Zurich Herald, 1940-08-01, Page 2T H B WAR -WEE K—Commentary on Current *Events
Britain Sc . rns Hitler Peace;
ie C st", Declares Berlin
Adolf Hitler's failure last week
to induce Britain to accept hie
"final" peace offer left him. with
but one alternative — to make
good his threat to "annihilate"
England, at whatever cost to Ger
many.
But as the zero hour approach-
ed, in the war's forty-fifth week,
it was still a matter of guess-
work how Hitler would go about
breaking the power of Britain,
:Would he attempt it through a
wi olesaleoinvasion of the British
Isles? Or would he try to bring
the country to its knees by pul-
verizing it with mass air attacks,
at the same time imposing a star-
vation blockade by destruction of
British shipping?
-DOUBLE-HEADER ASSAULT
Would the attack on Britain •be
coupled with a simultaneous blow
in the Mediterranean? Many ex-
erts last week expressed that
belief. The Battle of Britain
could not be a simple, straight-
forward affair. The conflict
would have to be divided into two
interlocking phases the direct
German assault on England, and
the Battle of the Mediterranean
(Mussolini's affair) — for from
the Axis standpoint, Britain's hold
on the Mediterranean would have
to be broken before victory could
be achieved.
One factor during the week
was seen as likely to postpone the
new German offensive for the
time being, and that was the sit-
uation in the Balkans, Russia's
thrusting of a finger into the
Rumanian political pot at a mo-
ment so inopportune to Germany
might be causing Hitler serious
worry and giving him occasion
for pause.
THE ANSWER
BRITAIN: Britain's answer to
Hitler's "last chance" peace pro-
posal came promptly, in the deeds
of British air forces blasting
anew at German targets; in the
staggering new war budget which
demanded that Britain give up
almost 70 per cent of the nation-
al income to finance the war; and
in the words of Viscount Halifax,
British Foreign Minister, re-
affirming the will to fight on.
During the week, the Govern-
ment announced its formal re-
cognition of the Czecho-Slovak
National Committee in Uxi1e,
headed by former Czech Presi-
dent Dr. Eduard Belies, as the 1
legal government of the German-
1,otrl nation Pl-img Minister
Guarchiil told the House d Com-
mons that he did not believe in
the exodus of children to Can-
ada and the United States; he
thought the movement entirely
unwarranted . the Admiralty
announced the loss of the famous
submarine 1`Saimon" (w h i c h
sighted the "Bremen" last Dec-
ember) . . . German air attacks
covered practically the whole is-
land, ranging from Scotland to
the Channel and from the North.
Ea Co the Trish Sea. Aircraft
and munitions factories were
bombed, railroads and other com-
munications, troop concentra-
tions, coastal defense works, port
facilities .
TO GERMANY VIA SPAIN
SPAIN: Britain's second big-
gest worry of the week, next to
actual invasion, was the Spanish
situation. General Franco had
Just finished declaring that it was
his duty to fulfill the desire of
Queen Isabella and return Gib-
raltar to Spain, and that he had
an army of 2,000,000 men ready
to back up his contention. It was
anticipated that he would make
a move against the Rock, aided
by German guns across the Bay
from Gibraltar (which had been
there since the time of the Span-
ish Civil War) . . . American
citizens returning on the liner
"Manhattan" reported German
soldiers overrunning Spain.
SPAIN AND THE AXIS
By last week everybody knew
that Germany was getting oil sup-
plies from the western hemi-
sphere -via Spain. The moment
appeared to be at hand when
Britain would have to clamp
down with a blockade trough
which Spain would be permitted
to receive only such imports as
are not classified as contraband.
Such a move, necessary since Bri-
tish victory depends to a great
extent on the ability' to prevent
Germany from receiving essential
supplies from the western world,
might draw Spain into the war
on the side of the Axis powers.
* * *
FRANCE: The Fascist regime
of Marshal Henri Philippe Petain
last week ordered the arrest and
trial of former high French Gov-
ernment leaders, including. ex-
Peemier Edouard Daladier, be.
cause of their roles hi "declaring
and continuing the war" against
Germany. The trial will be 'part
of a new "domestic moral purge's
Of France by retain's new auth-
oritarian regime. At the same
time all Frenchmen, including
Daladier, who fled from Franco
after May 10, were ordered de-
prived of citizenship, their pro-
perty and fortunes to be con-
fiscated .
DOESN'T FEAR GERMANY
RUSSIA: Comforting word
came from Moscow last week,
Through diplomatic channels Jo-
sef V. Stalin informed Great.
Britain that Russia will keep out
of the European war and sees no
Russia , .. In the Rumanian cap-
ital, Russian quarters indicated
they felt the Soviet had become
a Balkan power since acquisition
of Bessarabia and therefore ex-
pected to be consulted on further
political or economic plans in-
volving Balkan countries; while
rumors ran that Russia had sent
a note to Rumania stressing the
desirability of a "popular gov-
ernment" at Bucharest...
CHINA WON'T QUIT
FAR EAST: The closing of the
Burma Road and the Hong Dong
route into China left Chiang-kai-
shek's Central Chinese govern-
ment with but one hope of secur-
ing supplies from the outside
world—over the Old Silk Road
threading up through the inacces-
sible, unknown Northwest into
Russia. Nevertheless, undaunted,
Generalissimo Chiang -declared
the domestic field there would
be a gradual intensification of
the trend toward totalitarianism,
without any immediate drastic
steps. The Japaneso Government'
appeared to realize that, in the
end, it will stand or fall on gen-
eral public opinion and hence
will not follow blindly any line
of action recommended by the
extreme militarists, (One thing
the Government knows without
shadow of doubt and that is that
the people want the China war
stopped as soon as possible, and
t
will concentrate' every effort to
that end).
NEW DEAL IS DOMINANT
UNITED STATES: With the
acceptance by President Roose-
velt of a third -term nomination
and the naming of Henry A, Wal-
lace as his running -nate, the New
Deal carne back into control of
the Democratic Tarty in the Un -
and :Cuba's strong suggestion that
a pan -American protectorate be
established over all foreign-owned
..islands off North or South Amer-
ica. Disruptive forces were at
work at the conference, and
touches of the Nazi hand were
seen in more than one diplomatic
manoeuvre on the part of the
Latin-American republics.
U.S. CONSCRIPTION PROGRAM
In Washington, the U. S. Jus-
tice and State Departments an-
nounced changes in immigration
regulations to facilitate entry of
"child guests" from abroad under
16 years ... the Department of
Justice ruled that United States
citizens in Great Britain could
enlist in the Royal Air Force
without losing their citizenship,
providing they did not take the
British oath of allegiance .
the National Defence Advisory
Commission reported that the
Royal Canadian Navy On Active Service In British Waters
•
These pictures of the Royal Canadian Navy were taken in British waters where units of the Canadian naval forces have already disting-
uished themselves in action and have suffered a grievous loss in the sinking of the destroyer Fraser. H.M.C.S. Skeena, first Canadian ship to
arrive in English waters, is pictured TOP LEFT, and LOWER RIGHT two of the Canadian warships are shown tied to a dock in an English
port. The Canadian officers at TOP RIGHT are Lt. -Comm. H. G. De Wolf, Lt: Comm. H. N. Lay and Lt. -Comm. J. C. Hibberd. Some of the
rawny Canadian tars manning the ships are pictured LOWER LEFT a s they went ashore on a brief leave. The pictures were released by the
British ministry of information.
reason td fear .q,941.141g domina-
tion of Esrope reliable s`oiirces
drsclosed. The gussian leader was
reported to have said that the
possibility of German domination
of Europe presented no problem
/or Russia, because he refused to
believe it would come about.
According to indications, last
week Russia was following up the
incorporation of the three Baltic
States (Lithuania, Latvia and
Esthonia) into the Soviet Union
with efforts to arrive at further
clarification of her relations with
Finland . . . Better feeling be-
tween Russia and Turkey was
evidenced when the Turkish press
made a clear-cut proposal for an
alliance with Russia . .
TOWARD THE AXIS
BALKANS: A pro -Axis trend
among the small countries of
southeastern Europe was evident
in many quarters last week. Ru-
mania, which had been going
more and more pro -Nazi for
some time past, moved to confi-
scate the largest British oil com-
pany in Rumania; sent some of
its chief ministers to confer with
Ribbentrop on Balkan politics. To
Berlin went Bulgarian govern-
ment representatives, hoping to
gain back the Dobruja from Ru-
mania with the blessing of Hit-
ler. Hungary appeared to think
that Germany would shortly help
her get part of Transylvania
from Rumania. Would Germany
seek to "strengthen" the Balkans
by a peaceful settlement now, of
these revisionist claims?
Curiously enough, the only
country which seemed ready to
support Rumania against the
claims of Hungary was Soviet
that the far eastern war would
int by jtortened by t e closing -
off of those tr'vo important arte"r-
ies. "No third power can shake
China's determination to resist
until her territorial and sovereign
integrity is attained," Chiang as-
serted.
SHARING THE WORLD
In Japan, the minister of home
affairs in the new Konoye gov-
ernment said: "We cannot doubt
that the day soon will come when
Japan can share the world with
Germany and Italy." But other-
wise the new regime appeared to
be proceeding cautiously in all
fields. Prince Konoye in a radio
address to the nation declared
that the government would assid-
uously keep open the door for the
closest relations with Germany,
Italy and Russia but would not
close it against any friendly
overtures that might be made by
the U. S. and Britain.
From this same address diplo-
mats drew the conclusion that in
ited States, says the Christian
Sieg. ce Monitor. Seven years aft-
er Mr. Roosevelt took office, it
is his men who are in import-
ant managerial positions and his
lieutenantn who guided the Demo-
cratic convention and will guide
the election campaign. Those who
lost control •of the Party were
Janes A. Farley, Vice -President
Garner and certain Senators wi:h
Republican leanings.
Next in interest to the Ameri-
can public last week was the con-
ference in Havana on Pan-Ameri-
can Defense attended by the ' For-
eign Ministers of the 21 Ameri-
can republics (Canada ostensibly
was not invited). Principal prob-
lems on the agenda were econ-
omic and military defense of the
western hemisphere and disposi.
tion of European -owned New
World colonies. Under fire even
before the conference were sera
eral roposals, chief among them
the TT. S. -sponsored trade -cartel
plan for this whole hemisphere;
country had obtained or will ob-
tain all the supplies necessary for
America's armament program . .
the Senate Military Committee
approved a revised bill providing
for registration of 42,000,000
men, of whom 1,500,000 would
DOUBLE 'BOOK ET
be drafted in the first year, It
was the first peace -time com-
pulsory military training program
in the history of the United -
States .
CANADA': The war, unemploy-
ment insurance, the grain prob..
lem. Each of these would be en-
ough to keep the Parliament of
Canada going for a whole session.
But last wee::, the hottest and
most uncomfortable of the sum-
mer, the House had to deal with
all three.
Opposition to the passing.
of the b i 11 providing for
unemployment insurance contin-
used to accumulate. Unanimously
approved in principle when it
came before the House for sec-
ond reading, strong pressure
against it was applied in special
committee by representatives of
the Canadian Manufacturers' As-
sociation. It was also expected to
be opposed in the Senate. but
labor groups were all for the
measure.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT WHEAT
Three prairie wheat pools last
week made several suggestions to
Federal authorities on how to re-
lieve the anticipated storage con-
gestion when delivery of this
summer's prairie grain harvest
starts The four main points sub-
mitted by the pool organizations
to the Government were: That
the Canadian Wheat Board should
handle all the wheat; that some
method be worked out for fin-
ancing wheat stored on the farm;
that farmers be protected against
past indebtedness as present pric-
es are too low to leave any sure
plus after paying current taxes
and family living expenses; that
a domestic price be set for wheat
which could be used to meet all
or a portion of the •Government's
loss on wheat when the final was
less than the initial price.
PUBLICITY FROM HITLER
An army shake-up took place
in the Dominion last week which
saw younger men placed in top
positions. The new key man of
the army in Canada is now Major-
General H. D. G. Crerar, chief
of the general staff ... Hen. J.
0. Gardiner, minister of war ser-
vices;°'and Hon. Angus L. Mac-
donald, nlinster of national de-
fense for naval services, were
both added to the war committee
of the Cabinet .
Canada achieved public Omen -
ton in a new quarter last week:
Hitler referred to the Dominion
in two different passages of his
"last -chance -for peace" speech.
He spoke of British leaders carry-
ing on the war from Canada
should Britain itself tie conquer-
ed by Germany .. .
LIFE'S LIKE THAT
MRS PIP'`; DIARY.
By Fred Neher
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"l'il caddy for you for nothing, Mrs. Pip, just for the laughs."
REG'LAR FELLERS—Zero
THAT
Nu7H1N'!
WELL, JUS' POKE YOUR
HAND A LUL FURTHER
BACK IN THE DRAWER
AN' YOU'LL FIND IT
IN THAT BOX
WI-IERE, MY CANDY
1ii47°A► at
By GENE B YRNE S