"PRAGUE PRISON'S FULL"

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22909, 4 January 1940, Page 7

"PRAGUE PRISON'S FULL"

Many Arrests In Czechoslovakia "

ACTIVITIES BY GESTAPO (UNITED W.ESS ASSOCIATION—COPTeBIGET:) (Received January 3, 11.10 p.m.) LONDON, January 3. "A new wave of arrests has swept over Czechoslovakia," says the Belgrade correspondent of "The Times." "The victims are army officers, including four generals who are members of the Government 'troop,' and also the office.'staff" at the Skoda works and journalists. ' "The arrest of the Government troopers is a result of infiltration, of the ranks by German spies. "The entire f6reign correspondence staff of the Skoda works has been taken into custody. The Gestapo raided the headquarters of the illegal newspaper 'To Arms,' and is believed to have killed a number of editorial writers. "The Prague prisons are full. , The dungeons which were formerly exhibited as examples of medieval barbarism are again employed. "The process of Germanisation is being expedited. Villages are being evacuated for German colonisation, and all educational establishments have been closed. "Quantities of food are being transferred to Germany."

SINKING OF THE ATHENIA

BRAVERY. RECOGNISED (BBITISB OFrtClAl WISELZSS.J RUGBY, January 2. The following awards to survivors, of the Athenia have been gazetted: ' Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) :_ Mr B. M. Copeland, chief, officer of the Athenia. - Medal oZ the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire: Mr William Harvey, boatswain of the Athenia. The Gazette says of Mr Copeland that the-fact that the loading and getting away from the sinking ship, the arrangements for. which he was : responsible, were done in darkness without any kind of hitch or loss, reflects great credit on his powers of organisation and command.' Mr Copeland in due course was picked ' up by a warship, but discovering • that a woman whom he had earlier taken to the • sick bay unconscious was missing, he insisted on returning to the Athenia. He was accompanied by the boats- -, wain. He found the woman stiil unconscious, and after "examining the condition of the Athenia, he re- . turned to the warship with the woman. Shortly after the Athenia sank. Mr Harvey was also % warmly commended for his outstanding coolness and efficiency. ..

, PLANNING "-ASJEW . • EUROPE ; .':■

REACTIONS TO SPEECH ' BY M. DALADIER (Received January 3, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, January 3. The idea of European federations is receiving increasing prominence since M. D'aladier's speech on December 29. The Paris correspondent of. t the Associated Press of Great. Britain states that an organised effort t6 build up sentiment for snch federal ties is reported to have' begun*. The French /hope it may eventually' become world-wide. • An authorised spokesman said: "The idea of federation opposes Germany's ambition to absorb other countries. The system would be modelled on the existing British and. French collaboration." ■ Newspapers and radio commentators echoed these statements. A news announcer of the British Broadcasting Corporation ended a reference to Mr Chamberlain' 3 telephoning M. Daladief with a statement that Mr Chamberlain asked M. Daladic* to act as his spokesman because the British Parliament was not sitting. -■ : ::',■■' - ; -