NO PRECARIOUS TRUCE

Evening Star, Issue 23422, 13 November 1939, Page 7

NO PRECARIOUS TRUCE

Gangster Rule Must End Reparation of Injustices First Essential France's Uncompromising Stand (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 12. (Received November 13, at noon.) The following is a translation of President Le Bran’s reply: “The Government and,people of the French Republic are . unanimous in paying homage to the sentiments. which inspire the message which your Majesties addressed to me. They fully appreciate its lofty and noble character. No nation is more peace-loving than the French nation, and no nation has made greater sacrifices in the cause of European peace. .-} “ France has already, and on frequent occasions, made known, and she does so once more to-day, that she has been, and remains, determined to welcome every possibility of assuring a just and durable peace for all peoples. Only peace founded on justice really endures. France has taken up arms to put a definite end to the methods of violence and force which . for the past two years, in defiance of most solemn engagements and in violation of a pledged word, have already enslaved or destroyed three nations in Europe, and to-day menace the security of all nations. A durable peace, therefore, can only be established by repairing the injustices which force has imposed on Austria, Czecho-Slovakia, and Poland. Moreover, it. can only be established to the extent in which effective guarantees of a political and economic nature assure in the futute respect for the liberty of all nations- • “ Mankind will be. only delivered from uncertainty and, anguish if it is sure new attacks against justice will henceforward be outlawed. Any solution which legalised the triumph of injustice would only secure for Europe a precarious truce bearing no relation to the just and stable peace to which your Majesties look forward. To-day it is the duty of Germany, , rather than France, to declare herself for or against this kind of peace, for which every country, menaced as it is in its security and independence, is waiting.’'

. NAZI TACTICS

AVOIDING GENERAL BATTLE BRITAIN THEIR MORTAL ENEMY PRISONERS' BUND FAITH IN HITLER NEW YORK, November 11. Mr 11. Archamhauld, the military correspondent of the ‘ New York Times ’ in Paris, states that Belgium and Holland, particularly the latter, are continuing preparations to resist a German invasion, the threat of which seems to be growing, judging by troop movements. There are other indications less obvious, but perhaps , nob valueless. For instance, German prisoners of war examined by the Intelligence Service on the RhineMosello front persistently insist _ that for Germans peace will come without fighting “ because our Fuhrer wishes it so.” Unique importance should not bo attached to statements by prisoners, but the men are manifestly repeating, a lesson which Goebbels may well have taught, since it smacks of propaganda. One point, however, remains fundamental in the art of war—it takes two to make a fight. Leaving Poland out of the picture, what are the facts? Thus far the French have entered Germany and the Germans have avoided a general battle. The French decided to withdraw to their own territory and the Germans followed, but stopped at the frontier. The French make it clear that they will not take the offensive, but the Germans do not react. French flyers inflict heavy casualties, and instead of seeking revenge a German plane drops tracts near Paris against the French. The Gormans hitherto seemed to wish to remain static.

Against the British they have been dynamic. Mr Churchill admitted that the British naval losses exceed those of the Allies on the western front. German propaganda daily repeats that Britain is a mortal enemy, but scarcely alludes to France. From prisoners’ mouths come the echo, “ There will bo no war, the Fuhrer wishes it so.” In Paris and London the mere idea of trying to sever the Anglo-French alliance is dismissed as sheer madness, yet the German leadership appears to set high hopes on this if pushed to its logical end. War against Britain alone might well include seizure of bases along the North Sea. Belgium and the Netherlands consider it wiser to leave nothing to chance. On the Ilhine-Moaelle front the Germans have broadened the scope of local operations. Significantly, should any operations be carried against Belgium or the Netherlands it is expected they would coincide with some demonstration between the Rhine and the Moselle.

EXCHANGE FOR WAR DEBTS

SURVEY OF AMERICAN PUBLIC OPINION ~ . CESSION OF WEST INDIAN POSSESSIONS FAVOURED NEW YORK, November 12, , (Received; November 13, at 8 a.mi) A survey conducted by the American Institute of Public Opinion revealed - a 66 per cent, vote in favour of British and French possessions in the • West Indies for World War debts. A Bill will be introduced authorising negotiations for the cession of Jamaica, Trinidad, Guadeloupe, Barbados, and the Bahamas. COMMERCIAL SUMMARY EFFECT OF NETHERLANDS TENSION STOCK EXCHANGE AND BOURSES BEAST LONDON, Novemberl2.' ' (Received November 13, at 10 a.m.) Increasing alarm for the security of the Netherlands flattened the Stock Exchange and Continental bourses. Amsterdam is the worst sufferer, .and! Brussels is similarly affected, while the flight of capital from Belgium and Hoi!, land had sharp repercussions bn ex. change quotations. The Dutch author!, ties were obliged to intervene to main. tain the guilder, but official support for Belgian currency is less vigorous, with the result that the belga made * sharp decline. The Dutch are believed to have made considerable inroads on tbeir gold reserves *to maintain the guilder. Capital has been flowing freely, from Holland to New Yotik in the past few weeks. The Paris Bourse, by contrast with London, Brussels, and Amsterdam, took little notice of the German-Dutch news and actually closed the week firmer. However, the outlook is for a dull-week unless the situation clears during th»i week-end. ~ : The outstanding movement -amongcommodities has been the boom-like rise in cotton, which is mainly attributable to the tightness of shipping space, dud to the withdrawal of American shipping. There is considerable Government demand for wool, consequently supplies of cross-breds for civilian purposes are restricted. Rubber moved only fractionally. The tin position shows signs of easiug.- ; The Government demand for wheat has expanded considerably.