NEUTRALITY OF SWEDEN

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23751, 24 September 1942, Page 5

NEUTRALITY OF SWEDEN

POSSIBLE GERMAN DEMANDS DEFENCE OF NORWAY AGAINST ALLIES (N.Z. Press Association'—Copyright.) NEW YORK, Sept. 22. Leading New York papers discuss the growing perils of Sweden’s neutrality. The military correspondent of the New York “Herald-Tribune” (Major Fielding Eliot) predicts that Sweden will fight if the Nazis demand concessions. Major Eliot discusses the explosive possibilities of this area, among which he includes the possibility of an Allied landing in Norway with a view to opening the sea route to Russia. He adds that the Germans could not send supplies and reinforcements to endangered Norwegian, positions unless by way of the Swedish railways. Furthermore, he says, the Nazis might demand the use of Swedish communications to launch an attack in the north of Russia, but the best informed quarters hold the opinion that Sweden is determined to fight the Nazis rather than permit their passage through the country. The Stockholm correspondent of the “New York Times” has commented on yesterday’s nation-wide municipal elections, in Sweden, in which the Social Democrats lost many seats to the Farmers’ and Communist Parties. He explains that the outcome reflects dissatisfaction with the Government’s concessions to Germany, and also with the Government’s slackness in combating the Nazi fifth column. The Swedish Government is aware of the dangerous possibilities and is carrying out extensive defence preparations. It has also called up for October an additional 55,000 men to increase the present army, which numbers 600,000. The correspondent concludes; “The situation narrows down to one thing—the possibility that the Allies might open a second front in Norway.” SEA POWER OF ALLIES AMERICAN EXPANSION “ SUPERIOR FORCE IN ANY THEATRE” NEW YORK, Sept. 22, “When the second front is launched in Europe it is sea power that will launch it,” writes Mr Carl Vinson, chairman of the United States House of Representatives Naval Affairs Committee, in a report on the course of the sea war, which was prepared with the co-operation of the Navy Department. “The first fruits of American naval expansion are already influencing the course of the war; for example, the Dieppe raid and increased submarine actions against Japanese shipping,” he writes. "Furthermore, the Battle of the Atlantic, has definitely taken a turn to the advantage of the United Nations. Augmented American naval forces are giving the United Nations greater sea power than the world has ever seen, enabling us to take the offensive with a superior force in any chosen theatre.

“A total of 697 naval vessels was under construction at the end of June, 1941, while in June, 1942, American yards were building 3230 ships for our own navy, 218 for our Allies, and a further 11,659 ships in the smaller categories, including harbour craft and auxiliaries. “Deliveries generally are ahead of schedule. For example, the usual construction time for a_ battleship is 42 months, but one which was commissioned last year was actually completed in 29 months. “The Coral Sea. and Midway battles proved beyond doubt that the aircraftcarrier has supplanted the battleship as the backbone of a modern fleet. The latest models of naval aircraft are unexcelled, particularly the torpedobomber, which is, perhaps, the most lethal weapon yet devised against surface vessels. Long-range Bombers “Long-range bombers for patrolling the oceans are now produced in sufficient numbers to supply American bases from Icelaftd to South Americaand from Alaska to the Indian Ocean. The first squadron of these has already destroyed five Axis submarines. “American plants are at present producing 2000 naval aeroplanes monthly, and they are also increasing their output of non-rigid aircraft.” The Russian view that the shortest sea routes between Britain and Eurone are under the complete control of the British Navy and the Royal Air Force is expressed by a naval observer, M. Ivanov, in the latest issue of the “Soviet War News.” M. Ivanov also considers that after three years of war the Royal Navy is by no means weaker than at the beginning. If anything, he declares, the British Navy is considerably stronger in certain classes of vessels. M. Ivanov also states that the American fleet now under construction is bigger than that already at sea. Taken together, Great Britain, the United States, and their Allies are superior to the Axis Powers in practically all types of fighting craft. AFRICAN DEFENCE CO-ORDINATION PLAN

(Rec. II P.m.l PRETORIA Sept. 22. A joint statement from the Prime Ministers of South Africa and Southern Rhodesia says that owing to the change in the military situation it has been decided to co-ordinate the defences of the whole of Africa.. <. ,•+ "In accordance with this object it has been decided there shall be two commands in eastern and southern Africa, and South Rhodesia will come under the Union command. The Union Government will consult with Southern Rhodesia regarding emergencies and measures to meet them. "The decision has been made after full consultation with all affected, and particularly with the United Kingdom Government.”

ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE FROM FRANCE

SWISS REGULATIONS TIGHTENED fßec 7 n.vn.) LONDON, Sept. 22 It is estimated in Berne that 100,000 people have tried to escape from France to Switzerland. The regulations covering the admission of refugees are be“Vwaa'announced in the Chamber of Deputies that 9600 refugees were already in Switzerland. They have been sent to labour camps, where their treatment is similar to that of Swiss of the British United Press on the French frontier reports that the Germans executed 70 French hostages in Bordeaux as a reprisal for so-called terrorist attacks.

Increased Trade with Turkey.— Turkish cash imports from the sterling area have been raised from £2,000,000 or £2,500,000 in 1940 to between £10.000,000 and £12,000.000. This is one of the main achievements of the United Kingdom Commercial Corporation, the new war-time trading organisation.— Rugby, September 22. Commissions in Fleet Air Arm.— Temporary commissions as sub-lieu-tenants in the Fleet Air Arm have been gained by A. W. Direen and E. H. S. Wright, both of Timaru: R. Jamieson, of Franklin; C. C. Ward, of Cambridge: R. J Foxley. of Gisborne; J. Mail, of Geraldine; N. A. Marshall, of Palmerston North; C. E. -Plummer, of Mount Albert: and R. A. Macartney. —Special Correspondent, N.Z,P.A„ London, September 22.