (aa)S/M (a) S/M (a) S/M -Hi f&) (f) February 1 — ERAM 2,760 S/M (a) 11 12 -- ORANIA DALARO 1,854 3,927 S/M S/M (a) (a) Ob) (d) 16 16 -- LIANA OSMED 1,646 1,545 & (f) S/M (a) and S/M (a ) and (d)(d) March 2 - LAGAHOLM 2,818 S/M (b) GERTRUD BRATT Sunk on 24th September. 1,510 tons gross Torpedoed by U-boat in Skagerrak. SILESIA Sunk on 25th September, 1,839 tons gross Torpedoed by U-boat. Crew rescured. NYLAND Sunk on 28th September. 3,300 tons gross Bound from Stavanger to Antwerp. Torpedoed by U-boat. After crew had been allowed to 2 hours take to the boats. Rescued by Norwegian warship later. (Press Report The Times 29th September). VISTULA. Sunk on Bth October. 1,018 tons gross Cargo of paper. Torpedoed by U-boat, Crew given 10 minutes to abandon ship. Mate and one boat load 20 hours in boat in bad weather, 45 miles N.E. of Shetlands, before and 8 in other boat men being picked up. Captain missing. (Press Report The Times 13th October). 10 LARS MAGNUS TROZELLI. Sunk on Ist January. U-boat 1,951 tons gross Torpedoed by without warning. SVARTON. Sunk on 3rd January. 2,k15 tons gross Torpedoed by U-boat without warning. Twenty of crew missing. PAJALA. Sunk on 18th January. 6,665 tons gross Bound from Buenos Ayres for Gothenburg with a cargo of grain and cattle food. Torpedoed by U-boat without warning. Swedish flag painted on side and illuminated. Crew rescued from boats after 2 hours, by a British Warship. ORANIA. Sunk on 1 1 th February. U-boat without and in 1,85ft tons gross Torpedoed by warning, sank - 3 minutes 70 miles off Scotland. One boat with 10 men picked up after 12 hours by a British Warship. 14 in other boat missing.(Press Report The Times 14th February). DALARO. Sunk on 12th February* 3,892 tons gross Bound from San Nicholas via Funchal to Gothenburg with a cargo of linseed. Torpedoed and shelled by a U-boat in the Atlantic* Crew left in lifeboat.in Atlantic for 17 hours before being rescued. Master injured by explosion died after being nicked up. Sweden protested 1d the German Government on 2nd April. LIANA Sunk on 16th February. tons 1,646 gross Torpedoed by U-boat. 10 lost. Sweden protested to the German Government on 2nd April. OSMED. Sunk on 16th February. 13 lost. 1*7553 tons gross Torpedoed by U-boat. Sweden protested to tho German Government on 2nd April. GOTHIA, Sunk on 22nd February. 1,640 tons gross Bound for Genoa with a of sulphate and wood cargo pulp. Torpedoed by after Captain had refused U-boat to sign statement that ship was carrying contraband to England. 3 men killed by the explosion. Crew left to their fate. One boat got ashore with 11 men after 3 days. Other boat/10 men missing. with VII. NORWEGIAN .AND SWEDISH PROTESTS. Part 1. Norway. 16th February 1940. The Norwegian Foreign Office stated that protests had been lodged in Berlin against German attacks on Norwegian ships. On Bth February a protest was submitted against the sinking of the Norwegian steamer "Tempo" on 3rd February byGerman aircraft, which later fired on the lifeboats after the crew had left the ship. On 12th February a protest lodged against was the sinking of the steamer."Songa" by a German U-boat on January 22nd. The "Songa" was on her way from America to the Netherlands. The crew - -11 were left in two lifeboats in the middle of the Atlantic, where they spent five days before they were rescued. On 13th February a protest was lodged against the sinking of the steamer "Enid" on her way from Norway to Dublin, north of the Shetlands on 17th January without warning, while she was searching for the survivors of a British ship which had been sunk. On this occasion the Germans fired shells at the ship while the crew in the lifeboats were in the line of fire. In all three Notes, the Norwegian Government stated that it reserved all rights to demand full compensation, and requested the German Government to to account. call the responsible persons 16th February, 1940. The Norwegian Seamen’s Union, the Norwegian Engineers’ Union, the Norwegian Merchant Officers’ Association and the Norwegian Masters’ Union presented a resolution to the Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs, of which the following is an extract: "Acting on information in our possession we are resolved to protest with the greatest indignation against the form of sea warfare which is being waged and which to have as its now seems prime object the terrorisation of neutral ships. "We are also to express our disappointment at the prevailing powerlessness in the fact of demands that international law should be respected, "Neutral shipping nations seem to know of no means of demanding the cessation of massacre of shipping. ”A number of sinkings which have recently taken place must be condemned as demonstrably conflicting with international law and human feeling. In this connexion we will mention the SONGA proceeding from America to a neutral port in Europe which was sunk far out in the Atlantic and the crew driven out into open boats in mid-winter. We will also mention the sinking of the TEMPO as the most monstrous thing that can be imagined. This ship was proceeding on a neutral voyage when it was attacked by German aeroplanes which, not content with sinking the ship, went so far as to shoot at the crew when they had got into the boats. So much has been proved by official enquiry. From official enquiries into the sinking of the ENID it is also apparent that the crew were exposed to gunfire after they had got into their boats." kpth February, 1940* Commenting on the meeting of the Scandinavian ForeignMinisters, the Liberal newspaper "Tidens Tegn” wrote "We have previously emphasized the necessity of a jointNorthern protest against German sea warfare. Everyday we getbad news from the sea. The whole of this loss of shins and lives has been caused only be German mines and torpedoes. is a fact that Norwegian ships have been torpedoed without warning now as in the last War. It is a fact that defenceless Norwegian seamen have been fil»ed now upon, as then. It is useless for the Germans to assert that this is British propaganda and that Germany ''does not act like that”, not one Norwegian believes these German assertions,, They run contraryto sworn statements by Norwegian seamen, and Germans must hold us excused when we rely more on them than on Dr. Goebbels’s Ministry of Propaganda. The Norwegian people must insist that if no joint protest is delivered by the Northern Governments the Norwegian Government should once again, and in far sharper language, protestagainst lawlessness at sea and demand that Germany should respect whlch are based both on international law and on human morallty. 12 29th February,l9Uo* in the Speaking Storting about Norwegian shipping losses, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, referring to mines, said: ”We must unfortunately assume that belligerents have not always observed conventional stipulations. Either they must have laid minefields which have not been notified and the Norwegian navy - is of the opinion there is proof of such minefields in the North - Sea or mines have not been laid in such a to become manner as harmless on breaking adrift.” He dealt with German sinkings, of which he gave facts and announced representations made to the German Government to which, however, replies had not been yet received* In the past six weeks there had been so many cases that they must be taken up as a whole. As a result a Copenhagen meeting of Scandinavian Governments would make an immediate collective protest to in which it Germany was hoped other neutral governments would join. It was pointless for Germans to demand that trade with Great Britain should cease. If Britain obliged Norwegian ships to go to contraband control stations that gave Germans no right to sink them,. They must claim free traffic for lawful neutral trade. sth March,l9Uo the German Minister for Foreign Affairs a Note in which the Norwegian The Norwegian Minister in Berlin handed to Government declared that it had ’’remarked with great uneasiness the methods of sea warfare which have resulted in the loss of the ’’Songa” , the ’’Tempo” 9 and other Norwegian ships. The Norwegian Government are of the opinion that they have a right to demand, in accordance with international law as well as with the German prize rules, that neutral ships bringing cargoes to Norway shall not be exposed to the risk of attack by German military forces. ’’The Norwegian Government are of the opinion that this should apply equally to Norwegian boats sailing between other neutral countries or to a country at war with Germany provided that the cargo contains no contraband* ”The Norwegian Government maintain that when the ship’s papers prove that the cargo is Norwegian property, international law does not permit German military force to sink neutral boats for the sole reason that there is a possiblity of such vessels being brought into an enemy contraband control port during the voyage. ”The Norwegian Government suppose that the German Government agree in principle with these consideration?,, out all the same the Norwegian Government think it desirable owing to recent * losses to Norwegian shipping, that these questions should he discussed as soon as possible by representatives of the t¥/o countries with a view to rendering Norwegian maritime traffic less dangerous and ensuring that Norway receives her supplies. ”The Norwegian Minister in Berlin has therefore asked the German Government to inform him if the German Government also desire such talks ” o 1 Bth and 19th March, 1940 0 on The Norwegian Government lodged protests in Berlin March 18th and 19th against the German air attacks on the Norwegian steamers ’’Lysaker” and ”Brott” 0 13 18th and 19th March, 1940 (contd.) The Norv/egian Government called for an investigation and expressed the view that the German Government would undoubtedly condemn the conduct of the German airmen in shooting at unarmed and defenceless seamen on board neutral ships engaged on lawful errands. The Norwegian Government presumed that the pilots in question v/ould be held responsible and reserved the right claim compensation. to 1940. A 30th March. communique was issued by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 30th March, It read as follows: ”0n the 15th February the Norwegian ship ’’Steinstad” was torpedoed off the Western coast of Ireland on a between voyage Turkey and Norway v/ith a cargo of chromium ore. From the maritime declaration it is clear that the crew v/ere ordered to take to the boats and left to fend for themselves in the sea. One of the lifeboats disappeared with all who v/ere in it twelve The other reached port after open - men. a hard struggle in heavy seas v/hich lasted five days (127 hours). Eleven men v/ere still alive - but completely exhausted, and the twelfth man the captain of the ’’Steinstad” had been - knocked overboard and drowned on 16th February, ”In a note delivered to the German Ministry for Foreign Affairs by the Norwegian Legation in Berlin on 26th March the Norv/egian Government entered.a grave protest against this sinking, which took place in open violation of the provisions of point 2 of the London Protocol of the that 6th November, 193&, laying down crews and ship*s papers must be brought into safety before a ship is sunk. It is further stated in the Protocol that lifeboats cannot be regarded as a place of safety unless the security of the crew can satisfactorily established with be reference to the state of the sea and weather conditions, the distance from the shore being small or another vessel being in the neighbourhood which can take the crew on board. "The note adds that in any case there was not the slightest basis in international law for this sinking, as the ”Steinstad” was on a voyage between two neutral countries with a cargo destined exclusively for a Norwegian firm. A governmental guarantee had even been given that ~ the cargo would not be re-exported from Norway, The Norwegian Government at the same time reserved their rights as regards compensation and reparation for all the damage sinking which the involved. They further demanded insistently that suitable measures should be taken against the that U-boat captain responsible, and asked they might be informed of the measures taken”. PART 11 Sweden 26th September. 1939. The Swedish Government protested to the German Government about the sinking of two merchantmen bound for British ports, Sweden reserved +he right to claim damages at a future date. Ist October. 1959. An energetic Swedish protest lodged in Berlin against the torpedo­ing of the steamer Nyland bound for Belgium stated that was it a ’•flagrant violation of international lav/ to sink a ship bound for a neutral port”* The Press was indignant and contrasted the German 14 ­- measures with their earlier assurances to neutrals. 21st February, 19U0» to Replying a question in the Swedish Riksdag M. Guenther, the Foreign Minister, sharpie criticised Germany’s methods of sea warfare. During the present war, M. Guenther said, mines had been laid out of number in total disregard the rights of neutrals. A of vessels had been torpedoed by the Germans without the slightest warning. "If the chief aim of the intensified war at sea", he to continued, "is to prevent deliveries the belligerents, this aim has been reached only as far as a sixth of the number of vessels sunk is concerned. "These disasters have consequently hit Sweden infinitely harder than the belligerents." M. Guenther repudiated the German claim that the neutrals are themselves to blame if their vessels are sunk in what Germany describes as "dangerous waters". If Sweden accepted this doctrine she would have to relinquish her entire overseas trade, including that with other neutral nations. M. Guenther addqd: "In collaboration with other neutral countries, especially with the Northern Powers, the Swedish Government is giving its full attention to defending humanitarian claims, the elementary principles of right, and economic interests. The problem will be discussed at the meeting of the Scandinavian Ministers of Foreign Affairs at the end of this week." 2nd Aaril, 1940. The Swedish Govern ment protested to the German Government on 2nd April against the sinking of the Swedish vessels Dalaroe, Liana and Osmed. An official communique issued on 4th April described in some details the circumstances in which these ships were sunk adding that in all three cases there was no doubt that the attacking submarine was of German nationality. VIII. NORWEGIAN AND SWEDISH PRESS COMMENT. Part I Norway, "Those who put themselves above the laws of morality evolved through the ages must expect to have all civilised people as their enemies", said Norges Handels og S,jofarts Tidende on the 20th November, The same paper on the 23rd November said that the German excuses would not be accc -ted by an unbiassed person, but also expressed the hope that neutral countries would make plaintheir views on breaches of international law to both belligerents. Papers of the 22nd November (Bergens Tidende, Aftenposten, Morgenbladet) noted that by this date Germany was hailing the effectiveness of her mine warfare as a great victory, while Bergens Tidende of the 22nd November and Morgenbladet of the 27th November asked how Germany reconciled her unrestricted submarine warfare with her protestations of friendliness towards Scandinavia and her assertion that neutrals might safely trade with her. The German Trade Delegation to Norway should be told that Germany’s actions would not improve her relations with neutral countries, nor prevent them from trading with Britain, 15 Bergens Tidende on 2nd January, in a leading article said, "We are thinking of the sinking of the ’Deptford’, which cost two Norwegian pilots their lives and which took place in Norwegian territorial waters". It then mentioned recent German concern for Norwegian neutrality and added:"The time has come to point out that our neutrality depends on its being respected by Germany also. Our coastal waters cannot, be a peaceful highroad for some and a way of death for others." Aftenposten on 29th Janunry referred to universal not public indignation at the U-boat war. Terrorist methods would frighten Norwegian seamen from the sea. Norgos Handeles og Sjofartstidende on 3rd February differentiated between criticism directed against the Allies and that directed against Germany; one party delayed neutral shipping and caused commercial inconvenience, while the other was guilty of mass slaughter. It would be an insult to Churchill to criticise him side by side with those responsible for this brutal maritime warfare. 1940 Aftenposten on sth Pebruary/wrote: ’’That which is at is present being done against Norwegian and other neutral seamen murder. These men are not at war; they are doing their usual and what work, they make nothing by going beyond the belligerents themselves have sanctioned as legal activity. They have no arms are and can offer no resistance. Nevertheless, they killed in cold blood. Many death traps are laid for them, and often their hit ships are fired on directly, no matter whether the crews are or must perish because the chances of their being saved are infinitesimal. This is really murder, and those who commit it can be called nothing but murdererso Vie must look back to the darkest pages of human history to find corresponding precedents.” Morgenposten on the machine-gunning of the Tempo wrote on sth February "There is no excuse for the machine-gunning of the ship. It is evident that the Germans cannot sink a steamer with machine-gun bullets, so their only object is to kill the crew. ’’One more to this reason believe is the real German aim is their firing on lifeboats after ships have been sunk. All this is nothing less than butchery and a flagrant violation of the methods of war-fare.” Aftenposten called it "cold blooded murder”, and added: "They who shoot on a steamer without warning or regard for human life are murderers. One must back to the darkest in the go ageshistory of mankind to find examples of such brutal killing”. The Liberal on newspaper Dagbladet 6th February reminded Norwegians of the bitter resentment which they felt during the last War over the German warfare on neutral shipping, and asserted that the same bitter resentment was at present being felt by Norwegians. is brutal that we cannot even find words for it. If we as nation "What is happening (the newspaper added) so incredibly a were to give open expression of our feelings all newspapers would take up this protest. But Norwegian taciturnity and restraint must not be mistaken for blunted feelings or apathy. The Germans must not believe that we tolerate their cruelties because we think there is any justification for them. ’'The Norwegian Foreign Office issues protests on formal and technical grounds. It protests to other belligerent Powers because ships are kept back, mail is examined, and so on, and the official language of the protests does not vary much with the 16 is quite different. occasion. But the wrath of the Norwegian people The slaughter of defenceless sailors excites us in a way which cannot the other be with the offence taken at encroachments made by compared x in this side. After the last World War there wore bitter feelings country against Germany which the Germans did not understand. These bitter feelings slowly subsided during the 21 years before the new war. Now the same bitterness has taken violent possession of Norwegian minds. It is still under control, but it is there. It would be to hide it. We are a small country and we are neutral, wrong but still we are human beings. Aftenposten wrote on 7th February: "The Norwegian people they wanted have hitherto remained silent to German brutality because to see if what happened was the result of war accidents, and not doubt that these actions are wilful atrocities. They now no longer deliberate, and therefore the people reacting against brutality are made. and demanding that protests be "The Norwegian Government must unmask the culprit. Neutrality does not mean silence when one’s own countrymen are outrageously massacred." Sjoefarts Tidende on 7th February said: "We must defend ourselves against warfare which is worse than the ill-famed Barbary States terror in the Mediterranean 100 years ago. If British convoys offer increased security we must choose them. If something can be achieved by arming our ships we must do it." and Referring to resentment expressed in the German press radio against the accounts of sinkings of neutral shipping published in the Scandinavian press, Norges Handels og Sjofartstidende (Bth February) said the Norwegian Government should tell the German authorities what the survivors of ships say. History would judge on these men, just as it had judged Attila and Caligula. Commenting the "Songa", which was torpedoed on the way from New York to Rotterdam, that Norges Handels og Sjofartstidende (14th February) urged damages should be demanded of the German Government, A correspondent in Norges Handels og S.jofartstidende on 20th February suggested that one or two of the Germans interned in should be Norway placed on board every Norwegian ship as a protection attack. against A lawyer writing in the same paper (26th February) urged that trade relations with Germany should be drastically reconsidered because of Germany’s brutal treatment of Norwegian seamen. Norges Handels og Sjofartstidende on 27th March commenting on German air attacks on the Norwegian ships "Brott", "Lysaker”, ”Tora and terms and an instead Elise”, ’’Erling Lindoe” in strong calling for ’'energetic joint demarche by all seafaring neutral countries” of futile protests, pointed out that these attacks were as senseless as they were brutal, since they could not vitally affect transport of supplies to Great Britain and the majority of the ships concerned were anyhow carrying supplies for their own country. The observed that the Norwegian Government had newspaper protested both in regard the first two cases to Berlin to of these and to London in regard to recent violations of territorial waters. While there was an essential the latter protest was certainly called for, difference between these violations (serious though they were) and the murder of neutral seamen. "There is no from it: it is an getting away extremely distressing state of affairs that Norwegian neutrality guards and Norwegian pilots should have to do their utmost to afford the the Germans full protection in Norwegian territory, when at same time their comrades are being bombed from the air and Norwegian ships are being torpedoed without warning outside our territorial limits". Pa t II G./cce. u j.iO0 C Germany had been lavish in her disclaimers of any desire to interfere with legitimate neutral trade, and had approved the declarations of the Scandinavian Premiers (Stockholms Tidnlngen. 21st September). Following the sinking of two Finnish vessels, the S.S; GERTRUDE BRATT laden with cellulose was sunk 15 miles from Jomfruland on the 24th September, The submarine was reported to have been an old one which had been long at The official sea. German excuses were (1) that, though not expressly included in the list of contraband, cellulose might be used for the manufacture of . explosives and came under the general head of raw material. It was only conditional contraband, however, and might be exported to Antwerp and Dublin; (2) that England had previously sunk, or attempted to sink, a vessel carrying cellulose to Germany, and reprisals were therefore justified; and (3) that in the Skaggerack it is impossible to bring merchantmen into port. The German Foreign Office also announced that all wood products would be treated as contraband (Aftonbladet. 25th September), Svenska Dagbladet (25th September) said that, as anything might be included under the head of raw material, contraband lists would lose all as as meaning and become worthless Germany*s undertakings to respect neutral trade, Dagens Nyheter on 25th September said that, if the sinking was an act of reprisal, the doctrine was applied in a very unfortunate manner; Swedish opinion was very sensitive to violence sort and it has to be more of this hoped that Germany would give convincing proof of the value that she set on the endeavours of a neutral State to maintain a correct attitude. Handels Tidnjng. on 3rd and 4th October, described these acts (i.e; the sinking of the NYLAND and GUN) piracy and as , and terrorism, and Social Demokraten. on 26th and 27th September 3rd October, was equally outspoken. The German Legation had refused to issue certificates that vessels clearing from Swedish ports were not carrying contraband, both cel3.ulose and timber have been declared unconditional contraband and the Hamburg Prize Court had thrown on the neutral the onus of disproving enemy destination. (Gotesborgs Handels Tidning, sth October). The avowed object was to stop by unrestricted submarine"warfare all traffic over the North Sea, including that with neutrals, and divert the.trade southwards. The answer given by the Swedish Press was that the westward bound timber trade is vital to Scandinavia and could not be abandoned, and that the of Scandinavian vessels sinking was causing grave injury to neutrals without hurting England because she can always obtain timber and cotton (if wanted for the manufacture of explosives) from other parts of the world. Svenska Dagbladet on Ist October, referring to the sinking of the S.S. NYLAND, in its second leader (entitled "A New Threat to our Export”), made the following observations: ”The sinking of the Swedish ore ship NYLAND shows that German submarine warfare has been directed to a still greater extent than before against the interests of neutral countries”. The article continued that as the cargo was destined for Belgium there was no legitimate reason for the destruction of the ship. ”We are constrained to ask whether Germany has now completely abandoned the policy she had previously proclaimed, namely, the normal commercial relations of the neutral countries, both with with other neutrals would be belligerents and respected. 18 "It is noteworthy that German war vessels are very well informed as to when a Swedish ship may be expected to pass the territorial limit. This is clearly indicative of secret intelligence operations which cannot be allowed to exist in a neutral country.” Aftonbladet of the December said that the German 15th the allegation that wood-pulp was used in shells to protect explosive was no adequate excuse. Even more disturbing was the detention in a German harbour of a ship carrying cellulose and wood-pulp to America. Such treatment would result in the loss of a considerable section of Sweden’s export trade. Stockholms Tidningen of the 15th complained that no compensation was to be paid. Four questions should be asked in such a case: Is the Is it bound (1 ) commodity contraband?; (2) for any enemy port?; (3) Did the captain know that there was contraband aboard?; (4) In what circumstances is the owner of the property entitled to damages? Svenska Dagbladet of the 15th stressed the same points. Social Demokraten of the 28th January, Nya Dagligt Allehanda of the 29th, and Dagens Nyheter of the 3rd February had bitter leading articles on Germany’s brutal methods of naval warfare. It was emphasised that 4 per cent, of Sweden's merchant fleet had been destroyed. Nya Dagligt Allehanda pointed out Germany's dependence on trade with non-belligerents, and Dagens Nyheter said that further threats to Sweden’s trade which might induce her to adopt a policy of self-sufficiency, could hardly be to Germany's interests. Vidar Dagens Nyheter on 3rd February described how the was destroyed at 8 p.m. on Wednesday by a single aircraft when the ship was in a stormy sea on her way from Newcastle to Esbjerg. Three or four bombs were this defenceless vessel. One dropped on hit her aft and left her with only one lifeboat. tried Her crew, consisting of 23 men and one woman, to lower this boat, but it capsized. They were swept into the water where the stern was awash. Some back to the but were never struggled ship, eight seen again. These include the captain, first mate, first,second and third engineers,and the radio officer. It is believed they and were caught throttled in the propeller. ”How distant seems the time” commented Dagens Nyheter, ’’when crews were allowed half an hour to collect their belongings and submarines towed lifeboats towards the land. Now, survivors are fortunate to save their lives on a raft after an explosion so sudden that it is often not known whether a mine or torpedo is responsible. to recent ’’And, according eye-witnesses, in the attacks on there has shipping been machine-gunning. Swedish opinion has reason strongly to react against such brutal warfare. Germany was reminded that a month ago Sweden and Germany concluded a commercial agreement on the basis of pre-war trade and it was hinted that the Third Reich had better beware* The difference between the methods of the Allies and those of Germany was*well put by an ironical article in the Swedish paper GOTEBORGS HANDELS OCH SJOFARTSTINNING which says:­ "The Germans kindly sink Swedish ships again as* well as other neutral boats. Their generosity casts a over their glamour exploits. The English jog-trot is different. They take to time 19 examine vessels. Life is short and the Germans, in a compassionate spirit, quickly. They sink boats, sending several act sometimes of the crew to the bottom, and no time is wasted in fussing”, Goterborgs Handels-Tidning, on 29th February, said: ”It is meaning­less to try to connect any longer the behaviour of German submarines with the rule of international law. Submarine warfare is a war of destruction without regard to rules”. The newspaper referred to the fact that the German-Swedish trade agreement provided for normal trade relations for Sweden with other countries, but it said that the submarine war is obviously designed to stop all Sweden’s trade except with Germany, ”If Germany does not consider herself bound by the clauses of this treaty she cannot expect Sweden to be bound by it”, the states. newspaper Expressing the hope that British contraband control methods would be changed, the newspaper concluded: ”It has been generally recognised by the neutrals that British methods of sea warfare from the humanitarian standpoint are on quite a different level from the German one”. Social-Demokraten of the 4th March, in an article on the war sea, strongly denounced Germany* s ”piratical methods”, at and ridiculed suggestions of the German press that Swedish ships should avoid dangerous waters. If Sweden had to surrender her North Sea trade she would have to surrender her trade with Germany also, ”It is obvious that our trade with Germany is advantageous to Germany only; the Third Reich cannot pay for The our Iron ore with goods we need. coal shortage here is evidence of Germany’s inability to balance her account with Sweden,” The article concluded with a warning that Swedish iron at neutral ore was only Germany’s disposal if Sweden’s rights as a were respected. IX. GERMAN POLICY TOWARDS NEUTRAL SHIPPING. Declarations of German policy with regard to neutral shipping are contained in the following official communiques and extracts from press articles: The Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung published on 25th January and Bth and'llth February three semi-officially inspired of articles by ”Dr. A” on the legal aspects of the conduct naval warfare. After having stated that ”naval war events have led to ever-growing risks and heavy losses to neutral shipping”, the writer continued:”these losses are greatly regretted in Germany but at the same time Germany is forced to state clearly that neutral vessels by joining British convoys only using routes in the war zone off the British coasts are exposing themselves to the dangers of war,” Summing up the German interpretation of international law on the position of neutral ships, the final article stated: ’’Neutral ships expose themselves to the risks of war if they adopt a warlike attitude, or proceed with screened lights or run zig-zag. Any attempt oppose by force to of forceto stop will without fail lead to the use by the warship, Neutral ships run risks while under the protection of enemy-warships and aircraft. 20 The British contention that an enemy must attack a convoy escort before dealing with the merchantmen comprising it has no legal basis. International Law lays down that neutral ships in enemy convoys are all exposed to all war risks. This view is held by almost all specialists in International Law and is upheld by a number of decisions of international courts. The problem which arises in the present war is the danger for neutral merchantmen within the coastal waters of a belligerent power. In recognition of this the United States Government has forbidden its merchant to enter the ships danger zone off the coasts of belligerent powers. only way for other neutral powers This is the out for avoiding an inevitable increase in the heavy losses which their shipping has already suffered in the coastal waters off Great Britain." The following statements appeared in an article in the Deutsche Allegemeine Zeitung of February 11th 1940. to "Up to now only neutral ships which attempt oppose German rights of seizure or are in an enemy convoy have been treated as enemy shipping. Now, however, Germany claims the right to mete out the same treatment to neutral shipping in the coastal are then liable waters of an enemy country; such ships to be sunk by mines or torped.oed and bombed without warning. theatre of They are in a war just as much as a private carriage which was being driven between the Magninot Line and the Siegfried, and will be treated accordingly. "At all times the rights of neutral countries to carry on trade by sea with belligerent countries have been sub­ ordinated to of The of the requirements strategy. devlopnent sea warfare to an sea causes nearly all supplies brought enemy by to assume the character of contraband, Neutrals who trade with a belligerent are virtually supporting that country, and the dangers incurred are likely to provoke the country assisted into providing armed protection, and this in its turn justifies the other belligerents in taking the necessary measures to protect their interests. "The right of neutrals to trade among themselves, pro­vided no contraband is carried is not challenged; but Germany out earn cannot, merely of regard for the profits neutrals may by trading with Great Britain or Prance, renounce methods of warfare which to may be necessary secure victory". On 17th February information was received in Amsterdam regarding new instructions given to U-boat Commanders by the German Admiralty, to Under these new orders, all neutral ships which, judge from their course would have to put in at a British coastal station before reaching the port for which they are bound to be were torpedoed without further inquire. IJ-bcat commanders would not be to required examine the papers of ships which they sank in this way, because the nature of the cargo would make no difference to their action. A statement the Official German by News Agency on 1 6th February declared that if a neutral ship is en route to a British control harbour, either voluntarily or under compulsion,her cargo is liable to be regarded by Germany as contraband and the ship treated accordingly* It rejected foreign protestsabout the torpedoing of the "Burgerdijk", and accused the neutral Press of a breach of neutrality in criticizing the German action. - 21 The whole question has nothing tc do with the so-called torpedoing without warning (continued the statement), A number of factors must be taken into consideration in deciding whether a cargo is contraband or not On these factors it depend; o entirely whether a ship may justifiably be sunk after being halted* In this Case the danger for neutral shipping consists solely in the British Admiralty's orders and the fact that they The is are obeyed* justification for stopping and sinking ships contained in the law of contraband* It remains for the neutrals to learn their lesson from this incident when deciding whether to enter a British control harbour or not* It cannot be con­ sidered an indication of a neutral attitude when neutral news­papers use a perfectly clear instance of international lav; to make one-sided charges against one belligerent party without listening side's arguments. to that In a communique from the German Legation at Oslo, published in the Norwegian press of 15th February, it was stated that neutral ships which, by reason of insufficient identification marks or suspect conduct, render themselves liable to be mistaken for enemy warships or auxiliaries, or which conduct themselves in a manner incompatible with neutrality, expose themselves to more drastic measures at the hands of the German naval forces* The German Government,it was stated, must decline responsibilityfor the consequences which may arise therefrom* A note which appeared in the Diplomatisnh-politische Korrespondenz of 3rd March, 1940 stated that Germany does not admit that neutral countries are bound to submit to the terms of the British blockades Therefore, whatever country places herself at England’s disposal for the purposes of supply, or submits to England’s control, must expect to be regarded as an accomplice of England in her conduct of the war, and to be treated accordingly* MINISTRY OP INFORMATION,, - 8/4/40 No. 3. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE,(MORNING) The following official communique was issued this morning from French Headquarters: RENEWED ARTILLERY FIRE IN THE REGION TO THE WEST OF THE VOSGES. LOCAL ACTIVITY OF THE PATROLS. 8th April, 1940. No. 4 M.A.F.185 . HIETSTEY OF AGRICULTURE AMQUKCEiYCKT FOOT-A!ID-MOUTH DISEASE 111 SURREY. The existence of foot-and-mouth disease mas confirmed to-day amongst cattle at Petersham, Surrey. An Order has been issued, and i's now in force 5 the movement licence of sheep , pigs 5 goats and deer within approximately 15 miles of the infected premises* The area subject to restrictions lies in the Counties prohibiting' except by all cattle, of Berks., Bucks., Essex, Herts., Kent, London, Middlesex and Surrey# 8th April, 1940. No. 5. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE. NEWS SERVICE FOR ALLOTMENT HOLDERS, No. 21. POTATOES A SAFE CROP FOR NEW DIGGERS. Many people who want to grow their own vegetables in gardens or allotments may, perhaps, feel that follow the to cropping plans recommended by the would be a bit too much for them to tackle. To such we would say: potatoes are a safe for are good cleaning crop and easy crop to grow. They a planting on newly dug up grassland. There is a sense of satisfaction in being able to lift good crop of your own a potatoes) which will be a great standby later on. MORE ROOM FOR SEEDLINGS. No matter how careful we are, it is almost impossible to sow small vegetable seeds at a reasonable distance apart a at frequent intervals along our drill we are almost certain to have dropped three or four almost on top of one another. The result is that, when the seedlings show, they form a more or less dense row, each little plant elbowing its neighbours for living room. Seedlings can't grow into strong plants if they fight one must another for food and water and root-room. So a little thinning out is essential. Ultimately our parsnips and onions, carrots and turnips and lettuce and the rest will have to stand at from 6 inches to 1 ft, apart, but it would not be safe to thin to that distance to begin with* Plants might die* Slugs might pay us a visit and do a little thinning on their own account, We must allow for emergency losses of this kind. It will be sufficient at the moment to thin to roughly one or two inches apart. Thinning is more easily done when the soil is damp rather than dry* Seedlings can he withdrawn complete with roots from a damp soil; one is apt to snap them off at soil level when attempting to draw them from dry soil 0 After thinning, always press the disturbed soil round the surviving plants with the fingers. 1. BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Brussels sprouts should he regarded as an autumn and early winter crop. Even with the later varieties, the bulk of the crop is produced before Christmas. For a late winter supply of greens, savoys should be relied on rather than sprouts. Soils, Brussels succeed most soils that sprouts on are (l) not too light and liable to dry out* (2)-not too heavy, (3) not water-logged* A deep, firm, soil gives the best results. Manuring. Unless the soil is light and liable to dry out, or is to in poor condition, farmyard manure should have been applied the previous crop, potatoes for instance. The soil should be in such a condition that the plants grow after can on from transplanting, and continue growing with the least help nitrogenous manures* Not all soils are in this condition; and if in August the plants are not doing as well as was expected, a dressing of one of the standard inorganic nitrogenous fertilisers, such as sulphate of ammonia, can applied at the be rate of three quarters of an ounce per square yard* Even on soils that are in good condition, superphosphate and potash are beneficial* On soils in poor condition, or where no manure was applied to the previous crop, they are essential* If obtainable, apply superphosphate at the rate of li oz*, and a potash oz* per fertiliser at the rate of 1 square yard before planting* Old soot 6 oz. per sq yard. can be substituted 0 for the and is nitrogenous fertiliser; if potash unobtainable fresh wood ashes a good sprinkling of will help. Sowing. at rate of To obtain sturdy young plants, sow the one-eighth of an ounce to 50 feet of drill. If no precautions are to he taken against birds and insects, the rate of sowing must be at least doubled*, 20 For early crops, sow in a cold frame or cold glasshouse in February; or sow in a sheltered (but not shaded) position in August, Plants from these sowings should be ready for transplanting in April. Only early varieties should be sown in the autumn. For producing a later, hardier type of plant, sow in April in the open, and transplant towards the end of May or in early June. Times sowing transplanting vary, of course, of and with season and district, In colder districts, the directions given for getting an early crop may be the normal method for the main crop. Transplanting: Plant at 2-g ft or even at 2 ft, apart each way. For o, this close planting, choose one of the dwarfer varieties Too * close planting will inevitable give disappointing; results. Plant firmly and deeply Water the plants if the 6 weather is dry? drawing a little dry soil around each plant after the water has soaked away* Pests; When the seedlings are jus'O breaking through the ground, they will probably be attacked, by birds, and there may be trouble caused by various pests especially the in dry - flea beetle weather. These pests can however be controlled if you follow the directions given in the various free leaflets or priced bulletins published by the Ministry, HELPFUL STEPS * Cardiff Horticulture Committee have arranged for 500 bundles of pea sticks to be cut from the corporation’s woodlands for sale to local allotments holders. They have also provided three knapsack spraying machines for their use. In Walsall, all local ironmongers have agreed supply to bona fide allotment holders with tools at reduced rates, and local seedsmen are supplying standard selections of vegetables seeds and compound fertilisers at special prices. 3 o Headmasters of schools are running a scheme whereby senior boys help wives of tenants who have joined the forces to dig and plant their gardens. READING PUBLIC MUSEUM MAKES ITS CONTRIBUTION. A scale model of an allotment is being exhibited in the Reading Public Museum, with full notes on how and when to sow and plant. Provision is made for visitors to leave enquiries in writing; these are passed on daily to the local panel of advisers, who give the necessary advice as soon as possible. Later on an exhibit of pests and diseases of vegetable and fruit crops, artificial manures, tools, etc. is to be staged. A PROGRESSIVE U.D.C. Woking (Surrey,) Urban District Council announces a prize scheme for the best vegetables produced on their housing estates. Meetings of tenants, who number 785, are being held to form gardening associations, who will aim at securing improved production. Those not able to cultivate their gardens are being encouraged to seek the help of neighbours, so that no ground may be wasted. MAP MAKERS DIG FOR VICTORY. Over 60 allotments have "been made available on a derelict kitchen garden and on other land taken over by the Ordnance Survey at Southampton for their new buildings to be erected after the war. The garden had been left untended for eighteen months, ./hen it was taken over, volunteers were invited to work the eight or nine plots into which it was divided at the Director General’s suggestion. Some sixty applications were received, A wider scheme was necessary so 3-g-acres land were of pasture marked out in 55 allotments. An association was formed with the Director General as President, a committee of - and management appointed, lots were drawn for the plots the map-makers began work on the ground next day. 4. - 8.4. 40 No. 6. PRESS NOTICE Figures circulated for information, showing Germany’s imports of iron ore in recent years. In 1938 Germany (the old Reich) imported 21,928,000 tons of iron ore with a total iron content of 11,342,000 tons. Of this total 9,730,000 with an iron content tons, of 4,467,000 tons, were imported from countries to which Germany ceased to have access immediately on the outbreak of war (i.e. Prance, Newfoundland, Spain, Algeria, Spanish Morocco, Sierra Leone, French Morocco, Tunis, Brazil and others)* The balance came from countries to which Germany continued to have access after September 3rd, 1939, namely: Country* Iron Ore. Iron Content. Sweden 8,992,000. 5,480,000. Luxembourg 1 ,7X8,000. 515,000. Norway 1 ,118,000. 726,000. Greece 249,000. 120,000. Switzerland "T* CM ooo* 34,000. Total 12,198,000. 6,875,000. Sweden’s total export of iron ore to all destinations amounted to: in 1937. in 1938. 13,964,627. 12,685,151. This total was follows: shipped as in 1937. in 1938. through Narvik 7,580,000. 7,605,000. " Lulea 3,103,216. 2,853,000. " Oixelosund 2,144,632. 2,190,000.+ ” other Baltic ports 625,489 above it may he taken that the maximum quantity of iron ore shipped Allowing for certain discrepancies in the figures, = partly estimated. « figure not available "but very small. 4­ 2 from Swedish Baltic ports amounted to 6,385 ,000 tons in 1937. 5 ?080,000 " " 1038. it is In estimating present day Germany f s requirements also necessary to take account of Polish and Czechoslovak imports of iron ore from Sweden. Swedish recorded exports of iron ore amounted to: Destination, 1937. 1938. Germany 9,459,378. 8,945,115. Czechoslovakia 761,721. 798,180. Poland 111,489. 126,882. T otal 10,332,588. 9,870,147. It will "be noted that the total of these three countries ’imports from Sweden included substantial shipments via Narvik, and in any greatly exceeded in both 1937 and case 193 S the quantity shipped through Baltic ports. In view of the fact, as shown above, that Germany on the outbreak of war was automatically cut off from well over a third of her former imported supplies, it is clear that the Swedish, and to a lesser degree the Norwegian, supplies have since been to her of greater importance than ever before* MoreoverP it is obvious that Germany will be ready to import every ton that Sweden is prepared to ship through Baltic and the denial to her of the balance of her ports, imports hitherto shipped through Narvik, as well as of from Sweden, her imports of ore from Norway, represents a further substan­ tial net loss to her of a commodity in which she is already seriously deficient Prom Norway Germany will not only lose her imports of iron hut also other ore, important Norwegian produce. MINISTRY OP ECONOMIC CARFARE - 8/4/40 No.7. UNEMPLOYED DEPUTATION AT MINISTRY OP SUPPLY. A number of unemployed men from a neighbouring employment exchange called at the Ministry of Supply today with reference to a statement made by Mr* Burgin* Minister of Supply* in a speech at Wolverhampton on Saturday, about employment in the building trades. The callers were received by a high official of the Ministry and are to submit a memorandum for consideration# In his spesch at Wolverhampton the Minister said: "There is, inevitably, in connection with any large-scale building operations of the kind that I have mentioned a great volume of pick and shovel work* Of that there is certainly not a shortage, but of all the skilled work that goes to make up building your joiner, your carpenter, - - your plasterer, your skilled tradesman there is, in general a greater demand than there is supply0 # MINISTRY OP SUPPLY. - 8/4/40. No. 8. NORTH SEA AIR COMBAT. (NOT TO BE QUOTED AS AN AIR MINISTRY ANNOUNCEMENT) the North Sea show that the Enemy fighters concentrated their attack small distance Latest reports of yesterday's air engagement over on a section of Wellingtons which were flying some astern of the main British formation. Four Messerschmitt 110 twin engine fighters engaged the British section at a height of 10,000 feet. Diving down from the clouds, they made a series of attacks from level astern and on the starboard beam; concentrating their fire on the two Wellingtons at the rear of the formation. It was these two aircraft which failed to return from the action. Flying in close defensive formation the two British bombers fought back on their faster opponents and, early in the engagement one enemy aircraft was seen to go down in flames. Its destruction was confirmed by observers in two of the British aircraft. Other enemy fighters are known to have been damaged and a second Messerschmitt is also believed to have been destroyed. AIR AFFAIRS. - 8/4/40 No. 9. HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION FOR EVACUATED CHILDREN, the In a Circular just issued to School Inspectors, Board of Education announce that after consultation with the Ministry of Health it has been decided to consider proposals for the provision of hostels for pupils of evacuated secondary, junior technical and selective central schools and in special of senior schools. It is suggested that empty houses could he used for the purpose and that this arrangement would meet the objections that homework in the ordinary billets is often impossible and that the normal billeting allowance is insufficient to cover the large appetites of older children. The immediate responsibility of the hostel should rest with the Head Teacher, or other responsible teacher of the evacuated school, but it will be necessary to appoint a matron for catering, domestic management and welfare work. The net cost of running the hostels, after deducting cases - the contributions by parents which will he payable on the - same basis as for children billeted in the normal way will be met by the Government, Only economicalproposals are to he considered and the amount of rent to he paid for the building and the cost of any structural alterations will he taken into account before a project is accepted. In all cases a report by the District Valuer on the rent should he obtained. No proposal should he accepted, states the Circular, where the accommodation provided will he for less than 20 children, and the advice of the local Medical Officer of Health should he obtained as to the number of children who can he safely accommodated in a particular house, BOARD OP EDUCATION* - 8.4.40 No. 10 DECISION TO DE-RATION PORK FOR A LIMITED PERIOD. (l) The Minister of Pood has had under review for some time the situation created by the ample supplies of porfe now available, and likely to be available during the next few weeks, and has decided to de-ration pork as from April 9th until further notice. (2) The meat ration which is at present at Is.lod. per week for adults and half that amount for children of six years and under, will be maintained at its present level for the time being. The supply position which remain rationed, i.e,, beef, veal, of the meats mutton and lamb, vail be closely watched, and the value of the ration will be to be adjusted should this prove necessary. (3) The present decision again illustrates the flexibility of the rationing system, which has been so devised as to permit of adjustments of the ration, and the exclusion or inclusion of specific commodities from the operation of rationing as and when the supply position renders desirable. this (4) The allocation of pork to pork butchers and general butchers during the period of de-rationing will be as follows:­ (a) Pork butchers will have supplies of pork allocated to them on the basis of 100 per cent, of their January, 1939 purchases; theirepresent allocation represents 80 per cent, of those purchases. (b) General butchers will have first-call on the balance of the pork supplies in their district, and the allocations amongst individual butchers will be determined by the Allocation Committee of the Retailers' Buying Committee to which the individual butcher is attached. A (c) Any surplus not taken up by general butchers will be available to pork butchers in proportion to their January 1939 purchases* MINISTRY OF FOOD. The Secretary to the Ministry of Transport makes the following announcement;­ STEEL FOR PRODUCER GAS PLANTS. of Manufacturers requiring steel for the production gas plants for use on road vehicles for civilian use producer in this country should now apply to the Ministry of Transport for the necessary forms of application. All communications should be addressed to;-The Secretary, Ministry of Transport, (Room 349), Metropole Buildings* Northumberland Avenue, London, W.C.2. Ministry of Transport, Metropole Buildings, Northumberland Avenue, W.C.2. Bth April, 1940. SUPPLY DEPART. jENTS 1 AREA ORGANIZATION. London Area Advisory Committee The Ministry of Supply announces that the Area Advisory Committee at London h-s been inaugurated and will shortly hold its first meeting. The members of the Committee are ?s follows :- Ncmindated_ by_ the_ Engineering Employers 1 Federation, Mir. J. J. C. B*con (Edison Swan Electric Co. Ltd., Ponders End, Middlesex.) Mr. C. Farrar (Grover 82 Co. Ltd., Britannia Eng, Works, Carpenters Road, Stratford, E* 15.) Mr, 0. Hook (Dewrance & Co. Ltd, 165, Gt. Dover St. London, S.E.I. ) * Mr, N.V. Kipping (Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd.,, o»kleigh Road, New Southgate, N* 11.) Mr, C.G. Langford (George Glover & Co. Ltd,, Re.nelegh Works, Royal Avenue, Chelsea, 5.W.3.) Mr, B. Monk (Trojan Ltd., Vicarage Road, Croydon, Surrey.) Mr. F.II. Seager (Se-gers Ltd., Overy Street, Dertford, Kent.) Mr. W, Welmsley (Fairey Aviation Co, Ltd, Cranford Lane, Hayes, Middlesex) London & Mr. H, Latter (Director of the Engineering & Allied Employers* District Association, 112, Abbey House, 8, Victoria Street, S. W, 1.) Nottjji&ted by the Trades Union Congress Amelgemated Engineering Union Mr. T. Knibbs, Mr, L, Tomkins, 39, Doughty Street, 144, Beauchamp Road, Guildford Street, London, W.C.I. Upper Norwood, London* G*E.l9. Mr. A.E. Lye, Mr. R, Dawson, 94, Greenland Crescent, 25, Cheyne Hill, Southall, Middlesex* Surbiton, Surrey. Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions. Mr. W, Freeman, Mr. H.G, Brotherton, The Blackfriars Road, Field House, 236, Breams Buildings, London, E#C«4. London, S, B. 1# (Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers) (National Union of Sheet Metal Workers and Brasiers) Mr. E.J. Hill, Mr, L.K. 7/hite, 58, Cooke Street, 218, Green Lane, Barking, Essex. London, N,l, (Boilermakers’ & Iron & Steel Shipbuilders’ (Transport & General Workers* Union) Society) National Union of Foundry Workers, Mr. G.J. Langley, 27, Aislihie Road, Lee, London, S, E, 12. Association of Engineering & Shipbuilding Draughtsmen, Mr. F.R. Pearson, 69, Stanmer Park Road, Brighton. MINISTRY OP SUPPLY, Press Office, Adelphi,7/.C.2, 8. if. 40, H. 165 8/4/40 -No.13 A CATALOGUE OP CRIME CORRECTION - In Issue No, 2 8/4/40, please note following correction on Page 10, Read "Gothia, 1640 tons gross, sunk on 22nd January” instead of ”22nd February”. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION. - 8/4/40. No. 14 As this script is being issued in advance it should be checked against the actual broadcast in the 8.8.C. Home - Service Programme, 9.20 9*35 p.m. tonight. (NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR BROADCAST UNTIL AFTER THE SPEECH HAS BEEN DELIVERED THIS (MONDAY) EVENING) BROADCAST TALK TEADE UNIONS IN WAR-TIME. by Sir Walter Citrine. In the two previous talks you were told about the way the Trade Unions are carrying on with their ordinary job of protecting the wages and conditions of the workers, whilst at the same time helping in the struggle against Hitlerism. I want to talk to you about the more general aspects of Trade Union policy during war-time. We saw this war coming. We knew something of the problems it would bring„ was What to be our policy? Should we stand apart and make no contribution to help the country out of our knowledge and experience? Should we leave that responsibility entirely to others and confine our efforts to negative criticism and opposition? Assuredly we would have to discuss with the Government at some stage those general questions of social , aiA economic policy which concern us all. Would it not be better to insist on the fullest consultation in the earliest stages? Trade Unionism is constructive force. It has long been recognised as the unchallenged representative of the workers in industry. Collective discussions and negotiations between a employers and Trade Unions is the normal practice in Great Britain. We decided that we would follow that same course in our relations with the Government. I would not have stressed this but for the fact that a concerted campaign is going on to make Trade Unionists believe that our Movement has been handed over to the Government bound hand and foot. who denounce the It comes from people resistance of our nation to Nazi aggression as an ''imperialist war” and whose immediate purpose is to stop it. 9 /They -2— They are the same people who a few months ago were denouncing the appeasement policy of the Prime Minister as a base betrayal, and who were demanding the formation of a Government which would present a united front to Hitlerism. Not all our critics are of that type, of course, and many genuine Trade Unionists have fallen victims to the vicious propaganda of these British emulators of Lord Haw-Haw, We are abused for "collaborating with the Government” as though we had sacrificed our independence and committed the accept everything that Trade Unions in advance to the Government might propose. Some of our critics seem to regard it as reprehensible, and even wicked,for the Trade Unions to have anything to do with any government not of our own political colour. Such people do not seem to realise that the Government administers not only the political affairs of the nation, but in war-time it has almost complete control over the way in which our industries are carried on. It stands to reason that if the Trade Unions are to exert any influence on the decisions of the Government they must take But it is representations to it. ah’., say the critics, one thing to make representations a Government, and thing to another continuously to collaborate with it on committees and councils. It seems me that this is merely playing with words. Surely, to if it is right for the Unions to put forward their point of view to the Government at all, it is better to do this in an much organised and regular form* This makes our representations more direct and potent* Naturally, the Government must take the final responsibility for its decisions. But no Government, whatever its political colour, can ignore important sections afford to the views of of the community. Particularly is this true when those sections are powerful and well organised. But power carries with it and it is not for the Trade Union Movement to responsibility, shirk its obligations to the people as a whole. This does not mean that the Trade Unions must meekly concur in whatever decisions may be made by the Government. Nor does it mean that Trade ready their independence Unionists are to sacrifice or acquiesce in attempts to curtail their democratic rights. It does mean, that our Movement recognises that it however, has responsibilities as well as rights, especially at a time when the nation is engaged in a' life and death struggle. So, the Trade Union Movement, in addition to dealing workers with the many questions which affect the directly in industry, is taking its part in trying to solve the problems which concern us all, in the wider sphere of economic and social policy. Not only have the Unions been looking after the wages of the workers, they have kept a vigilant eye upon but the mass of regulations orders which war-time inevitably and brings. We read a good deal about bureaucracy, but you can take it from me that in those matters v/hich affect the worker it has been kept well under control. At/ 3 At the beginning of the war there were minunderstandings and difficulties, of course, but once the Prime Minister had fully heard our case, he realised the necessity for taking the Unions into the closest consultation, not only on matters which concern them alone, but upon many questions which affect them equally with other members of the community,. For example, the blackout, the application of summer time* the evacuation of the children, civilian war injuries, profits on armaments, voluntary savings, export in war-time, trade production of coal, control of prices of household commodities, the rationing of food and fuel, control of shipping, health insurance, old-age pensions, in war-time both for education civilians and members of the armed forces, and arrangements of holidays, are matters which concern the whole community. But, none the less, Trade Unionists are vitally concerned and they, with their dependents form well over one-third of the whole Nation. So naturally we have been consulted upon such subjects as well as upon the many questions which are of more immediate concern to Trade Unionists,, Now. let me say a few words about munition production. Munitions do not concern only iron and steel and engineering but affect practically all the main industries of the country. In March, 1938, when the menace of Hitlerism became imminent, the Prime Minister called into consultation the Trades Union Congress to discuss the acceleration of rearmament. Our engineering unions were also discussing the same problem with the Government and the employers® Much has happened since then, and to-day Trade Union representatives sit on numerous committees and control boards dealing with the supply of every kind of munition, I am quite sure that despite our national genius for muddling through, this of of workers and process affording the expert advice employers to the Government will obtain far better results than would otherwise be possible,* Many of us remember the inefficiencies, over­lappings and blunders which were made in the last war and no one has a shrewder appreciation of this than the Trade Unionist, There are still many difficult problems to surmount before munition production can reach the maximum required. The task of solving them will, in the main, rest upon the Trade Unions and employers 5 organisations, whose members are engaged in the industries directly concerned. They will call for the exercise of great patience and broad-mindedness, and their solution will depend in no small measure upon the degree of confidence that can be placed in the undertakings which will from the Government and the be required employers to safeguard the position of the workers© Now let us look at the of communal larger realm activity,, Some people might consider that such things as the welfare scheme for the troops and the Red Cross Penny-a-Week Fund wer€ not the business of the Trade Unions, I hone there are no Trade Unionists who think this. /The h «. The members of the armed forces are the same' chaps who .forked alongside you before they went into uniform* We' want -them, to,"feel that while they are fighting we are thinking of them* and looking after their interests« /j L ~r The members of the armed forces are': the same chaps who worked alongside you "before .they into uniform*; We want-them to feel that while they are fighting ..we are thinking of them*-"' and looking after their interests* is As a General once said to me, "The army the people’s army" The same is true of the navy and the air force. It is up to the people to see that our fighting men get the hest conditions we can possibly give them. So it is that the Trades Union Congress has on the Nuffield Fund, and on the official its members serving for the men in the forces. Welfare Scheme to provide amenities us to see While the men are away it is the duty of the rest of that the community maintains their families in a proper standard of to a well-being, by raising the allowances to their dependants more adequate scale® There is another way in which the Trade Unions can help to look after their absent comrades. However long the war lasts much the same problems will have to be faced as at the end of the last war. The Trade Unions are concerning themselves now about those problems, and in the meantime are resolved that when the troops come back, they do so to conditions of life which are compatible with the sacrifices they have made. We have thrown our weight in with the Red Cross from the aa beginnings We are only asking workers to pay regularly penny week for helping to provide comforts, and care for the wounded which no army regulations can cover., and for making the lot of those poor chaps who have been captured by the enemy a bit more comfortable. Individually it doesn’t mean much of a sacrifice, but t»aken in bulk the pennies of the workers mount up to thousands of pounds a week. Then again, we have our people on the Refugee Committee and Hardship Tribunals, and those for dealing with Conscientious Objectors, which some people will say is not our business at all. Well let them think so, but we intend to go on looking after the interests of the worker no matter what sphere he may enter, I don’t agree with the - pacifists but I respect them none the less, I put them in an entirely different category from those who, after clamouring for war against Hitler, have suddenly discovered that this war is a capitalist conspiracy. Trade Unionists can’t condemn the badgering of conscientious objectors by tribunals and condone it when done by their workmates in the factories. Moral courage is one of the elements which has helped to make our Movement great, and I hope Trade Unionists will not make it difficult for those who conscientiously object to war, to gain their livelihood in civil life** There is another set of people of a very different, type* As I said earlier, they now denounce the war as ’'imperialist". They didn’t discover this until after .Russia had deserted the Peace Front and made her pacts with G-ermany0 When Stalin and Rihhentrop had shaken hands over their bargain with all the fervour of men. who had no intention of keeping it unless it suited their hook, the Communist Party of Great Britain obediently shouted that the war was not aimed against Hitler but against the workers of our own country© /They 5 They find themselves pursuing a not dissimilar tactic from the few curiosities who tried to foist Fascist methods on the British people, as a new brand of politics with an imitation Fuehrer, uniform and spotlight all complete. They are now doing their utmost to divide and weaken the national will end to exploit every grievance of Trade Unionists so as to influence them against the war. They demand an end to ’’the industrial truce", by which the for increased wages which the they evidently mean negotiations Unions have successfully carried on without strikes. Let me is not to protect the workers but to repeat, their primary purpose stop the war. They themselves have said so in their published resolutions and pamphlets. Continuous propaganda is kept going by them to create dissension within our Movement. It is the duty of Trade Unionists who value their freedom to be alert and not to the Communist I do not doubt the result will play game. what be when the issues are debated at the Conference of the Labour Party at Whitsuntide, at which most of our Unions will be represented, The war has taken a different turn from that which we very all expected, The feeling of immediate danger has been replaced by a false sense of security in which the noise of controversy is more easily heard, Open discussion of differences is all to the but good, dissension and disunity designed to cripple our resistance is precisely what Hitler hopes for most of all. Internationally we have tried to preserve our understanding with the Trade Unions of other countries through the International Federation of Trade Unions, and we are in direct touch with the French Unions through the Anglo-French Trade Union Council which we have formed. We hope by an exchange of viev/s and experiences we may be able to strengthen both our Movements and to protect the conditions of our members. We also hope to frustrate the designs u of the Communists and the Nazis, or the "Communazis as the , French workers call them, who seek to drive a wedge between the two countries. War creates many grievances and involves much irksome restriction., It is a trying time for everyone, and particularly for working people. It is they who have to work the long hours, often doing disagreeable and burdensome tasks in an atmosphere of strain, under conditions of noise, bad ventilation, haste and danger. It is they who feel most keenly the effects of the rise in the cost of living., They live habitually on a slender margin, many of them with no margin at all for anything but the barest necessities of life. They are bearing with remarkable good humour the burdens of our time, because they realise that the nation has undertaken a righteous cause. They treasure their democratic rights and institutions and are determined to preserve them against Hitler or anyone else who may menace them. The Trade Union Movement will not let them down. BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION. 8.4.40 No 15. BRITISH AIR MAIL TO EGYPT (NOT to be quoted as an air ministry announcement A statement broadcast recently to Africa from Zeesen is an example of the complete fabrication of news by this station. The statement was that owing to the failure of the English to run an air ervice to Egypt the Butch air lines had been called upon to carry Egyptian a.ir mails. In fact 13 British air services are regularly running and back every fortnight. Ten of these are by to Egypt flying three by landplane. All carry boat and mails between this country and Egypt, AIR AFFAIRS - 8/4/40 No. 16. AIR FIGHT AT SEA LEVEL. (Not to Be quoted as an Air Ministry announcement). When an aircraft of the Royal Air Force Coastal Command recently attacked a German flying Boat over the North Sea, Both machines were within twenty feet of the water throughout the fight. The British aircraft, a Hudson, was on patrol when the pilot saw a dark grey Dornier at sea level. The British pilot attacked from the Beam and opened the fight with three short Bursts from his front gun. The Dornier turned steeply to port, But the Hudson swung to starboard to Bring his rear gun into action. Two Bursts v/ere fired as the enemy came into the fight. The German rear gunner replied with tracer Bullets, But his shots v/ent wide. The Hudson attacked again, and the German ! s rear gun was silenced. The British pilot made five more attacks from the tail and there was still no reply from the German gun. The British pilot’s ammunition ran out and he Broke off the comßat. In another fight over the North Sea an hour later a Hudson * dived from 2,000 feet upon a Dornier flying 500 feet above the sea. Three Bursts from the Hudson T s front gun entered the Dornier f s fuselage while the German rear gunner replied. The Hudson pulled steeply to port out of its dive and circled to allow its rear gunner to fire several Bursts which also got home in the enemy’s fuselage. Then the British pilot dived once again upon the Dornier scoring more hits with front and rear guns. from But the Hudson was returning a long patrol and petrol Began to run short. With a final hurst from his gun, the pilot Broke off the comßat and returned to his Base. He landed with only enough petroj in his tank for two minutes of flying time. AIR AFFAIRS. 8/4/40 -No. 17. BY LORD WOOLTON. THE MINISTER OF FOOD BROADCAST MONDAY, 8th APRIL. 9-15 jo.m. Not to be published until the Minister has spoken. of - As you have just heard it is to you the Housewives - Britain that I want to talk to-night. asked to become Minister of Food, I hesitated; I doubted my ability to do a job so colossal. I turned to my wife and thought and took the job Last week the Prime Minister me - believing that I could rely on the women of the country t o help me o So we’ve a job to do together, you and I, an immensely important war job. No uniforms, no parades, drills, but a job no wanting a lot of thinking and a lot of knowledge too, We are the that guards the Kitchen Front in this war. army Nov/ let me tell you v/hat should be constantly in our minds. There may be difficult days ahead of us, far more difficult than we have seen yet, We shall still want feeding. My job is to that there shall be such quantities of food held in reserve arrange in different parts of this country that in the worst days can we shall have food. imagine, we enough It is a very heavy responsibility to have to carry, and if you understand it you will know why I do not hesitate to ask you before the difficulties are to do without things, to now, upon us, suffer inconveniences, and to stop saying "Well, if the stuff is there, why can’t we have itM 0 1 aim just doing what you always do yourselves* I am keeping a bit in the cupboard. Sometimes I can Open the cupboard. We have enough pork in sight for the time being. From to-night pork but not bacon will be sold free of the ration, but you will understand that when it becomes necessary to put pork back on the ration it - - almost certainly will be necessary I shall do it. So there is my policy, Now let me tell you where I want your help. I f m going to he very practical, and a hit personal too* First you must not waste any food, We want all the ships we can get to bring across munitions of war, and I tell you in plain language you are risking the lives of our fighting men if your waste of food takes up extra shipping. Now don’t he self-satisfied about waste o Let me ask you some questions. Do you eat new bread? If you keep it a day, it will go farther; are you eating wisely, or are you eating more than you really need? Well, cut it out, and let’s have the shipping space instead. Sugar? Really can’t you cut it down in war time. I have done: I am well below the ration, Tea: here's a new slogan for the Kitchen Front. "One for each and none for the pot” The pot is 0 person, quite unnecessary. Again let us have the ships instead o We have "Breen so happy in our island that we have never really "bothered to try to get the "best possible use out of our foods. To-day I am starting a nation-wide campaign to do this#. /We 2 We may find it necessary to do without all sorts of things we are used to, and we may have to spread our choice more widely* But you can 1t do that and keep your menfolk and your children healthy unless you know how. And it is my business to see that you are told* I am therefore arranging for help to be given you. Simple demonstrations of wartime cookery will be arranged through­out the land, and the Education Authorities, very many voluntary social organisations and the Gas and Electricity Companies are all going to help you and me to get this knowledge of wartime diets across* I want you to go and see these demonstrations. If you don’t know where to go, ask the local Food Office to tell you, and .don’t be afraid. It’ll be fun* You will meet people and be able to talk about things, and laugh at one another’s mistakes. But keep your eye on the job I don’t want you to o learn fancy cooking, and how to make bride cakes* I want you to learn how to get the last ounce of food value out of every­thing that goes in to the kitcheno And you’ 11 save yourselves some money too* Mobilise yourself* Let the Kitchen Front parade at these demonstrations; read the booklet I am sending out soon on Wartime Feedingo You will then know what our scientists have learnt since the last war on how to select the right food for your families and for the job your menfolk are doing, I hope I have been clear: I hope 1 have left you with a clear idea of how you can help your country0 - Will you help? Of course you will all of you - freely because you love this country of ours, and it! s your way of serving it. o Good night MINISTRY OP POOD, 8/4/40 -No 18 FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE (EVENING)' Paris. Monday The following official communique was issued from French General headquarters this eveicing:­ No incident of importance on the front in the course of the day. Activity of "both air forces during the morning. Weekly J0,14. IT IS REQUESTED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE MORNING NEWSPAPERS OP FRIDAY,I2th APRIL,I94O. AIR MINISTRY WEEKLY NEWS LETTER Note? The information contained in this News Letter may­ be used by the Press without acknowledgement# If it is desired to refer to the Air Ministryas~The source of the the expression iffhe Air Ministry announces is NOT to be useda CONTENTS , Home Prom Germany. Progress of the Air War# The ,TPlying Suitcase5*,, Gat and Mouse in the Clouds. One Thousand Horse-Powerl Eyes and Ears of the Aerodrome# E.A.P# Firefighters* Flameproof Suit*. Tea Trimnphairtl Press and Publicity Branch* Air Ministry, King Charles Street, Whitehall* S.V/,l# 12th April, 1940. 2 HOME FROM GERMANY. The Squadron had been on a leaflet raid c "Operations" said: "The pilots will he hack about 4a ?! Qm (J At 4®ol a new star twinkled in a sky already rich in stars® On the ground* a group suddenly began to move® Watchers nad spotted the signs of a returning aircraft advertised by the steady drone of an approaching engine o the as though it had been full daylight and a familiar aerodrome, the bomber made a perfect landing# Even before The searchlight picked out runway, and, as smoothly it had landed, another returning raider began to circle the aerodrome# The field cleared, permission to land was given and down came the newcomer® It made as clean a landing as the first aircraft# Due "about 4"; both down by 4*os] After 1,500 miles of night flying the great bombers clocked in with the precision of crack expresses that had covered no more than two hundred miles* Ground crews hustled to reacli the planes® A alight reluctance to clamber out seems to mark crews who have made long flights* Cramped legs to straighten out* things to arrange tidily* things to tie up and leave shipshape all take time® The chocks - were replaced* refuelling gear got ready and then a blacker patch in the fuselage appeared, out of which the crews climbed# - In their protective clothing and harness weird looking - equipment and faces masked by earphones and grime they looked like men from another world*, The crews walked to their waiting refreshment* steaming tea and hot food* strength returning to their legs with every stride Along the walls* the hanks of stand-by crews were lined® a A table covered with served as the "restaurant"* newspapers spirit stove as kitchen range* 3 Tea taken, the crews made their reports* Little points of observation were brought back to memory and noted; points . which the observers perhaps had not considered of great importance but which build up the picture, now almost perfect, of the enemy country. The complete report was ready at last: what one man had not noticed another had. The raid had been successful from all angles. Then the two crews were free for talk and relaxation* One crew was composed of representatives of different parts of the Empire. There is a rich raciness to their talk* The other crew came mainly from Yorkshire and Lancashire* "See anything?" "Yes* There was that place they*re holding a Pair* Smartened *em up a bit with a couple of Verey Lights* Just for fun You anything?" see o ”Yep* Couldn? t miss my place* Chucked the things out and had a run round for half an hour*” own So, disparaging their performances, they told the tale among themselves* These young men, some of them only 19 years old, who have taken the great bombers along a course that includes important centres that might have offered strong enemy action, are modest heroes* PROGRESS OP THE AIR WAR. R*A*F* Training Beats Germans* Outstanding successes of Royal Air Force aircraft in engagements against the enemy have "been a continued feature of the air war* A notable example was the fight put up by a single Short Sunderland flying boat recently against six German Junkers 83 in a German aircraft was bombers engaged attacking convoy* One it came later in neutral shot down, and one so damaged that down territory, whilst the Sunderland returned safely* 4 Undoubtedly much of the success of British pilots and air crews is due to the superiority of British training. It has long “been suspected that the Luftwaffe training is not what it is reputed to he* Even before the war, independent observers in Germany commented on the comparatively small on to amount of flying apparently going in relation the huge air forces being built up* It is not improbable that shortage of fuel and other reasons have affected the Germans* flying training since the war# Altho •'agh many more pilots are now being trained in the RoAoFo the thoroughness of their training has in no way been reduecdo Some new ideas have been introduced* .such as the 11visual” and been Link; the training of instructors has greatly expanded,, how flying schools have been opened and others are in prospect* The syllabus of instruction has been related to the Dominions training scheme* This insures that all flying personnel of the Royal Air Force will receive an equally thorough trainingo The scheme of training for all Air Force pilots provides for carefully calculated periods in each of the following stages:­ground an Initial Training-Wing; training at instruction at an elementary flying school; then at a Service flying training schoolo Even when the pilot has won his wings, he gets further specialised training in operational duties as part of an aircraft crew taking his place in an operational squadron# before Despite the limitations on instructional flying imposed by war conditions and winter weather, flying training has gone on continuously throughout the country. In some areas, elementary flying has necessarily been confined to fairly close limits# Nevertheless, no pilot has been passed out to his next stage or to his operational squadron without the full flying practice and instruction insisted upon under the Royal Air Force scheme of training# The basis of all the measures for increasing the output of pilots for the Royal Air Force has been described as nto 5 produce in mass without a reduction in quality”. The ascendancy of British pilots and air crews over those of the enemy is evidence of the value of that policy*. THE "FLYING SUITCASE". The Handley Page Hampden, which is one of the fastest medfum bombers in the world, has recently been giving a good account of itself in attacks on enemy seaplane bases and reconnaissance flights over Germany. In appearance this aircraft is unusual; and so is its method of construction. The narrow fuselage is of a deep section in the forepart and tapers rapidly to a slim tail boom. The unusual silhouette, seen from the side, has earned it the name of the ”flying suitcase”. Built on what is known as the split construction system, the whole of the Hampden is split up thus into small units, providing the means of rapid assembly. The Hampden is an all metal, mid-wing monoplane capable of carrying a very big load for a long distance at high speed* Pitted with two Bristol Pegasus engines each of approximately 1,000 hepo, it has a cruising speed of about 220 m.p.h. and a maximum speed of 265 m.p.h, The maximum range approaches 2,000 miles* The wing span is 69 ft. 4 ins., the overall length 53ft. 4 ins, and the all-up weight 8-g-tons, of which over 3 tons is ’*useful load”. A crew of three or four is normally carried. In common with other British aircraft the defensive armament of the Hampden type has been considerably strengthened since the outbreak of war, giving it a formidable . defence against enemy aircraft* As one of the principal typos of Britain*s counter­offensive aircraft the name If Hampden” is especially appropriate for this Handley-Page product. It commemorates John Hampden, the defender of civil liberties. The first Hampden bomber was 6 named in June, 1938, by Viscountess Hampden? wife of the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Hertfordshire, a direct-,descendant of John Hampden* CAT 'AND MOUSE IN THE CLOUDS A skilful use of cloud cover recently enabled three British reconnaissance aircraft to elude enemy fighter of an greatly superior performance and to complete their task without interruption* The three aircraft were flying in company at a height of 2,000 ft# over•German territory when a twin-engine Messerschirktt 110 latest and fastest fighter typo was seen following them from three miles astern and slightly below. As the British aircraft made for the clouds, 1,000 ft, above, the Messerschmitt, making use of its much higher speed, climbed to tho same height and was rapidly closing the range when the British formation gained the nearest cloud bank lost and were to vieWp A few moments later the British aircraft broke cover and their leader* looking round for his pursuer, was amused to see the Messersohmitt circling cautiously round a cloud patch two miles away, obviously waiting for his quarry to emerge* The British leader then took his formation into another cloud hank# On emerging he had a final glimpse of the distant Messorschmitt pilot apparently throwing caution to the wind and plunging into the cloud patch in a last desperate effort to ”flushl * his "birds* - ONE THOUSAND HORSE POWER ONE MAN l. "Both the Vickers Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane single- seat fighters are powered with 1050 h*p. Rolls Royco Merlin engines *»«.»***•*" Developments in British aero-engines have gone on so steadily that this modern wonder of scientific engineering is 7 nowadays accepted as almost a commonplace* A thousand and more horsepower, crowded into a small, single-seat fighter, is taken for granted* The demand for even greater horsepower has already been met by British designers* Hew and more powerful engines are now in production# What this concentration of motive power under the control of a single pilot really means can be appreciated by a comparison with the approximate horsepower of other forms of transport© The latest type of 56-scater London 'bus, rated at 54 h#p*, develops about 110 h*p* It would take a fleet of 10 'buses to -equal the power capacity of a single Spitfire© The average engine power of a modern cargo steamer of about 5,000 tons can be taken as about 2,000 h#p That ship would have a five An an engine room staff of perhaps or six* average small tramp, such as a coal steamer, would have engines of less than 500 h*p. Great Western engines of the !,King ,f class haul their 500 tons of train at express speed on a horsepower of only I*2oo* And the pre-war motorist, driving his family saloon at a "diagy" 55 m*p*h# on his weekend dash to the sea, may sometimes have dreamed that the power under his bonnet was stepped up to that of 30 of a Hurricane's engine* The engines or more cars, each rated at 10 h.p*, would be needed to equal the horse power under the control of one young British fighter pilot! EYES AND EARS OF THE AERODROME* There is one pilot at every Royal Air Force Station who will always he found on the grounds This is the Duty Pilot* The Duty Pilot sits in an ofPice* He is responsible for the aircraft traffic in and out of the flying field* which he San take in at a glance from his window# When ah aircraft is due* the Duty Pilot will have heeh informed of the approximate time of its arrival* Oh landing the 8 \ pilot immediately reports to the Duty Pilot’s# Office. In his log the Duty Pilot records details of tho aircraft, time of landing, i the pilot’s name and so on. If the aircraft needs petrol, the Duty Pilot gives the necessary orders for refuelling. Perhaps the aircraft has brought a Staff officer who is on a tour of inspection and must be at another station 200 miles away before nightfall. The Duty Pilot obtains a weather forecast, secures permission from Headquarters for the flight to be made, and warns Observer Corps posts and anti-aircraft batteries of the type of aircraft and the height at which it will fly# When the aircraft takes off the Duty Pilot notifies the other station of the time it is due to arrive. Flights between'stations are rigidly controlled# The Duty Pilots* working in watches throughout the 24 hours* are kept very busy# The state of the aerodrome is also the Duty filet’s concern# Weather conditions may have rendered a patch unsafe for landing# He will see that aircraft avoid it. Perhaps an incoming aircraft is circling overhead While another aircraft is about to take off# The Duty Pilot fires a Veroy light to warn the pilot to stay in the air until the ’’All Glear’* is given# Another aircraft may have made a forced landing# It is the Duty Pilot ? s task to report any damage# and if possible put the aircraft back on its course* R.A.F. FIRE FIGHTERS’ FLAMEPROOF SUIT# Firefighters at Royal Air Force Stations can walk through flames with safety# At every air station flameproof suits are ready for instant use whenever flying is in progress. The airmen are always on duty with the firetender wearing the lower portion of the flameproof suits. These Royal Air Force fire suits are designed to enable 9 the wearer to work unimpeded in a serious fire. Unlike suits made entirely of asbestos, these are light. They have silk linings. The - various portions trousers, boots, jumper, gauntlets - and helmet have Been carefully planned so as to facilitate rapid adjustment and easy storage on the firetender* A special drill has Been worked out for teaching fire crews the quickest way of adjusting the top portion of the suit. Airmen for fire-fighting work are carefully selected. They must have good physique and steady nerves, . Any tendency towards claustrophobia would Be a Bar. They are given special training to test find develop their staying power* speed and to up their handling of their fire-fighting equipment. TEA TRIUMPHANT! Some Royal Air Force Units in France are stationed in the midst of a famous wine-producing region* When they first in cafes arrived, the* consumption of wine rose sharply and restaurants, as British airmen* aßle for the first time to Obtain very reasonably what in England is rather an expensive drink# sampled it with gusto* Later, to the surprise and regret of local hoteliers* the demand for the wine Began to fall# Sooft it was Bach to pre-war level* X;i its place there came the almost Unanimous demand for "a'niee cup of teaM# Home haßits had reasserted thornsclvesi Gate and restaurant proprietors have accepted this British peculiarity in good part* They have learned to produao well-made tea in large quantities# - 8/4/40 No.20. PRESS NOTICE* Official Joint ADMIRALTY and AIR MINISTRY Communique# Enemy aircraft carried out an attack on Soapa Plow this evening without doing any damage# It is certain that at least one enemy aircraft was brought down by our fighters*