FOREIG :N PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR COMPILED FROM TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 71 8th A1ril. No. __..................._._......................................, 1940 u.s.A: DISCUSSION UN liEUTRALS' .203ITIUN. The position of the smaller neutrals is the subject of conunent in thday's New York Presf'I, which examines the Allied and German view-points towards neutrality. In an ed.itorial article, the N.:'.: .. YOJK TL1iS writes: "If there is one axiom in European Naval Geography, it is that Norway cannot, and will not; go to war With Britain. She is not only hopelessly exposed, but her life as a seafaring nation depenc.s on British sea-pov..-e:c~ Her people are overwhelmingly in favour of the Allied cause. "The present alarm in neutrai countries may be premeture. The Allies have made it plain in the past few dnys that they will try to achieve their ends by Diplomacy rather than by illegal high-handedness." The NE\v YORK lt.!:1.i.ALD TRIBUNE declares: "At about the same time that the Norwegian Foreign Einister was repelling Allied pressure against German trade through Norwegian waters, a German U-boat was torpedoing, without warning, stiJ.L... --_,. another Norwegian freighter and drowning a few more Norwegian sea-men in cold Ncrthern seas. This grim o~incldence is · · su.f:C-icient answer, if any were needed,. to the crocodile tears ne.ing shed in Berl.in-on the..._~1__.res.ul.ts upon the neutral purity of the SoandinaviB.ns. "If .Allied pressure should.ever become severe to the point of forcing the ScandinaYians out of their neut~al position, it will be worth bearing two points in mind. Firatly that the whole law of neutrality pre-sup2oses a limited and restricted war. In a very real sense, however, this is not a limited war. Not only is it being ~ought on the Economic Front throughout the world, but every nation in Europe .knows that.--it---i.s going to be ~eJ.y af'fected by the outcome. Seoondly, only the defeat of Gennany hoJ,ds_out any hope of ever re-establishing any ef'fective rule of' international law.at all. If in encompassing that defeat the Allies strain the laws which the Nazis have so freely broken,. it-will be unfortunate but no defender of the ideal of international law can eafely raise his.~voi..ce-­against the Allies in doing so unless he is quite certain they they can win without · ·· it. II In a dispatch from .Paris to the NE~{ YO~ili: TH·JEs , Anne McCormick analyses the significance of .Anglo-French unity, writing: "This is the big story of the wa,r, regarded from the point of view of its causes and effects. Nothing has happened to date to compare in importance with the Fr anco-British union• • "The French and British have united to fight Germany and brushing aside their differences iii t emperamentality and experiences they form a union which they believe must be indissoluble i f their civilisation is to survive. Supposing that thcase great empires are as bent as they seem on merging intlu a political ant economic defensive entity, their insurance rolicy casts a new bal ance and a new pattern which will vitally af fect the position of every other Power in the world and our ovm most of all. " The p( sition of British shipping i s analysed by Hanson Baldwin in the NEfv" YOHK TDviES. This writer shows how the r eplacements campaign will meet the l at est stage of the Nazi counter-blockade plan. Be cites the decline in March losses, but points out that attacks by aeroplanes caused a higher ratio of damage to sinkings. In conclusion he writes: "Although the German counter-blockade is as yet far from any cecisive success, it has been, and probably will, r emain 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 No. 1940 _SJIT:G:.:nL.·~}!D : G :RE:\NY TO L~'..UNCH o;_:F;~l'lJIV:i~? Germ:iny is likely to launch a military offensive shortly, according te Swiss newspapers tod~y. The Berlin correspondent of DER BLJND, the Radical Democratic organ, writes: "There has been so much diplomatic activity lately that the purely military aspect of the \var has appeared. neglected but recent official German statements leave no doubt that Germany is preparing to seek a real decision in the military sphere. 11 After d.escribing the "nervous uncertainty of the German population at the prospect of a grand-scale offensive" the Berlin correspondent of the usually well-informed ID.:lJ"E zu:.;RCI-1:.':R ZJ:.:ITUNG, states: "The rumour that the war will end. on July 1st 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. 11 The TRIBUNE DE G;_;NBVE states: "Marshal Goering foreshadows intensified 6*>erat1~ns in the west where the decision will take place. The d.eclaration hardl;y ~ · have astonished the Tunis newspaper J.ARJOUH. Commenting on Dr. Ley's r ecent speech in which he said "This wa.r is a con• flict between Socialism and Capitali sm," this journal vrrote: "We are astounded that Dr. Ley should::peak 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~" BR/>ZIL: TEE 'NILL TO iiIN. Analysing the respective advantages of Totalitarian and Democratic regimes, Senhor Dantas, in the CORREIO DA MANHA, said: "The f'inal factor f'or victory is the people's will to win. France possesses tris through all Ministerial changes." In an article on the position of the neutrals, the DIARIO DE NUTICIAS stated yesterday: "The .Allied arguments are irrefutable. The Allies are defending the status quo which the British J!inpire has maintained f'or centuries, thus af':l:'ording the neutrals the liberty of peaceful self-development." The article concluded by declaring that all neutrals sympathise with the Democracies and they a.re only withheld. from active support by the factor of fear. FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR COMPILED FR.OM TELEGRAPHIC REPOR'.rS RECEIVED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 8th .lUril --···-········..---·····!............................, 1940 "TY.2ICLL COLL:GCTiulJ uF FP.L0:EH00DS." "A ty<,?ical collection of falsohoods" is the descri·Jtion a-o )lied by the Venezuelan newspaper LA :G:3r:;:;RA to the latest German vlhite Book: This paper states that by use of the documents "German ingenl!louane~s wishes to exclude Mr. Roosevelt from his third term nnd keep America from the w~. They do not realise the meaning tu America of Nazi victory in Euro.)e. Over­ confidence lost them the last war and over-confidence will lose th~m this."' In a leading article devoted to iiir . Churchill's new api.Jointment, this paper declares: "~p Churchill, due to his experience, talent and energy is well chosen for the supreme control of the British war effort. We are not e..urprised that the news has been received by Germany more with fear 1than with anger• They now have to face a man who does not k ow fear and who knows how to .fighto II Discussing air questions, a leading EJrticle in AHORA states: "No one would under-estimate the merits of the Gennan airforce, but fortunately for the world, the Allies' aerial preparations have been in no wise inferior to the .d.eich's and reg.srding 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." CIITL:C: NAZISH CO:l'JDSi·:J:NED. Nazism and the policy of lebensraum are condemned in the current issue of the Chilean magazine HOY. In an art.cle entitled "l'.merica and the War", an analysis is made of German expansion at the e.xpe.nse-oi'....neu.tr.al nations. It continues: "Chile has suffered no hurt from Gern1i;:ny, a nation to -ithi.ch .she--i.s--uiri..ted by traditional friendship and from which she has re.ceived notable services. "There is no doubt at all about that, but it is beside the question. "'ile do not want Genanny to be defeated because she has done us any hurt, but 1)ecause, if she should trium)h, she would. do us hurt, the grepenhagen to the Daily Herald published on April 5, 1940 a figure of 39 ships). DENMI\RK. British official records cover 28 ships of 64,372 tons gross. (Carl Andersen in a mossngo from Ccpenht=1gen pubfished in the Daily Herald of April 5, 1940 gave the same figure). NETHERLANDS. British Official r ecords cover 18 ships of 83,654 tons gross. (Press reports hnve stated that the total of Netherlands ships which have failed to return to port is 23) -3 GREECE. British ~fficinl records cover 13 ships of 61,760 tons grosso FINLJ\ND. British official records cover 7 shi~s of 16,629 tons gross. ITJ\LY. British official records cover 7 ships of 34,560 tons gross. BELGIUM. ·~----­ Brit1sh official records cover 4 ships of 12,660 tons gross. OTHER NEUTR!,LS . -----· - EstoniEl 2, Yugoslavia 2, Japan, Latvia, Spain, Lithuania 1 each. III. NEUTRJ,L LIVES LOST, Complete officinl figures have not been issued, but from official recoras and reports appen~ing in the British and neutral press, it }s-possT.b"Ie to give npproximnte figures for the 1i ves which have ~)een lostc "/!!.QR\NAY. 392. (Statement by M. Koht, Norwegian Foreign Minister, in the Norwegian Parliament, Lpril 6, 1940), SWEDEN..!. 262. (M. Carl Andersen in a message from Copenhagen published in tbe Daily Herald on .April 5, 1940 stated that Sweden had lost 308 men). · -­ .:J2.~TM.[i..RK._ 290. (M. Carl Andersen in the Daily Herald on April 5, 1940 gave the number as 337 )~ NETHERLANDS. 191 GREECE 78 ITALY 56 SPAIN 22 FINLAND 11 -·-·-··-~--­ ESTONIA 2 YUGOSLAVIJ\ ) BELGIUM ) LATVIA ) 1 each. LITFMNIA ) ~_Ł._oXimatc_ total 1318 (or -on the basis of the higher totals Tor~Scandinavia given in Carl Andersen's cable to the Daily Herald -1401 0 4 IV. DET"'~ILS OF SINKINGS OF NEUTf;;/,L VESSELS. Totnl of NGutral vessels sunk. Ncutrnl vessels in convo;z (Compiled from officio.1 .1\.dmirnlty (No figures available before Communiques:. ). February 7) De.te. Tonnage Number ·Dnte Totg;J_ Weekly Number lost ....___.__ to dhte total in convo;z we5h -I I 9-irig September I 3-9 4,339 3 I 10-16 11 ~ 101 2 17-23 3,624 2 2!~-30 10z282 6 29,646 13 October 1-7 8,427 3 8-14 15,238 5 15-21 4, 221 2 22-28 7' 203 2 28-31 19,660 4 54, 749 16 November 1-4 1,342 1 12-18 32 '381 6 18-25 23,949 4 26-30 12.L!.93 2 72,865 13 Decemi)er 1-2 15,739 4 3-9 27;951 9 10-16 23,905 14 17-23 14,281 9 24-30 1!643 2 83,519 38 January 1-6 5,385 3 7-13 9,382 5 14-21 46,661 13 22-28 28,709 1 2 29-31 62588 2 96,725 35 I February I I 1-4 4,742 3 February 5-11 15,455 5 7 580 1 12-18 59,455 18 14 744 16o(sunk on 1.12.) I 19-25 8,600 2 21 904 225 1 26-29 4 211 1 28 1075 171(sunk on 31. 1 • ) 92,463 29 March March 1-3 9,743 4 6 1360 285 11-17 15' 321 4 13 1614 254 18-25 16,703 9 20 1851 237 26-31 7 159 3 28 2215 364 1 48,926 20 (sunk on 28.3. Total 478,893 164 2215 3 5 List of sinking_s;_,_1-.fl_~.9M.!:9-__tQ.._ythi~h..J-J-lg_gttli ty has been established from ascertainable details. (in the case ~t y~ssef~~~iq~i~fine~=d~fails are nttnched). ([l) denotes torpedo attack by submnrine (S/M) 11 11 (aa) n without wnrning. · 11 n ti (b) gu~firc. ti mined in unnotified area.(M) ti ~ g~ ncgJ.ect t o tnke adequnte steps to secure so.fety of passengers and crew. (e) II aerial attack (A) ( f) It on voyage between neutral ports. __.. ____ _ Date N2rr:e 1._o_~_page_(gross) How Sunko September 13 ROND/, 5' 136 (c) 28 JERi'~ 875 S/M (DY1(-o.mite) 28 S/M __a) 1'830 (c) 14 LORE:f\TZ W. H!.NSE.lT October 13 GHESSEOLM Rnider (Deutschlnnd) 21 DEOD;','.I'A 29 VfcRJ'iNGBOLM ?~ ~ N':vember 4 SIG 1t342 (c) 12 •11,019 .§iM_G_'l_<'U_~_ ,_( d ) December 1 i\RCTURUS 1., 277 ( c) 6 BRITTA 6,214 S/M (na) 15 RAGNI 1, 264 15 H.C . FLCJOD 1'907 ~ ~ ~ Ff,GE'RHEIM _ January :14 ·---. •4·~ ~}590 S/M .Ll:.l -_._ ..._ ___ .. 17 ENID 1; 140 -~p·1 CQ_~_T&:-~ 21 }ff:i:uum1, 1 ,328 S M "1an & (f) 22 SONGA 2, 589 S/M ( a ) ( b ) & _Ll'J 25 GUDVBIG 1 ,300 -S/.'.'.M -(a) ----~­ 27 F1ARO 844 S/M ~) & J_gJ27 HOSINGER ~ '591 S7M \aa) & ldl 29 :rno-\-·--· 1'503 S/M (a) February 3 TEMPO 629 A (b) & ( d) 1 2 NIDARHOI,M 3~482 S/M (a) & (d) 13 !i.LBERT Le ELLSWORTH S/M (not sunk ) 15 STEINSTJ\D 2,477 S/M (a) & (d) 18 SANGST.i\D 49297 S/M (an ) , (d ) & (f) March 1 A 21 S/M (aa) ..TERN. Sunk on 28th September~ 875 tons gross Bound for Gre.vescnd with a cargo of pu.lpo Stopped by G boat 90 nautical miles off Haugesund. Crew ordered t o boatsQ Vessel sunk by dynamite. Crew eventunlly rescued from boats by Swedish steamer Caledonia~ (Press Report Jh~__'r_;!:_~cs 30th Sept. ) /TAKST.Af'l}_._ 6 TAKSTA/\.S. Sunk on 28th September. 1830 tons gross Bound for London with a cargo of planed wood. Torpedoed by U-boat Crew took to boats. Crew resnured by Norwegian Warship. (Press Report The Times 30th September) LORENZ W. HANSEN.Sunk on 14th Octobero 1918 tons gross Sunk by the German raider "Deutschland" in Atlantic. J~RNE KJODE 11,019 tons gross Sunk on 12th November. Torpedoed by U-bont without warning. Bound from .Aruba to Nyborg with a cargo of gas oil. Master cmd 4 of crew lost their lives. The rema1n1ng 35 were picked up -12 of them after 5 days in an open boRt. LUNA. Sunk on 1st January. 959 tons gross Within a few hours steaming off Bergen. Torpedoed by U-boat without warning. Torpedo caused such danger that crew had time to launch only one lifeboat and a raft before she sank. Crew nicked up l ater by Norwegian ship. (Press Report Daily Telegraph 2nd January). ENID Sunk on 17th January. 1,800 tons gross Bound from Trondjhcm for Dublin with a cargo of pulp. U-bont shelled ship while ENID picking up survivors of a British vessel and then torpedoed. her. Crew abandoned ship and were left to fend for them­selves in open boats in bitterly cold weather, a considerable distance from land. Norwo.y protested to the German Government on 13th February. FAGERH~IM. Sunk on 14th January. 1, 590 tons gross Torpedoed by U-bo2to Crew t ook to boats ond were left to fend for them­selves in the Bay of Biscay. Five survivors were picked up in an exhausted condition, (including the Captain who had both legs broken). 14 others were missing. (Press Report The Times 19th January.) SONGA Sunk on ?.2nd J 2nuarv. 2,589 tons gross Bound from New York ·for Rotterdam with general cargo. Torpedoed by u-boat. Crew ~cft to fend for themselves in two lifeboats in the middle of the Atlantic. Rescu~d after five days in open boats. (A press report -'rh..~....'J:l:.!I1_~Ł, 27th January -stated that . submarine commnnder asked Captain where they were going and in spite of protests that they were neutral ship -·l;ound for neutral port snid he was bound to sink · them in any case). Norway protested to the German Government on February 12tho GUDVEIG. Sunk on 25th Janunry. 1,300 tons gross Torpedoed by U-boato · Seven survivors lnnded in Sc otland, 10 missing. (Press Report T~~-Times 27th January. FARO. Sunk on 27th J anunry. 844 tons gross Torpedoed by U--boat without warning. Crew left in boatsc 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. 1 ,591 tons EIKA 1 ,503 tons NIDARHOLM 3,482 tons STEINSTAD. 2,477 tons Sunk on 27th January. gross torpedoed by U-boat without warning,Crew left in boats. One boat containing three men in an exceedingly exhausted condition was picked up by· a British war­ship. These were the only survivors. Sunk on 29th January. gross Torpedoed by U-boat without warning. 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 8th March: Norwayprotested to the German Government about this sinking on 8th). •· Sunk on 12th February, gross. Bound 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, Mqnqhester Guardian 18th March.) Sunk on 15th February. gross. Bound from Turkey to Norway. Crew ordered to abandon ship which was torpedoed by U-boat, Crew left in open boats. Captain and 12 men missing,Survivors piclced up completely exhausted,a:f'ter· being adrift for five days in a crippled motorboat off West coast of Eire after a hard struggle in heavy seas. Norway protested to the German Government on March 26th. A communi~~e 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 voyage between Turkey and Norway with a cargo of chromium ore. From the maritime declaration it is clear that the creww;re ordered to take to the boats and left to fend for themselves in the open sea. One of 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 11 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 Novemb.er, 1936, laying do'llm 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 satis­factorily established with 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 -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." SANGSTAD. Sunk on 18th 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 ~ost his life. U-boat seen. SVINTA Sunl{ on 21st March. 1 ,267 tons gross Torpedoed by a U-boat without warning.(Already attacked by German aeroplanes and damaged on 20th March). TEMPO Sunk on 3rd February. 629 tons 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 were drovmed. Eight picked up from other boat by a lifeboat from N.E. Cmast of England.Norway protested on 8th February, VESTFOSS Sunk on 1st Marcho 1388 tons gross Bombed without warning in North Sea. Four bombs were dropped, the last scoring a direct hit and sinl{ing the ship. (Official announcement in Oslo on 12'bh March) LYSAKER BROTT (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 1st 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 18th and 19th respectively against this breach of international law, reserving the right to ~laim compensation. (Press Report,The Times, 25th Msrch). TORA ELISE Also attacked from the air. ERLING LINDOE 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) • aa) " " " " · without warning, II II II r) " " gunfire II ~~ mined in unnotified area& d) neglect to take adequate steps to secure safety of " passengers and. crew. aerial attack. " ~ ~~ on voyage between neutral ports. " Date. September 24 ... 25 28 October 1 9 23 November 19 26 December 2 12 13 15 16 January 1 3 18 18 20 22 February 1 1 1 12 16 16 March 2 GERTRUD BR./\.TT 1,510 tons gross Torpedoed by U-boat in Skagerrak. SILESIA Sunk on 25th September. 1 , 839 tons gross Torpedoed by U-boat. NYLAND 3,300 tons gross VISTULA. 1 , 018 tons gross Name. GERTRUD BRATT SILESIA NYLAND GUN VISTULA LLBANI/l B.O. · BORJESSON GUST/,F REUTER RUDOLF TORO ALGOL URSUS · LISTER L.ARS MJ,GNUS TROZELLI SVJ\RTCN PAJI\.LJ\ FLANDRI/l 'TJ.fl.TRI!i. GOTHIJ.. ERJ\M ORANIA DJ\.LARO LIAN/.. OSMED LAGAHOLM 9 Tonnage (gross) 1'510 1'839 3,378 1,198 1'018 1'241 1,586 6,336 2' 119 1 ,467 978 1,499 1 ,362 1'951 2,475 6,875 1,157 1'185 1, 640 2,760 1'854 3,927 1, 646 1'545 2,818 Sunk on 24th Septembero Crew rescured. Sunk on 28th September. Bound from Stavanger to l\.ntwerp. How Sunk. (a) (f) ~a) (~~ & (d) ~ ~ ~ f~j ~~ S/M (aa) and (d) S/M (aa) ..,,..s_,_,M_a_a__an--4-fil S M aa d!'{f')' S/M a) ~/~ ~: ~ S/M (a) ~;~ f:~ (b ) (d) & (f) S/M (a) and (d ) S/M (a ) and (d ) S/M (b) Torpedoed by U-boat. After crew had been allowed to take to the boatsj> RescuP-d by Norwegian warship 2 hours latero (Press Report The Times 29th September). Sunk on 8th October. Cargo of paper.Torpedoed by U-boat. Crew given 10 minutes to abandon shipo Mate and one bont load 20 hours in boat in bRd weather, 45 miles N.E. of Shetlands, before b-0ing picked up. Captain nnd 8 men in other boat missing. (Press Report The Times 13th October). -· 10 LJ,RS MAGNUS TROZELLI. Sunk on 1st Jrmuo.ry. 1,951 tons gross Torpedoed by U-boat without warning. SV.1\.RTON. 2, 475 tons gross Sunk on 3rd Jnnu'"'ry. Tor·pedoed by U-bon t without wnrning, · Twenty of crew missing. PAJALli. 6,665 tons gross Sunk on 18th Jnnuo.ry. Bound from Buenos Ayres for Gothenburg with a. of grnin o.nd cattle food. Torpedoed by U-bont without warning. Swedish flng po.inted on side and illumino.ted. Crew rescued from bo~ts o.ftcr 2 hours, by n British Warship. cargo ORANIA. 1, 854 tons gross Sunk on 11th February. Torpedoed by U-bont without warning, 3 minutes -70 miles off Scotland. nnd sank in One boat with 10 men picked up after 12 hours by a Warship. 14 in other boat missing. (Pross Report The Times 14th British February). DALJ\.RO. 3,892---Eons gross Sunk on 12th Februnryo Bound from Snn Nicholns vio. Funchal with a cRrgo of linseed. to Gothenburg Torpedoed and shelled b;y a U-boat in the Atlantic. Crew left in lifebo2t.in Atlo.ntic for 17 hours before being rescued. Master injured by explosion died after being picked up. Sweden protested1D the German Government on 2nd April. LIJ\N/, 1,646 tons gross Sunk on 16th Februo.rye Torpedoed by U-boat" 1 O lost. Sweden protested to the German Government on 2nd .1\.pril. OSMED. 1,545 tons gross Sunk on 16th February. 13 lost. Torpedoed by U-bont. Sweden protested to the German Government on 2nd April. GOTHIA. 1 , 640 tons gross Sunk on 22nd Februo.ry.Bound for Genoa with a pulp. cargo of sulphnto and wood Torpedoed by U-boat nfter Captain had refused to sign statement that ship was carrying contraband to England. 3 men killed by the explosion. Crew left to their fate. One bont got ashore with 11 men after 3 days. Other boat/1 O men missing.with VII. NORWEGL\N /,ND SWEDISH PROTESTS. Part 1. Norway. 16th February 1940. The Norwegian Foreign Office stated that protests had been lodged in Berlin ago.inst r::.crmnn attacks on Norwegian ships. On 8th February a protest was submitted ngainst the sinking of the Norwegian steo.mer 11 Tempo11 on 3rd February by German aircraft, which later fired on the lifeboats after the crew had left the ship. On 12th February a protest was lodged against the sinking of the steamer . "Songa" by a German U-bont on January 22nd. The "Songa" was on her way from America t o the Netherlands. The crew -11 were left in two lifebonts in the middle of the Atlc.ntic, where they spent five days before they were rescued. On 13th Februnry a protest wns lodged o.gninst the sinking of the stenmer "Enid" on her way from Norway to Dublin, north of the Shetlrulds on 17th January without wnrning, while she was searching for the survivors of a Britisp ship which hnd 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 th~t it reserved all rights to demand full compensation, 2nd requested the Gcrmr~ Government to call the responsible persons to account. 16th February, 1940. The Norwegian Senmen's Union, the Norweginn Engineers' Union, the Norwegian Mercho.nt Officers' / ssocintion and the Norwegian Masters' Union presented n. resolution to the Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affnir.s, of which the following is nn extract: "Acting on informFltion in our possession we nrc resolved to protest with the greatest indignation ngainst the form of sea warfare which is now being waged and which seems to have as its prime object the terrorisation of neutrnl ships. 11 We are nlso to express our disappointment at the prevailing powerlessness in the fact of demands that international law should be respected. ''Neutral shipping nettions seem to know of no means of demanding the cessation of massacre of shipping. ·uA number of sinkings which hnve recently taken place must be condemned ns demonstrably conflicting with international lnw 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 Atlmitic 81ld the crew driven out into open boats in mid-winter. We will nlso mention the sinking of the TEMl?O as the most monstrous thing thnt can be imr.:gined. This ship was proceeding on a neutral voyage when it wets 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 bonts. So much has been proved by official enquiryo From official enquiries into the sinking of the P.~~ID it is also a~Jparent that the crew were exposed to gunfire .after they had got into their boats." ~?th February, 1940. Commenting on the meeting of the Scandinavian ForeignMinisters, the Liberal newspaper "Tidens Tegn" wrote:­ "We have previously emphnsized the necessity of a joint Northern protest against German sen warfare. Everyday we get bad news from the sea. The whole of this loss of shins and lives has been caused only be German mines and torpedoes. 1t 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 :fired upon, now as then. It is useless for the Germans to assert that this is British propaganda s.nd that Germany "does not act like that", not one N0 rwegian believes these German assertions. They run contrary to sworn statements by Norwegian seamen, nnd Germans must hold us excused when we rely more on them than on Dr. Goebbels's Ministry of Propaganda. The Norweginn people must insist that if no joint protest is delivered by the Northern Governments the Norwegian Gov~rnment should once ag~in, and in far sharper language, protestagainst lawlessness at sea and demand thnt Germnny should respect tne rvles which are based both on international law and on human mora1ity. -12 ­ 29th February,1940. Speakine in the Storting about Norwegian shipping losses, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, referring to mines, said: "We must unfortunately assume that belligerents have not alwaysobserved 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 su0h minefields in the North Sea -or mines have not been lai d in such a manner as to become harmless on breaking adrift." He dealt with German sinkings, of which he gave facts and announced representations mad.e to the German Government to which, however, replies had not been yet receivedo In the pastsix 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 Germany in which it 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 themv. They must claim free traffic for lawful neutral trade. 2th March, 1940. The Norwegian Minister in Berli n hana_ea. to the German Minister for Foreign Affairs a Note in which ·~he Norwegian Government declared that it had "remarked vd th great ···" ·.. . uneasiness the methods of sea warfare which have resulted in the loss of the "Songa", the 11 Tempo" j 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 opin:iion 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 brou2::,'ht into an enemy contraband control port during the voyage. "The Norwegian Government suppose that the German Government agree in principle with these consideratior:r.; .· -..:mt all the same the Norwegian Government think it d.esirable 1 · owing to recent losses to Norwegian shipping, that these questions should be discussed as soon as possible by representatives of the two countries with a view to rendering Norwegian maritime traffic less dangerous and ensuring that Norway receives her supplies. "The Norwegian Minister in Berlin has there:'ore asked the German Government to inform him if the German Government also desire such talksc" 18th and 19th March, 1940" The Norwegian Government lodged protests in Berlin on March 18th and 19th a~ainst the German air attacks on the Norwegian steamers "Lysaker" and "Brott11 " -13 ­ 18th and 19th March, 1940 (contd..) The Norwegian 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 would be held responsibleand reserved the right to claim compensation. 30th March, 1940_. A communique was issued by the NorwegianMinistry of Foreign Affairs on 30th March. It read as follows: "On the 15th February the Norwegian ship "Steinstad11 was torpedoed off the Western coast of Ireland on a voyage between Turkey and Norway with a cargo of chromium ore. From the maritime declaration it is clear that the crew were ordered to take to the boats and left to fend for themselves in the open sea. One of 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 16th Februaryo "In a note delivered to the German Ministryfor Foreign Affairs by the Norwegian Legationin Berlin on 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, 1936, 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 satisfactorily established with reference to the state of the sea and weather conditions, the distance from the shore beingsmall or another vessel being in the neighbourhoodwhich can take the crew on board. "The note adds that in any case there was not the s·lightest 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 which the sinkinginvolved. They further demanded insistently th:l. t suitable measures should be taken against the U-boat captain responsible, and asked that 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 +ri.e right to claim damages at a future date, 1st October, 1939. An energetic Swedish protest lodged in Berlin against the torpedo­ing of the steamer Nyland bound for Belgium stated that it was a "flagrant violation of international law to sink a ship bound for a neutral port", The Press was indignant and contrasteed that .Germany would give mot>e convincing proof of the value that she set on the endeavours or a neutral State to maintain a correct attitude. Handels Tidnlng, on 3rd and l+th October, described these acts (i.e~, the s nking of the NYLAND and GUN) as piracy and terrorism, and Sod.ial Demokraten, on 26th and 27th September and 3rd October~ was equally outspoken. The German Legation had refused to issue certificates that vessels clearing from Swedish ports were not carrying contraband, both cellulose and timber have been declared unconditional con.traband and the Hamburg Prize Court had thrown on the neutral the onus of disproving enemy destination. (Gotesborgs Handels Tidning,:_.5-.!i.Q. _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 ~estward bound timber trade is vital to Scandinavia and could not be abandoned, and that the sinking of Scandinavian vessels was causing graveinjury 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 1st 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 Germ~ny has now completely abandoned the policy she had previously proclaimed, namely, the normal commercial relations of the neutral countries, both with belligerents and with other neutrals would be respected. 18 "It is noteworthy thnt Germnn wo..r vessels 8.re very well informed ns to when n Swec:1_ish ship mny be expected to pr.ss the territorinl limit. This is clcnrly indicc..tivc of secret intelligence operntions which cnnnot be o..llowed to exist in a neutral country." /.ftonblr.det. of the 15th December so.i d thr'..t the German allegntion thnt wood-pulp wn.s used in shells t o protect the explosive wns no ndequnt c excusco Even mor e disturbing wns the detention in a Gcrmnn hnrbour of n ship carrying cellulose nnd wood-pul.p t o Junericn. Such trcc.tmcnt would r esult in the loss of n considerable sectj_on of Sweden's export tr.zi.de. Stockholms Tidningen of the 15th com'!)l f'-inec1 thri.t no compenso..ti0n was t o be paid. Four questions should be asked in such n co.so: (1) Is the commodity contrrcbnnd?; (2) Is it bound for nny enemy port?; {3) Did the cnpt nin know thn.t there wns contro.bnnd nboC'.rd?; (4) In whnt circurnstnnces is the owneP of' the property entitled t o damages? Svenska Dngolndct of tho 15th stressed the same points. · Socinl Demokrht en of tho 28th J cmunry, Nyn Dctgligt Allehnndn of the 29th, nnd Do.gens Nyhoter of the 3rd February had bitter loo.ding nrticlos on Gcrmnny1s brutal methods of nnvnl warfnre. It wo.s emphasised that Li per cent. of Sweden's merchant fleet hnd been destroyecle Nyn Dngligt Allchnnda pointed out Germany's dependence on trnde with non-belligerents, and Dngens Nyhetcr said thn.t further thrents to Sweden's trade might induce her to adopt n policy of self-sufficiency1 which could haraly be to Germcmy's interestso Dagens Nyheter on 3rd February described how the VidQr was destroyed nt 8 p. m. on Wednesdr.y by a singl c nircro.ft when the ship was in a stormy sen on her way from Newcnstle to Esbjerg. Three or four bombs were dr opped on this defenceless vessel. One hit her aft and left her with only one lifeboat. Her crew, consisting of 23 men nnd one womnn, tried to lower this boat, but it cnpsized. They wer e swept into the wa ter where the stern wo.s n.wnsh. Some struggled bo..ck t o the ship, but eight wer e never seen again. These include the cnptnin, first mntc, first,second and third engineers,and tho r ndi o officer. It is believed they were caught nnd throttled in the pr opeller. "How distnnt seems the time" commented Do.gens Nyheter, "when crews were allowed hnlf f'n hom ... to collect their belongings nnd submarines towed lifebonts t owards tho land. Now, survivors are fortunate to save their lives on n rnft after an explosion so sudden that it is often not known whether a mine or t orpedo is resl)onsible. "-And, according t o eye-\~'i tnesses, in the recent attncks on shipping there hns been mnchine--gunning. Swedish opinion hFl.s reason strongly t o r enct against such brutnl wnrf~re . Germany wns r eminded thn. t a month ngo Sweden and ·Germany concluded a commercinl agreement on the bnsis of pre-war trade and it wns hinted thf'lt the Third Reich hc..d better bewnre. The differ ence between the methods of the Allies nnd thosu of Germqny was-·well put by an ironical nrticle in the Swedish paper GOTEBORGS H!JITDELS OCH SJOFJ,.RTSTIT1NING which st:.ys :­"The Germans kindly sink Swedish ships again ns well as other neutral boets. Their gener osity casts n gl amour over their exploits. The English jog-trot is different. They t o.ke time to 19 examine vessels. Life is short and the Germans, in a compassionate spirit, act quickly. They sink boats, sometimes sending s everal of the crew to the bottom, and no time is wa·sted in fuss;i.ng11 • 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 it11 9 the newspaper states. Expressing the hope that British contraband control methods would be changed, the newspaper concluded: 11 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 at sea, strongly denounced Germany's ''piratical methods", and ridiculed suggestions of the German press that Swedish ships should avoid dangerous waters o 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 Retch cannot pay for our iron ore with goods we need. The coal shortage here is evidence of Germany's inability to balance her account with Sweden." The article concluded with a warning that Swedish iron ore was only at Germany's disposal if Sweden's rights as a neutral were respected. g. GERMAN POLICY TOWARDS NEUTRAL SHIPPING. Declarations of German policy with regard to neutral shipping are contained in the following O·fficial communiques and extracts from press articles: The Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung published on 25th January and 8th and·11th February three semi-officially inspired articles by "Dr. A" on the legal aspects of the c.onduct of 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 to oppose by force an-order to stop will without fail lead to the use of force by the warship?· Neutral ships run risks while under the protection Of enemy -ll[fl_X'Ships and aircraft• -26 ­ The British contention thnt cm enc.m1Y must attc..ck fl convoy escort bef or e dealing with the ·merchantmcn comprising it hns no legal basis. , Internationnl L mv l c.ys down thn.t neutr::.l ship.s in enemy convoys nre all exposed to nll wn.r riskso This view is held by almost rtll specialists in Internntional Law mid is upheld by a number of dGcisions of internntional courts. The pr·oblem which arises in the present wci.r is the danger for neutrn.l merchnntmen within the coastal wat ers of n belligerent power. In recognition of this the United Stat es Government hr.s :...orbidden its merchnnt ships t o enter the danger zone off the c onsts of belligerent powers. This is the only WRY out for other neutral powers for avoiding an inevitable increase in the heavy l osses which their shipping has already suffered in tho coastal wnters off Grec..t Britnin. 11 The f ollowing stnt ements 2ppenr ed in an nrticle in the Deµtsche J\llegemeine Zcitung of Februo.ry 11th 19400 11Up to now only neutral ships which attempt to oppose German rights of seizure or r.re in cm enemy convoy hc.ve been trent ed ns enemy shipping. Now, however', Ger many claims the right to mete out the same tro.':'.. tmen t to neutrnl shipping in the coastal wnters of an enemy eountry; such ships are then liable t o be sunk by mines or t orpcc1oed nnd bombed without wnrning o They ar e in a thontre of w;.:.r just ns much as n privn.te carrirtge which was being driven between tho M2gninot Line and the Siegfried, and will be trented nccordingly. "/~t [111 times the rights of neutrrtl countries to carry on trade by sea with belligerent countries have been sub­ordinated to the r equirements of strntegy. The devlopnont of sea warfare causes neo.rly o.11 supplies brought to an enemy by sea t o assume the char acter of contrabando Noutro.ls who trade with o. belligerent are virtually supportj_ng that country, o.nd the dangers irtcurred ar e likely t o provoke the country assisted into providing ar med protection, and this in its turn justifies the other belligerents in t o.king the necessary measures t o protect thei~ interests. "The right of neutrals t o trade among themselves, pro­vided no contrnband is carried is not challenged; but Germany cannot, mer ely out of r egar d for the pr ofits neutrnls may eo.rn by trading with Great Britain or Fr8nce, renounce methods of warfare which may be necessary t o secure victor y 11 • On 17th February infor mation was rece ived in Amsterdn.m r egarding new instructions r:iven t o U-bont Commanders by the German Admiraltyo Under these new or ders, all neutrnl ships which, to judge from their course would have to put in at a British coastal station bef or e re~ching the port f or which they o.re bound were to be tor pedoed without further inquire. U-boo.t commnnders would not be required to exnmine the papers of ships which they so.nk in th i"s way, because the na ture of the car go would nmke no differ ence to their nction. A stnt ement by t he Off i cia l Ger man News J...gency on 16th Februo.ry declar ed thnt if n. neutrnl ship is on route t o a British control harbour, either vnluntri.rily or under compulsion, her cargo is liable t c be regarded by Ger many as contraband and the ship treat ed nccordin~ly.. It re j ected f oreign pr ot ests about the torpedoing of the nBurgcrdijk11 , cm d accused the neutrnl Press of n brench of neutro.lity in criticizing the Germnn o.ction0 -· 21 Tho wh:-ilc qu csti on hns not hing tc c1o with the so­cnlled tor]'.)cdoins wi thout wnrning (continued the stc..tcment)o J,,_ number of factors must be tn.ken into consic1erf'~tion in deciding whether 8. cnrgo is contr::"'.bn.nd or not o On these f r..ctors it dependi entirely whet her fl. ship mf'.y ,justif i .'.1.bly be sunk o.ftcr being haltedo In this cn.se the d2ngcr for ncutrnl shipping consists solely in the British J\dmJ.rn.l t y' s or ders 0.nd the f"'ct thnt they a r e obcyedo The just ification f a r stop~ing nnd sinking ships is contD.ined in the l . noutrf'.l o.ttitude when neutrnl news­pnpers use n perfectly clenr inst ance of internntional lnw to make one-sided '.;ho..rgcs ngninst one belliger cn t pnrty without "l.istening to thnt si de's nrguments. In n. ~~2mmunig_-qQ from the Ger mnn Lego.tion o.t Oslo, pub 1 ishcd in the Norwei;:;j_8.n pr ess of 15th Februo.ry, it wo..s stn ted thnt neutrnl ships which, by renson of insufficient identificntion mnrks or suspect conduct, render t hcmsel ves linble to be mistnken for enemy wnrshi ps or 8-UXiJ_i~.rj.cs ; or vvhich conduct themselves inn mctnner incomp.n_tiblc with ncut:r•o.lity, expose themselves to more drn.st ic me2surcs r~t the~ ~ · : ·:1c1s of' the Germnn nnvnl f orces. The Germr..n Government , i.t was stnted, must decl ine responsibility for the cnnscqucnccrn wh.Lch mny rtrise therefrom. ,\ 11ote: wh i ch nrJPC<".red in the Diploma tisuh-politische J'.;;_Q_rr~§J?.Q!l~~r,:iz of 3rd Mr.rch, 1940 statccf'"'th."'.t Germn.ny does not admit thC1t ncut:::>r'.l countries ci.rc bound to submit to the terms ·Jf the British blockaC:.co Theref ore, who.tcver country plnces herself' r'..t Engl::md' s c1is:i1:)so.l fc:2 the •;uriv)s es of supply, or Ernbmits to Englnnd9s contr·::il, must expect to be regnrded as etn ::1ccomplicc of Englnnd in her conduct of the W".r, 2nd to be trentcd accordingly. ·-----.. ·-oOo-,---·-­ 8/4/40 -No.3. FRENCH OFFICIAL COjlfiliIUNIQUE. (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, 194-9_• No. 4 . ~!~.A .F.185 The sxistence of foot-and-mouth clise2.s e -.:c.s confirmed to-da.y anon[;st cattle at PetersheJ~i , Surrey. An OrCJ e:r has been issued, a.ncl is nou i n force, )I'Ohibitin[:;' t he mover:1ent -except by licence -of all cattle, shee.? , .?i.:;s, goats and deer w:.i_t J:.in a~-: ~.::·20:::. i.'.:J.o.tely 15 miles of t :.1e infected ~Jrernises . The et.i...,ca subject to .i."estI·ictions lies in t l1e Counties cf Berks., Bucks., Essex:, Eerts., Kent, London, Middlesex and Surrey~ 8th April, 1940J No. 5. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE. NEWS SERVICE li'OR ALLOTMENT HOLDERS, No. 21. -.. ~OTNl'OES A SAPE CROP FOR NEW DIGGERS. Many people who want to grow their ovvn vegetables in gardens or allotments may, perh aps, feel that to follow the c~opping plans recommended by the experts would be a bit too much for them to tackle. To such we would say: potatoes are a safe and easy crop to grow. They are a good cleaning crop for planting on newly dug up grassland~ There is a sense of satisfaction in being able to lift a good crop of your own potatoes} which will be a great standby later on. x x x x MORE ROOM FOR SEEDLI~G~. 'I No matter how careful we are , it is almost impossible to sow small vegetable seeds at a reasonable distance apa~t ~ at frequent intervals along our drill we are almost certain to have dropped three or four almost on top of one another. The pesult is that, when the seedlings show, they form a more or less dense row, each little plant elbowing its neighbours for living room. S~edlings ca~'t grow into strong plants if they must fight one another for food and water and root-room.. So a little thinning out is essential. Ultimately our parsnips ~nd onions, carrots and turnips and lettuce and the rest will have to stand at from 6 inches to l ft1 apart, but it would not be safe to thin to that distance to begin with. Plants might dieo Slugs might pay us a visit and do a little thinning on their own account, i';'e 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 mor e ea.sily done when the soil is damp rather than dry. Seedlings can be withdrawn complete with roots from a damp soil; one is apt to snap them o~f at soil level when attempting to draw them from dry soil0 After thinning, always press the disturbed soil round the surviving plants with the fingers. x x x x l(' BRtJSSELS SPIWUTS. Brussels sprouts should be 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 sprouts succeed on most soils that are (1) ndt too light and liable to dry out# (2)· not too heavy, (3) not water-loggedc A deep, firm, well~drained soil gives the best results. Manuring. Unless the soil is light and liable to dry out, or is in poor condition, farmyard manure should have been applied to the previous crop, potatoes for instance. The soil should be in such a condition that the plants can grow on after transplanting, and continue growing with the least help from nitrogenous manureso 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 arnmonia, can be applied at the rate of three quarters of an ounce per square yardo Even on soils that are in good condition, superphosphate and potash are beneficialo 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 it oz., and a potash fertiliser at the rate of 1 oz. per square yard before plantingo Old soot -6 oz. per sqo yard. -can be substituted for the nitrogenous fePtiliser; and if potash is unobtainable a good sprinkling of fresh wood ashes will help. Sowi1~. To obtain sturdy young plants~ sow at the rate of one-eighth of an ounce to 50 fe et of drill. If no precautions are to be taken.against birds and insects, the rate of sowing must be at least doubledo For early crops, sow in a cold f'rame or cold glasshouse in February;. or sow in a sheltere~ (but not shaded) position in August. Plants from these sowings should be ready for transplanting in April. Only early varieties s.hould 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. 'l'imes of sowing and transplanting vary, of course, 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 2i fto, or even at 2 ft. apart each way. For this close planting, choose one of the dwarfer varieiiesToo 0 close planting will inevitable !];ive disappointing r esults. Plant firmly s.nd deeplyo \')ater the plants if the weather is dry,, drawing a little dry soil around each plant after the water has soaked away~ Pests: When the seedlings are just breaking through the ground, they will probably be attacked by birds, and there may be trouble caused by various pests -espec.ially the flea beetle in dry weather. These pests can however be controlled if you follow the directions given in the various free le aflets or priced bulletins I published by the Ministry" x x x x Cardiff Horticulture Committee have arranged for 500 bundles of pea sticks to be cut from t he corporation's woodlands for sale to local allotments holderso They have also provided three knapsack spraying machines for t he ir use. In ,.1falsall, all local ironmongers have agreed to supply bona fide allotment holders with tools at reduced rates, s.nd local seedsmen are supplying standard selections of vegetables seeds and compound fertilisers at special priceso 30 Headmasters of schools are running a seheme whereby senior boys help wives of tenants who have joined the forces to dig and plant their gardens. ~DING PUBLIC MUSEUNi IviAKCS ITS CONTRIBUTION. A scale model of an allotment is being exhibited in the Reading I?ublic Museum, with full notes on how and \'vhen to sow and plant. Provision is ?TB.de for visitors to 1 eave 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 PROGR;J:;SSIVE U.D.C. Wo1ting (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. ~hose 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. ,fhen it was taken over, volunteers were invited to work the eight or nine plots into which it was divided at the Director Gener al's suggestion. Some sixty applications were received. A wider scheme was necessary so 3i acres of pasture land were marked out in 55 allotments. An assoeiation was formed -with the Director General as President, a committee of management appointed, lots were drawn for the plots and the map-makers began work on the ground next day. x x x x 4 .. PRESS NOTICE Figures circulated for information, show.ing. Germany's imports of iron ore in recent yearso 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 tons, with an iron content of 4,467,000 tons, were imported from countries to which Germany ceased to have access immediately on the outbre.ak of war (i.e. France, Newfoundland, Spain, Algeria~ Spanish Morocco, Sierra Leone, French Morocco, Tunis, Brazil and others )o The balance came from countries to which Germany continued to have access after September 3rd, 1939, namely: Countryo Iron Ore. Iron Content. Sweden 8,992,000. 5'480 ,ooo. Luxembourg 1 '718 ,ooo. 515 ,ooo. Norway 1 '118 ,ooo. 726,000. Greece 249 ,ooo. 120 ,OOOo Svvi tzerland 121 ,ooo. 34,000. Total 12,198,000. 6'8 75 '000. Sweden's total export of iron ore to all destinations amounted to: in 1937. in 1938. 13 '964, 627. 1 2 ' 685 ' 151 & This total was shipped as follows: in 1937. in 1938. through Narvik 7,580,000. 7,605,000. II Lulea 3'103 '216. 2,853,000. " o:xelosund 2' 144' 632. 2' 190 'ooo. + ti other Baltic ports 625,489 :i Allowing for certain discrepancies in the above figures, it may be taken that the maximum quantity of iron ore shipped + = partly estimated. t ~ figure not available but very small. -2 ­ from Srredish Baltic poPts amounted to 61 385,000 tons in 1937. II 1038, " I11 estimating present day Germany's requirements it is also necessary to take account of Polish and Czechoslovak imports of iron ore from Sweden. Swedish recorded e;::.ports of iron ore amounted to: Des~j._p_?-_t_i on. 1937. 1938. Gerraany 9,459,3780 8,945,115. Czechoslovakia 7Gl,721o 798,180. Poland_ --.-111 2 4C?_~ 126~882....... Total 109332,588<> 9,870,147. It will be noted that the total of these three countries' imports from Sweden included_ substantial shipments via Narvik ? and in nny case greatly exceeded in both 1937 and 1938 the quantit;y r;hip~)ed_ through Baltic ports. In view of the fact, as shoV1m above, that Germany on the outbi-•eak of vvar vvas automatically cut off from well over a third of her former imported supplies, it is clear that the Swedish, ana. to a lesser degree the Norwegian, supplies have since been to her of greater importance than ever before. Moreover;;. it is obvious that Germany Ydll be ready to i!'nport 0·,;-ery_t,on that Sweden is prepared to ship thPough Baltio ports, and the denial t o her of the balance of her imports from Sweden, hitherto shipped_ through Narvik, as well as of her imports of ore from Norway, represents a further substan­tial net loss to her of a commodity in which she is already seriously deficiento From Norway Germany wi11 not only iose her imports o:f iron ore, but also other important Norvvegian produce. 8//±140 . ... . No • ... 111 UNEMPLOYED DEPUTATIO;N. AT MINIS'.rRY OF SU;I?PLY• A number of unemployed men i'rom a neighbouring employment exchange called at the Mi:nistry of Supp1ytoday with reference to a statement made by Mr,, Burgin; Mini$teP of Supply, in a speech at Wolverhampton on Saturday, about employment in the building trades. The callers were rec:eived by a high official of' the Ministry and are to submit a memorandum for consideration~· In his spe ech at Wolverhampton the Mini:s'ter said.: nThere is,. inevi:tably, in ~onnection with any large...seale building operations of the kind that I have mentioned a great volume of pick and shovel work.. .Oi' that there i.s certainly not a shortage., hut of all the skilled work that goes to make up building -your joiner;. your carpenter, your plasterer, your skilled trade.sman -t}J.ere is, in general a greater demand than there is supplytr• ++++++++++++++ MINISTRY OF SUPPLY. · 8/4/40. -No. 8. NORTH SEA AIR COMBAT. (NOT TO BE QUOTED AS AN AIR MINISTRY ANNOUNCEHENT) Latest reports of yesterday's air engagement over the North Sea show that the Enemy fighters concentrated their attack on a small section of Wellingtons i,,i1hich were flying some distance 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 t wo British bombers fought back on their faster opponents and 9 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 enem,y fighters are known to have been damaged and a second Messerschmitt is also believed to have been destroyed. AIR AFFAIRS . HOSTEL ACQOMMODATION POii. EVACUATED CHILDREN. In a Circular just issued to School Inspectors, the 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 cases ~f senior schoolse It is suggested that empty hous.es could be used for the purpose and that this arrangement would meet the objections that homework in the ordinary billets is often impossible and that the nonnal billeting allowance is jnsufficient to cover the large appetites of older children. The immediate r esponsibility 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 runni~1g the hostels, after deducting I the contributions by parents -which will be payable on the same basis as for children billeted in the normal way -will be met by the Governmento Only economi.Calproposals are to be considered and the amount of rent to· be paid for the building and the cost of any structural alterations will be taken into account before a project is acaepted. In all cases a report by the District Valuer on the rent should be obtained. No proposal should be accepted, states the Circular, where the accommodation provided will be for less than 20 eliildren, and the advi;~e of the loeal Medical Officer of Health should be obtained as to the number of children who can be safely accom~odated in a particular house. ----·-~-ooa..,,_----­ BOARD OF EDUCATION. 8.4.40 No. 10. DECISION TO DE-RATION PORK FOR A LIMITED PERIOD. ( 1) The Minister of Food has had under review for some time the situation created by the .ample supplies of pork 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 1s.10d. 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 of the meats wM.ch remain rationed, i.e., -beef, veal, mutton and lamb, will be closely watched, and the value of the ration will be adjusted should this prove to be 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 this desirable. (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; their·.,..;;iresent allocation represents 80 per cent. of those "purehases. (b) General butchers will have first.~all 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. ~ ..... .J (c) Any surplus not taken up by general. ·butchers will be available to pork butchers in~ pro~ortion to their January 1939 purchases. MINISTRY OF FOOD. The Secretary to the Ministry of Transport makes the following announcement:­ STEEL FOR PRODUCER GAS PLANT S. Manufacturers requiring steel for the production of producer gas plants for use on road vehicles for civilian use in this country should now app:J,.y to the Hinistry of Transport for the necessary forms of application. All communications should be addressed to:-The Secretary, Ministry of Transport, (Room 349), Metropole BuildingsJ' Northumberland Avenue, London, W .. c. 2. Ministry of Transport, Metropole Buildings,Northumberland Avenue, w.c.2. 8th April, 1940. ?tTfP1-i.~_!)8?~~}~~S. '. AREA ORGfllUZATION. _!..o_~d_o_D; _i'_J'!!.?:./~~1:._yis_OŁf. Committee The ~!iinistry of Sup:;?ly announces that the l'rr-er:. Advisory Committee at London h~ s been inPugura.ted c>nd iivill shortly hold its first meeting. The members of the Committee a.re ' s follows : -· :iu-. J.J.C. B~con (Edison S"vP.n Electric Co. Ltd., Ponders :Gnd, Uiddlesex.) Iifr. c. Farrar (Grover & Co. Ltr:. , Britannie. Eng. Yforks, Carpenter.:ii Ro3d, Stra.tfora., E~ 15.) },fr. o. Hook (Devvrance & bo~ Ltcl.. 1 165, Gt. Dover St. London, S.E. l~) il!fr. N.. V. Kipping ( Stende.ro. Telephones & Cables Ltd., O<>kleigh Road, New Southge:te, N. ll.. ) Ilr. C.G. L,,. ngford (George Glover & Co. Lt~., Ranelegh Works, Roy~l Avenue, Chelse,,. , S.'7.3.) Mr. B. }'.,fonk (Trojan Ltd., Vicar age Road, Croydon, Surrey.) }lir. F.H. Seager (Seegers Ltd., Overy Street, Dartford, Kent.) il/!r. w. Wa lmsley (Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd. Cranford Lane, Hay-es, :Middlesex) 1,1rr. H. Latter (Director of the En[.,ineering &Allied Employer::• London & District Associatio:l., 112, Abbey House, 8, Victoria Street•. s. w. 1.) . ~ated by the Trades Union Congress - AmalgBmatea. Engineering Union Mr. T. Knibbs, 1'ifr. L. Tomkins, 39, Doughty Street, 144, Beauchamp Roe.a, Guildford Street, London, W. C. l. . Upper Norwood, London,. .S..E.19• . iVir. A.E. Lye, hr. R. Dawson, 91+, Greenla.nd. Crescent1 25, Cheyne Hill, Southall, }1~iddlesex. Slirbiton, Surrey. Mr. w. Freeman, The Field House, Breams Buildings, ( .Am<> lg~mated Society of London, Wooclwor E.C.4kers) . ' hr. H.G. Brotherton, 236, ·Bla.ckfrie.rs Roa.a, · London, s. E. l. (Ndional Union of Sheet Metal Workers and BrE>.siers) · :Mr. E.J. Hill, 58, Cooke Street, . Barking, Essex. :•:!i-• L. K • . White, 218; Green Lane, London, N.l• (Boilermakers' ~ Iron &Steel Ship1)uilders' (Transport & General Workers' Union) Society) Mr. G.J. Langley, 27, Aislibie Roe.a , . Lee~ London, s. E. 12. 69, Stanmer Park Road, Brighton. MINISTRY OF SUPPLY, Press Office, Adelphi,W.c.2. 8. l+. l+O. H.165 8/4/40 No.13 A CATALOGUE OF 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''•. +++++++ MXNISTRY OF INFORMATION. 8/L!/40. -No. 1L+ As this script is being issued in advance it s~ould be checked against the actual broadcast in the B.B.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) B R 0 A D C A S T TALK T::1ADE 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 bringo What was 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 a19­economic policy which concern us all. Would it not be better to insist on the fullest consultation in the earliest stages? Trade Unionism is a constructive force. It has long been recognised as the unchallenged representative of the workers in industry. Collective discussions and negotiations between 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 Gover·nment bound hand and foot. It comes from people who denounce the resistance of our nation to Nazi ag.c;ression as an "imperialist 11 war~ and whose immediate purl)ose is to stop it. /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 f allen 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 Trade Unions in advance to accept everything that 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 adminis t ers not only the political affairs of the nation, but in war-time it has almost compl et e 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 t ake representations to it. But ah~, say the critics, it is one thing to make representations to a Goverrunent, and another thing continuously to collaborate with it on committees and councils. It seems to me that this i~ merely pl aying with words. Surely, 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 organised and regular form~ This makes our representations much more direct and potent• Naturally, the Government must t ake the final responsibility for its decisions. But no Government 9 what ever its political colour, can afford to ignore the views of important sections of the community. Particularly is this true when those sections are powerful and welJ. . organised. But power carries with it responsibility, and it is not for the Trade Union Movement to shirk its obligations to the people as a whole. This does not mean that the Trade UnionEi must meekly concur in what ever · decisions may be made by the Government. Nor does it mean that Trade Unionists are ready to sacrifice their independence or acquiesce in attempts to curtail their democratic rights. It does mean, however, that our Movement recognises that it has responsibilities as well as rights, especially at a time when the nation is engaged in ~ life and death struggle. So, the Trade Union Movement 9 in addition to dealing with the many questions which affect the workers directly in industry, is t aking its part ih trying to solve the proplems which concern us all, in the wider sphere of economic and social policy. Not only have the Uni ons been looking aft er the wages of the workers, but they have kept a vigilant eye upon the mass of r egulations and orders which war-time inevitably brings. We read a good deal ubout bureaucracy, but you can t ake it from me that in those matters which af f ect the worker it has been kept well under control. At/ -· 3 ­ J~t the beginnin;_; of the vvar there were minunderstandin~s and difficulti~s, of course, but once the Prime Minister had fully heard our casey he realised the necessity for t.aking the Unions into the closest consulto.tion, not only on matters which concern them alone, -out upon mnny questions which affect them equally with other members of the community. For example, the blackout, the application of surmner time, the evacuation of the children9 civilian war injuries, profits on armaments, voluntn:ey smrings, export trade in war-time, production of coal5 control o:E' prices of household cornrnodities, the rationing of food and fuel, control of shipping, health insurance, old-age pensions, education in war-time both for civilians and members of the armed forces, and arrangements of holidays, are matters which concern the whole cornmunity. But, none the less, Trade Un:Lonists 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 irnmediate concern to Trade Unionistso Now. let me say a few words about munition production. Munitions do not concern only iron and steel and engineering but affect practicaJ.ly a :i. l the maj_n industries of the country. In March, 1938, when the menace of Hitlerism became imminent, the Pr:i.me M:L:'..!ister called into consultation the Trades Union Congr~ss to discuss the acceleration of rearmament. Our engineering unions were also discm:;sing 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 process of affording the expert advice of workers and employers to the Government wj_ll obtain far better results than would otherwise be possible. Many of us remenioer 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 uponthe Trade Unions and employers: 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 conf'idence that can be placed in the undertakings which will be required f'rom the Gover>nment and the employers to safeguard the position of the workersa Now let us look at the larger realm of communal activityc Some people might consider that such things as the welfare scheme for the troops and the Red Cross Penny-a-WeekFund were not the business of the Trade Unions. I hoiJe there are no Trade Unionists who think this., /The ... :. ' '·'I ;. : 4. ~.· • ••• ! ·-. Tb.e members of the armed forces are t.he 9ame chaps who .·.Y.io·rked alongside you before they went into uniformo we· viar1t .":them to:·:reel .that while they are fighting we are thinking of them~ and looking afte~ th~ir int~rests. . ·'. i.. J ; ••: ': •• 4 , . . . . The membe;rs of' 1Jhc 2rmed forces ar e:: the ::;r~mo. chaps who vrnrked p "lo~~qi··d~ you o~Dor(·· +1~~y \~~~t i"n+o l·1n1"•1~orm V··i~"-, \; · u~ ~ld. to .._, ·-'-· l-o·~ ~ , e.i.. . , ._, ic ''J"-' . "·'1 • · . t o. .._.., ·.:1..,;.;,.,t'.AJ.J.. ·;·11·e·...., ..l·Ppel +hat 1/·/111.' 1. P +}·1cy F· "'" .f'1' C )-j+; Y'<"i' Ff(-~ ·"".1. '"' +n··.·1· n.k·J'_y1r:r v,.. .. • -~ 0J. '-' :..l _,_ •..J -•· • (::0-. V ..J. • .!..1.(J . I -.J ._ t....-V -.... -_ ts of' them~: -and. looki.ng after their interests. ·... ( As a General once sa1.a ·co me 9 "The army is 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 best conditions we can possibly give them,, So ib is that the Trades Union Congress has i ta members serving on the Nuffj_eld Fund, and on the official Welfare Scheme to urovide amenities for the men in the forces­ "' Whi:.e the men are away it j_s the duty of the rest of us to see that the community maintai.ns thej_r families in a px•oper standard qf well-being~ by raising the allowances to their dependants to a more ade-quate scale" . There is annthe r way in which the Trade Unions can help to look after their abs~nt comradeso However long the war lasts much the same problems wiJ..1 hav (:l to be faced as at the end of the last war. The TYade Unions are concerning themselves now apout those. problems, and in the meantim:; are r·esolved that when the troops come back, they do so to conditic:ns of life which are compatible with the sacrifices they have made. We have thr•own our w0i ght in with the Red Cross from the beginningo We arc only asking work.ers to pay regularly a penny a week for helping to px·ovi de ~omi'oi'ts, and care for the wounded which no army regulations can eover } and for making the lot of those poor chaps who have been captu:::ied b~r the enemy a bit more comfortable. Individually i t does::i. ' t. mean m:u~h of a sacrifice~ but taken in bulk the pennies of the workP-rs mount up to thousands of pounds a week. Then again, we have our people on the Refugee Committee and Hardship Tribunals, and t hose for dealing with Conscientious Objectors, which some people will say i~ not our business at allo Well let them think so, but we intend to go on looking after the interests of the worker no matter what spherie he may entero I don't agree with the pacifists -but I respect them none the less. I put them in an entirely different cct.egor>y from those who, after clamouring for war against Hitler, have suddenly discovered that this war is a capitalist conspiracya 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 ~lements which has helped to make our Movement great, and I hope TPade Unionists will not make it difficult for those who conscientiously object to war, to gain their livelihood in civil lifeo There is another set of people of a very different typea As I said earlier, they now denou:n.ce the war as "imperialist11 • They didn't discover this until after Russ].a had deserted the Peace Front and made her pacts wj_ th Germanyo When Stalin and Ribbentrop had shaken hands over their bargain with 2.ll t he fervour of men. who had no intenti-on of keeping it unless it suited their book, the Conununist ·Party of Great Britain obediently shouted that the war was not aimed against Hitler but against the workers of our own co'lilltryo /They -5 ­ They find themselves pursuing n not dissimilnr t actic from the few curiosities who tried to foist Fnscist methods on the British people, as a ncr1 br~Jl.d of ~)Qlitics with an imito.tion· Fuehrer, uniform and spotlight all com~lete. They are now doin~ their utmost to divide and Y:.re.cJ{en the nc.tiono..1 will Emd to exploit every grievunce of Trade Unionists so as to influence them against the war. They demand an end to "the industrial truce", by which they evidently mean the negotiations for increased wages which the Unions have successfully carried on without strikes. Let me re:pec.t, their primary purpose is not to protect the workers but to stop the war. They themselves have said so in their published resolutions and pamphlets. Continuous propagonda 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 play the Communist gQme . I do not doubt what the result will be when the issues ar e debated at the Conference of the Labour Party at Whitsuntide 9 at which most of our Unions will be represented. The war has t aken a very different turn from that which we 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 good, but dissension and disunity designed to cripple our resistance is precisel;y what Hi tle1'"' hopes for most of all. Internationall~r 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 formedo We hope by a.n excho.nge of views and experiences we mo.y be able to st rengthen both our Movements and to nrotect the conditions of our members. We also hope to frustrate the designsof the Communists and the No.zis, or the 11Communazis 11 , as the French workers call them9 who seek to drive a wedge between the two countries. War creates man.y 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 disagreee.ble and burdensome tasks in an atmosphere of strain, under conditions of noise, bad ventilation, haste and danger. It is they 'Nho 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 ri·argin at all for anything but the barest necessities of :ife. They are bearing with remarkable goodhumour 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 a:1.yone else who may menace them. The Trade Union Movement will not let them down. BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION. ·---­ No 15. BRITISH AIR MAIL TO EGYPT {NOT TO BE QUOTED AS AN AIR MINISTRY ANNOUNCE.IV!ENT 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 ~ir ervice to Egypt the Dutch air iines had been called upon to carry Egyptian a.ir mails. :rn fact 13 British air services are regularly running to Egypt and back every fortnight. Ten of these are by flying boat and three by landplane. All carry mails between this country and Egypt. AIR .AFFAIRS QL4/40 -No.16. AIR FIGHT AT SEA LEVEL. (Not to be quot'ed ns an Air Ministry announcement). When an aircraft of the Royal Air Force Coastal Comrnond recently attacked a German flying boat over the North Sea, both machines were Within twenty feet of the water throughout the fight. The B~itish aircraft, a Hudson, was on patrol when the pilot saw a dark grey D~.rnier 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 were fired as the enemy came into the fight. The German rear gunner replied with tracer bullets, but his shots went 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 combat. In another fight over the North Sea an hour later~ a Hudson dived from 2 1 000 feet upon a Dornier flying 500 feet above the sea. Three bursts from the Hudson's front gun entered the Dornier'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. But the Hudson was returning from a long patrol and petrol began to run short. With a final burst from his guri.) the pilot broke off the combat and returned to his base. He landed with only enough petro'l in his tank for two n~inutes of flying time. h1B AFFAIRS. . . 8/4/40 ~TBY LORD WQQLT..91L'1..,....1JiE_MINISTER OF FOO:Q. MQPDAL 8th AIB.IL. 9~.1..5 p.m. Wot to be published until the Minister has spoken. As you have just heard it is to you -the Housewives off :Britain -that I want to talk to--nighto Last week the Prime Minister asked me to become Minister of Foodo I hesitated; I doubted my ability to do a job so colossal. I turned to my wife and thought -and took the job believing that I couln rely on the vrnmen of the country to help meo So we 1·ve a job to do together, you and I, an immensely important war jobo w-o uniforms, no parades, no drills, but a job wanting a lot of thin~ing and a lot of knowledge tooo We are the army that guards the Kitchen F1"'ont in this war., Now let me tell you what should be constantly in our mindso There may be difficult days ahead of us, far more difficult than we have seen yeto We shall still want feeding. My job is to arrange that there shall be such quantities of food held in reserve in different parts of this country that in the worst days we can imagine, we shall have enough foodo It is a very heavy responsibility to have to carry, and if you understand it you will l<:now why I do not hesitate to ask you now, before the difficulties are upon us, to do without things, to suffer inconveniences, and to stop saying "Well, if the stuff .is there, why can't we have it11 o r am just doing what you always do yourselvesz T am keeping a bit in the cupboardo Sometimes I can open the cupboard. We have enough pork in sight for the time beingo From to-night pork but not bacon will be sold free of t he ration 9 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 policyo Now let me tell you where I want your help. I'm going to be very practical, and a bit personal too~ First you must not waste any foodo 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 wast~ of food takes up extra shipping. N-ow don't be se1f-satisfied about waste. Let me ask you some questions. Do you eat new bread? If you keep it a days it will go farther; are you eating wiselys or are you eating more than you really need?' Well, cut i.t 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, T'ea: here 1 s a new slogan for the Kitchen Front. "One for each person, and none for the pot~' CThe pot is quite unnecessary.Again let us have the ships instead· 0 We have l!reen 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 c·arnpaign 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 oUl:' choice more widely" But you ca:r:i1 t do -:.hat and ke2p your menfolk and your children healthy unless you know how. And it is my business to see that you are toldo I am therefore arranging for help to be given you. Simple demonstrations of war t5_me cookery will be arranged through­out the land, and the Education Authorities, very many voluntary social organisations and the Gg_s and Electricity Companies are all going to help you anc me to get this knowledge of wartime diets acrossa I want you to go and see these demonstrations. If you don't know where to go, ask the local Food Office to tell you9 and _don't be afraid~ It' 11 -be f'uno You wi 11 meet people and be able to talk about things y anc. laugh at one another's mistakes• . But keep ym1r eye on the joba I don1 t want you to learn fancy cookingy and how to make bride cakes~ I want you to learn how to .get the l ast ot.mce of food value out of every­thing that goes in t o the kitcheno And you'll save yourselves some money too.., Mobilise ~·ourself~ Let the Kitchen Front parade at these demonstrations; read the booklet I am sending out soon on Wartime Feedingo You will then know w:ta t our scj.entists have learnt since the last war on how to select t he right f ood for your families and for the job yo'x.t• menfolk are doing. I hope I have been clear: I hope I have left you with a clear idea of how you can help your countryc Will you help? Of course you will -all of you freely -because you Jove ·t;J.1is countr'y of ours~ and it's your way of serving i to Good nighto +++++++ MINISTRY OF FOOD~ 8/4/40 --No 18 .··...·· .. FRENCH ~FFICIAL COMMUNIQU;E EVENING} · ··· Pari~. Monday, . The following off'icial communique was issued from French General headquarters this eve:Dring:­ No incident of importance on the front in the course of the day. Activity of both air forces during the morning. ++++++-+YI-­ IT IS REQUBSTBD THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE MORNING NEVVSPAPERS OF FRIDAY1 12th APRIL1 1940. AIR MI~l.§1'.RY \l\TEEIIT,Y NEVvS LETTE~ Note~ The information contained in this News Letter may be used by the Press without acknowledgement.1..f ,it is des~red to refer to the Air Minis~~ as the source of the information, the .§282!..QSSion ifThe Air Ministry annom another world~ Tho crews walkod to their waiting refreshment, steaming -ti;;a and hot foodp strength returning to their legs with every strid,;.. Along the walls, the bunks of stand-by crows wer-e lined,., A table covered with newspapers served as the 1trcstaurant11, a upirit stove as kitchen range. Tea taken, the crews mado their reports~ Little poin'tfl of obsoI'vation were brought back to memory and noted; points which the observers perhaps had not considered of great importa:i::..c9 but v1hich build up the picture? now almost perfect, of the enemy Tho complete report was ready at last: what one man hc.'.l not :'."loticed another had. The raid had been successful from c.11 angles. Then tho two crews were free for talk and relaxation9 One crew was composed of representatives of different perts of tho Empire. Thero is a rich raciness t .o their talk,. The other ere~ came mainly from Yorkshire and Lancashire. 11 Soe anything?" There was that place they're holding a Fair. S.;~,1.:,r A:Jr:t9d. i em up a bit with a couple of Verey Lightsi> Just for funo You see anything?tt "Yep. Couldn!t miss rrzy-place~ Chucked the things out 2nd. had a run round for half an hour"' 11 So, disparaging their own performances, they told the to.le among thomselvoso Those young men, some of them only 19 yonrs old, who have taken tho great bombers along a course that inr!l:1deo important cer:.tres that might have offered str·ong enemy acti.nn~. are rnodost heroes. PROGRESS OF THE .AIR W.AR• .Rt.P:.•Fs Train~ng Beats Germans. Outstanding successes of Royal Air Force airc~aft in engagements against the enemy have bGon a continued featu:::'e o.f" l.i:i.e Ril• war0 A notable example was the fight put up by a single Short Sunderland flying boat recently against six German Junkers 88 bombcr:3 engaged in attacking a convo"Y• One German aircraft was shot down, and one so damaged that it came down later in neutral tcrritor-y1 whilst the Sunderland returned safely. Undoubtedly much of tho success of British pilots and air crows is duo to the superiority of British trainingo It has long been suspected that the Luftwaffe training is not what it is reputed to be. Even before the war, independent observors in Germany com'TlenteJ. on the c ompa1•etti vely small runount of flying apparently going on in relo.tion to the huge nil' forces being built up. It is not improbable that shortage of fuel and other reasons have 1_;ffoctcd the Germans t flying training since tho war. Although many more pilot8 are now being trained in the Ro.A&Fo tho thoroughness of their train2-ng has in no way been reducodo Some new ideas lwvo boon introduced. Buch as tho 11 visua111 L~_nk; o.nd the trc:.ining of instructors has been grot::ttly c;xpandod., &cw flying schools have been opeLed and others are in prospecto Tho syllabus of 5_nst:::uction h3.s been rolo.ted to tho Dominions training scheme. This insures th2t a.11 f'ly:i.ng pcr'sor...ncl of thu Ro;Jrnl Air Force will roceive cm oquo.lly thorough tro.iningo Tho scheme of training for o.11 Air Force pilots provides f'or cnrofully calculated periods in each of tho following stA.ges :­grotmd instruction o.t an Initial Trnining· Wing; training at an e101".lenr.JJ.I'Y flying school; then at a Service flying training s~hoolo Even when the pilot has won his wings, he gets further spccic.lis•·d t--:-·2ining jn opero;.tional dutioo o.s part of an aircraft c~ow before taking his place in o.n operational squadron~ Despite the limitations on instructional flying imposed by war conditions and winter wcc.thcr, flying training has gone on continuously thr·oughout the country. In some are2s, elementary fl;ring has necessarily been confined to fairly close limits. Neve:'thelcos, no :pilot has been passed out to his next stage or to his operational squndron without the full flying practice and instruction insisted upon under tho Royal Air Force scheme of training. Tho basis of all the measures for increasing the output oi' pilots for the Royal Air Force has been described as "to produce in mass without a reduction in quaiity"~ The ascendancy of British pilots and air crews over those of tho enemy is evidence of the value of thiJ.t policy0 THE "FLYING SUITCASE" - ~ Tho Handley Page Hampden, which is one of the fastest m0diw~ ·bombers in the world, has rcccntlY-been giving a good [,ccount of itself in attacks on ononi.y seaplane bases and reconnaissance flights over Germany. In appearance this aircraft is unusual; and so is its method of construction. Tho narrow fuselage is of a deep section in thu forcp~rt and tnpcrs rapidly to a slim tail boom. The unusuc:.l silhouette, seen from the side, has earned it tho name of."' the 11 flying suitcase""' Built on what is known as the split conctruction system, tho whole of tho Hampden is split.up into small units, thus providing tho mcnns of rapid assembly. Tho Hampden is an all ~etal, mid-wing monoplane capable of carrying a very big load for a long distance at high speed. Fitted with two Bristol Pegasus engines each of npproximatel:r 11 000 hop.,, it has a cruising speed of about 220 m.p.h. and a maximum speed of 265 rn~p.h. The maximum range approaches 21 000 milesoi. '.r'hq wing span is 69 ft. 4 ins., the overall length 53ft. 4 ine, and the all-up weight st tons, of which over 3 tons is "useful load". A crew of throo or four is normally carried. In common with other British aircraft the defensive armament of the Hampden type has boon considerably strengthened since the outbreak of war, giving it a formidable .defence against enemy aircraft. As one of tho principal types of' Britain1 s counter-· offensive aircraft the name "Hampden" is especially appropriate for this Handley-Page product. It connncmoratcs John Hampden, the defender of civil liberties. The first Hampden bombor was • nf'Jnod in Juno, 1938, by Viscountess Hampden,~ wife of the Lord Lieutenant of the County of HePtfo1"dsl1irc, a direct. descendant of John .Hampden.. GAr::. ll.i:fD MOUSE ~,.THE CLOU;Q§ A skilful use Jf cloud cover recently enabled three Briti3h reco:µnaissance aircraft to elude an enemy fighter of greRtly superior pcr.i:~ormanco and to complete their taslC vrithoU';~ ii1ter·ruption. The three aircraft were flying-in company at a height of 2, 000 ft. over •Germcm tcrritory w11on a twin-engine Mcsse:rschm4 t+., llO -· Germanyts latest and fastest fighter typo -was seen following them from throe miles astern nnd ·".)lightly below,. As tho British aircrnft !".lo.de for the clouds,, l,GOO ft. above, the Mossorschrnitt,, making use of its much higher speed, climbed to the same height and was rapidly closing the r2ngo v:hon tho British fonir1tion •;nined tht; re a,,,.est cloud bank and were lost ·.:i.o ViOWo A few moments later tho British aircraft broke cover nnd their leader, l.ook.i 10 ~·ou:nrl_ for his pursuer, was amused to sec tho Iv:·::;csn:::>schr.1itt circling cautiously round a cloud patch two miles 2v.'o.yl" obviousl;y wai1.ing for his quar1•y to emerge. Tho BritL~h lc'3.dur tlJ.cn took his formc.tion into another cloud 1xmk. On omc.:>ging ho hc-·d a final glimpse of tho distant i~c3cor2chmitt pi~ot app~rently throwing caution to tho wind and pl'Jllging ::nto the cloud patch in n lE'st desperate effort to 11 :flush11 his birds"' ONE '.:1HOUSAND HORSE POWER -ONE Ml.Jf! "Both tho VickrJrs Spitf'iro and Hawker Hurricane single_, seat fightorG 'lre ponerod with -1050 h.Il· Rolls Royce Merl;i.n engines"'*•·~··•••" Developments i.n Px•i .;ish ;:.tero-cngincs have gone on so Ł1toadily that this modern wonder of scientific engineering is nowadays accepted as almost a commonplace. A thousand and moro hdrsGpower1 crowded into n small, single-scat fighter, is taken for granted.., Tho dcman.d for even greater horsepower hq.s already been mot by British designers. New and more powerful engines arc now in production. What this conccntrntion of motive power under tho control of c_ single pilot i·eally means can be appreciated by a comparison with tho approximate horscpowm· of other forms of transport., Tho latest typo of 56-soater London 'bus, rated at 54 h.p., ~evclops nbout 110 h~P• It would take a fleet of 10 'buses to -equal the power capacity of a single Spitfiroo Tho o.vE;rage cn[Sino power of a modern cargo steamer of a.bo\1t 5,000 tons can be taken as about 21 000 h.p. That ship would have o.n engine roon staff of pcrhnps five or six. An averngo small t:,:ti..m:;:J, such as a coal steamer~ would ho.vo ongin8s of loss than Great Western engines of tho "King" class haul their 500 tons of' train at express speed on a horsepower of only 11 2001 And the pre-war motorist, driving his family saloon at t'" 11dizzy1• 55 m.,p,,h., on his wookond dash to tho sea, may sometimes h2vo d.reru:ned that the power under his bonnet 1ivas stepped up to that of a Hurricane~s engine. Tho engines of 30 or more cars, each rated a·i; 10 he-P•, would be needed to eg_ua'.i the horse power under> the control of one young British fighter pilotJ ___ EYES AND ----OF THE AERODRONlE• EARS , . ··._. l1hcrc is oho pilot at every Royal Air Force Station who Wi11 alw~ys be found on the grounds ·. This is the Duty Pilot. Tho Duty Pilot' sits in an office. He is responsible far the aircraft traffic in and out of the flying f.'ield~ wh:i..oh he can take in at a glance from his window. When an aircraft is duo1 the Duty Pilot will have been :i.J1f'ormea. of th~ a;pproxirrlato tilno of' its arrival. on landing tho s. \ pilot immediately reports to the Duty Pilot's Office. In his log the Duty Pilot records details of the aircraft, time of landing, on. If the r1.'ircraft needs pptrol, the the pilot's nrunc and so Duty ~?ilot gives the necessary ordor•s for refuelling.,. Perhaps the aircraft hns brought n Staff officer who is un o. tour of ins::1ection and rnuct be at another station 200 miles away b,~foro nightfall. The Duty Pilot obtains a weather forecast, secures :;)urmission from Headquarters for tho flight to be mad!:o, and warns Observer Corps posts and o.nti-n.ircrr..ft bn.tteries of the typo of c;.;;.rcr0:f't and the height at which it will fly. When tho aircraft takes off the Duty Pilot notifieo tho other stcction of the time it is duo to nrrivca Flights between stations c.ro rigidly controlled,. Tho Duty Pilots~ working in watches throughout tho 24 hours; arc kept very buoy. Tho state of tho Clorodromo is o.lsci the Du-by Pilot1 s Woo.thor conditions mc_y hc..vo rornlcreci a patch 'un.snfe for ooncornif He will see that aircraft avoid it. '.Perhaps an incoming aircraft is circl:Lng ovcrhom1 while Tho Duty Pilot fires ti Veroy another aircr~1:·t ia 2. bout to to.ke off• light tn \7o.r'n tho p:Llut to s"t'\V in tLo air unti:. tho ttA11 G1ear1t .Another aircro.ft m:w have made a forced landing. lt is tho Dut;sr Pilot's 'bask to report ahy clamc.go1 and if :possible put 'bhG bircraf~ b~ck on its course• Firefighters a:b Royal Ail' Force Stations can walk t!1rough flames with safety. At ove~~ nir station flmneproof su;i,ts are ready for inotant use whonover flying is in progress. The o.innon are always on duty with tho firetender we~ring tho lowor portion of the f1runeproof suits. Thoso Royal Air Force firo suits are des~gned to enable the wearer to work unimpeded in a serious fi1'c. Unlike suit s made entirely of asbestos, those a.re light. They have silk linings. The vo.rious portions -trousers, boots, jumper, gauntlets nnd helmet -have been carefully planned so as to fŁwilitato rapid adjustment o.ncl oc~sy storage on tho firotendor. A special drill has been worked out for t eaching fire crews the c;~uickcst WRY of adjusting tho top portion of tho 0uit. Airrncn for fire-fight ing w·:>rk :1re care:ful ly sel ect ed. They must lrnvo good phys i Q"uo o.nd st·2::.:.dy norver.:; • towe'.rds c:.austrophobia would be a bar. They nrc given special traini:1g to test and develop their staying power, and to s peed up their hand.l:L.'1.g of their f irc-fichting equipment. TEA TRIUMPHANT! Somo Royal Air Force Units in France are s t ati oned in thG 1nt,lst of .. :f'c...rnous wino-producing region. When they first trrriVcd, th,:J corLnunption of wine rose sharply in cafes and restai.ii'tihts, c1c :British airmen; o.blc for the first t imo to ob t a;i,n very l'eason'1bly whr~-'..; in England. is rather an expGnsiVe dr inJc, stihipleel it With g1_1sto. I,atcr, to tho SUl'prise :'_nd regret Of local hot el iers; the d0mand for tho wino 'began to f21'.1.. Sooh it w~s back to I.1 its plo.oe thci'.'O Cr•.rne the almost unani moll13 domr:md for n r'-nice cup of tea"• Home hn.bits had reasser·t ed Cafe and restaurant pro~riotors have accepted this LritisJ1 pccu1iarity in good pa:eta. Thoy have learned to p~oduoo \1ello;ro[Unde tea in large q_uantitios. 8/4/40 _PRESS NOTlCJh Official Joint ADMIRALTY and ,AIR MINISTRY Communique. Enemy airc~aft carried out an attack. on Soapa Flow this evening without doing any damage. It is ce~tain that at least one enemy airer.a.ft was bI'ought down by our fighters.