TROOP MOVEMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 23500, 14 February 1940, Page 9

TROOP MOVEMENTS

ACTIVITY IN CZECH TERRITORY

NAZI THRUST TO HEAR EAST 7 SPECULATIONS ON HITLER'S PLANS PARIS, February 13. (Received February 14, at 8 a.m.) A new movement of German troops in Bohemia and Moravia to Slovakia and considerable military activity in Prague is reported by the Havas correspondent on the German frontier.

He says the hospitals in Bohemia and Moravia have been ordered to reserve 50,000 beds by March 1. An order has been issued commandeering all horses. The authorities have been instructed to organise a defence against a possible Czech rising, and fresh arrests of Dr Benes’s followers are occurring. Madame Tabouis, in an article in ‘ L’Oeuvre,’ says Hitler is convinced that Russia is incapable of an offensive campaign, for which reason he is considering an unaided German thrust to the Near East and directed at the Dardanelles. His General Staff is opposed to this owing to Turkey’s military and strategic strength, Madame Tabouis adds that Germany is planning an economic offensive, sending missions to Afghanistan and possibly Iran.

NAZI PLOT FOILED ATTEMPT TO STEAL TURKISH SUBMARINE MASON FOR SEIZURE OF KRUPP SHIPYARDS LONDON, February 13. The Belgrade correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says the seizure of Krupp’s yards prevented a German attempt to steal a Turkish submarine. Two submarines have already been launched and one is nearly ready. When 20extra specialists arrived from Germany, ostensibly for the trials, the Turks became suspicious, and when the specialists suggested, in view of the danger in first trials, that there should be an entirely German crew the suspicion increased. When stores far in excess of those needed for the trial were demanded the authorities informed the Government, which ordered the occupation of the yards. [A Press Association cable message published on Saturday stated that Turkish marines occupied, the Germanowned Krupp shipyards on the Golden Horn, The Government announced the dismissal of German naval engineers and technicians who were equipping Turkish submarines in these yards. Numerous German residents, particularly business men, have departed in recent days.] NO CONSCRIPTION AUSTRALIAN PREMIER'S ATTITUDE MELBOURNE, February 14. (Received February 14, at 1.5 p.m.) Speaking in . the Corio by-election campaign, Mr Menzies said if he reached a stage where he thought conscription should be introduced, he would not consider a referendum, but would ho prepared to have an election and risk his political life on it. Mr Menzies said it was against the law of the country to send men abroad without their consent. The Government did not propose to introduce conscription without an election. SWISS WAR MATERIAL EXPORT PROHIBITED BERNE, February 13. (Received February 14, at 1.5 p.m.) A decree forbids the export of all war materials except under special permit.

ATTACKS ON SHIPPING

CREW OF TRAWLER SAVED VESSEL SUNK BY ENEMY BOMBER LONDON, February 13. A coastal command aeroplane guided a minesweeper to an open boat in which 10 members of the crew of the trawler Theresa Boyle (224 tons) had been drifting for 50 hours after the vessel had been sunk by a German bomber 120 miles from the coast. ESTONIAN STEAMER SUNK KOPERVIK, February 12. The Birgitta landed the crew of 14 men and one woman of the Estonian steamer Linda (1,213 tons), which was mined or torpedoed when bound to Gothenburg from England. The assistant engineer was killed and the captain seriously injured, and others slightly injured. LOSSES TO DATE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 11 a.m.) Merchant shipping losses by enemy action for the week ended midnight February 11 were:—Four British (1,421 tons), the Burgerdijk (Dutch, 6.853 tons), and the Orania (Swedish, 1.854 tons). In addition, the Voreda, a tanker, which was not announced as sunk on last week’s list owing to lack of definite information, is now stated to have been sunk.. The total mercantile marine losses since the outbreak of war have been estimated by competent naval quarters to have been as follows: —148 British ships of 650,569 tons, 14 Allied ships of 76,689 tons, andl 120 neutral ships of 352,485 tons.

Up to February 7 the number of ships escorted in British convoys since the beginning of the war was 8,284, and the number lost in convoy was 18. Of the latter only two were neutrals, aud only one of these—the Keramiai, Greek —was sunk as the result of an attack by a U-boafc. Tho U-boat paid •the penalty for attacking the convoy, being sunk by escorting vessels and aircraft. The other ,neutral loss, which occurred as far back as the first week in December, was due to a mine. The figure of two neutral ships lost in convoy is correct. Earlier reports were that the number was three. NORWEGIAN SHIP SUNK BOUND FOR AMERICA IN BALLAST OSLO, February 13. (Received February 14, at noon.) The Snestad, bound for America in ballast, was sunk by a mine or torpedo. The crew was saved. BRITISH PATROL SERVICE 10,000 KEN JOIN UP RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at noon.) Since the war began 10,000 experienced seamen have joined the Royal Naval Patrol Service, and recruiting is proceeding at the rate of 300 weekly. It is now stated that the Admiralty will require a further 10,000 to man the growing fleet of small craft of all types engaged in minelaying, minesweeping, anti-submarine service, and all kinds of patrol work. ELEMENT OF MYSTERY TORPEDOING OF DUTCH VESSEL (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 11 a.m.) A certain amount of mystery attaches to the sinking of one of the three neutral ships announced in today’s weekly list of shipping losses.

The Dutch steamer Burgerdijk was on Saturday nearly 100 miles out in the Atlantic when a SOS was picked up stating that she was sinking as the result of a collision. Early next morning news was received that the crew was safe aboard the Dutch steamer Edam, but the Edam was unable to trace the other ship involved in the supposed collision. . To-day the owners of the Burgerdijk announced that the captain had reported that the vessel was torpedoed on Saturday. Whether the captain of the U-boat forced the .captain of the Burgerdijk to report a collision in order to conceal the presence of the U-boat, or whether the report of the collision was due simply to a misreading of the message will be cleared up when tho Edam reaches her home port.

SWEDISH SHIP LOST SANK IN THREE MINUTES LONDON, February 13. (Received February 14, at noon.) A British warship rescued 10 survivors of the Swedish steamer Orania, which was torpedoed in the North Sea on Sunday night. She sank in three minutes, and the crew of 24 barely had time to scramble into the lifeboats, one of which, with the captain and his wife and 12 members of the crew, disappeared within half an hour and is still missing.

GERMAN FREIGHTER

ATTEMPT TO RUN BLOCKADE SET ON FIRE AND SCUTTLED TO AVOID CAPTURE RIO DE JANEIRO, February 12. The German freighter Wakama sent an SOS off Cabofino. She sailed at midnight on Sunday, and it is reported that she had a 1,000,000d0l cargo of lard, hides, cottonseed oil, mica, and wool waste. Six German .freighters—the Koenigsberg, Sao Paulo, Wolsburg, Bahia, Lafcoruna, and the Santos — have sailed from Brazil since January 1. The Koenigsburg was off the mouth of the Amazon on Sunday. The others have not been reported. The Rio de Janeiro correspondent of tho United Press of America states that sailors from the British cruiser Hawkins said the Wakama was scuttled off the Brazilian coast, north-east of here. They said the Germans opened the seacocks and set lire to the ship. The fate of the Wakama’s crew was not learned, but it is stated that none were aboard the Hawkins. The correspondent understands that the Wakama was sunk by a British cruiser, but the British Embassy denied knowledge of this. The correspondent of the Associated Press of America quoted a sailor from the cruiser Hawkins, which docked shortly after the SOS, as saying: “ Wo think one of the other warships got her, but we are not certain.” The correspondent of the United Press of America reported that the Spanish freighter Arriagmendi and the Brazilian steamer Bage arrived at the spot whence the SOS originated, ’but found no trace of the Wakama. OVERHAULED BY CRUISERS CREW TAKE TO LIFEBOATS NEW YORK, February 13. The Rio de Janeiro correspondent of the Associated Press of America says sailors from a British cruiser said that the Germans set fire to the Wakama when she was overhauled by three cruisers, and presumably sank. The spokesman said: “We were proceeding to Rio when I suddenly realised that we were going rapidly in the opposite direction. One of the officers said we must be chasing the Wakama. Then we saw her, but we soon noticed that she was on fire, and we turned back. One British cruiser sent a plane over the Wakama and ordered her to surrender, whereupon the crew took to lifeboats after setting the vessel on fire.”

"GET HUME OR SCUTTLE!" FREIGHTER'S DASH FOR HOME LONDON, February 13. (Received February 14, at noon.) Admiral Sir Henry Harwood announced that a British patrol ship picked up the Wakama’s crew after the Germans set the vessel on fire. He added that the Wakaraa was sunk as a menace to navigation. The newspaper ‘ Journal ’ states that according to a member of the Hawkins’s crew, a British cruiser sank the Wolfsburg. A number of German ships which have been sheltering for months in neutral ports are now trying to slip through the naval patrols. They are popularly described as sailing under “ get homo or scuttle ” orders. Six of them escaped from Vigo under the cover of darkness during the week-end, three of which were the Wangoni, Wahene, and the Orizaba, carrying British cargo valued at nearly £IOO,OOO. Others are the Arucas, Rostock, Morea. ADMIRALTY ANNOUNCEMENT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 11.30 a.m.) The Admiralty announced: “ The German steamer Wakama (3,771 tons) was located by aircraft from one of His Majesty’s ships in the South Atlantic yesterday. On being ordered to stop by the aircraft, the German crew set fire to the ship and scuttled her.”

SHELLED WITHOUT WARNING TRAWLER SUNK OFF EIRE LONDON, February 13. (Received February 14, at 12.30 p.m.) A U-boat shelled and sank the trawler Togimo and killed one of the crew. Eleven survivors were adrift for 28 hours in an open boat before a Spanish steamer picked them up and took them to an Eire port. They all suffered from exposure, three being seriously injured. The TJ-boat gave no warning before the shelling. GERMANS CLAIM JUSTIFICATION “WITHIN LEGAL RIGHTS" BERLIN, February 13. (Received February 14, at noon.) It is authoritatively stated that the U-boat was within its legal rights in sinking the Burgerdijk because she was proceeding to a British contraband control base.

CONDITIONS IN GERMANY

SHORTAGE OF SUPPLIES SITUATION BECOMING ACUTE NEW YORK, February 13. The British blockade and the blow it dealt to German foreign trade are, says the ‘ New York Times ’ Berlin correspondent, the fundamental reason for the increasingly acute shortage of supplies in Germany. War/rations, says the correspondent, aro sufficient to avert starvation, but the shortage of almost all the common necessaries of life is growing rapidly. The exceptionally hard winter and the inadequacy of the transportation system have rendered the situation even more acute. RATIONING IN BRITAIN POSITION OF CATERERS LONDON, February 12. The Food Ministry announced that under the meat rationing caterers will be limited to 60 per cent, of their previous average requirements. FRENCH PATROL CAPTURED ON WESTERN FRONT ■ % CLAIM BY GERMANS BERLIN, February 12. The Official News Agency claims that a German patrol at Forbach killed, wounded, or took prisoners a majority of a numerically stronger French patrol. The fight began when the French machine-gunned a German post at a range of 15yds to 20yds. The German battalion commander ordered a pincer movement, which isolated the French patrol and prevented reinforcements by holding off a numerically stronger force to the rear. The French fought courageously and refused to surrender. LAND OPERATIONS HINDERED BY GOLD WEATHER PARIS, February 13. (Received February 14, at 1 p.m.) Very cold weather prevented land operations, except the usual patrols. ENEMY UID FAILS

PARIS, February 13. (Received February 14, at 1.45 p.m.) A French communique states that east of the Mosells an enemy raid, preceded by trench mortar and artillery preparation, failed completely. There was infantry and artillery fire on the Rhine and aviation activity during the middle of tho day. The temperature on the western front is Bdeg Fahrenheit.

BRITISH RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT OVER NORTH-WEST GERMANY PARIS, February 13. (Received February 14, at 12.30 p.m.) British planes made a deep reconnaissance over North-west Germany. They were pursued, but all returned to England. NEW LOAN CONVERSION OF OLD ISSUE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 11 a.m.) As a result of the announcement on January 17 a new loan by way of conversion of the existing £350,000,000 4J per cent, loan, the actual applications for conversion, amounted to £236,000,000, and for repayment £95,000,000. The offer of January 17 was to repay on July 1 in cash or, if the holders preferred, to give them the option of participating in the new conversion loan at par, RED CROSS FUND WELL OVER THE MILLION (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 11 a.m.) The latest contributions to the Lord Mayor’s Red Cross Fund, now totalling £1,108,000, include gifts of £29,000 from the Irish Red Cross and £IO,OOO from the Hongkong branch of the British War Organisation Fund. The King, Queen Mary, and members of the Royal Family offered numerous articles for sale for the fund at Christties in the spring. HEAVY INDUSTRIES PLANS FOR INTENSIFIED EFFORTS LONDON, February 13. (Received February 14, at 2 p.m.)

The Minister of Labour (Mr Ernest Brown) has handed the representatives of 34 unions proposals for intensified efforts in the shipbuilding and engineering industries. A further conference is being held when the unions have considered the proposals.

RAILWAY CONTROL

FINANCIAL MEASURES DISCUSSED REPLY TO LABOUR CRITICISMS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at noon.) Financial arrangements respecting Government control of railways in wartime was debated in the House of Commons on the motion of Mr W. S. Morrison (Labour), who declared that the national interests would be better served by the establishment of a permanent national transport authority to own and control all forms of inland and coastwise transport. In criticising the agreement, Mr Morrison referred to the rise in railway stocks since the agreement was mooted, amounting, he said, to £IOO,000,000, and remarked that the Government participation in the profits only began when they were at a very high level. He submitted that there ought to have been a capital reconstruction in the railway companies to bring their capital structure in closer contact with reality, with particular attention to what would happen after the war on the withdrawal of the guarantee.

Captain Euan Wallace said he did not think anyone would dispute the need for the control of transport in wartime. The Government must be in a position to direct that the rail system as a whole should be used to the best advantage. The financial arrangements were all based on the general principle that the receipts of the controlled undertakings should be pooled. Captain Wallace said there were four stages in the financial arrangements—firstly, that the minimum revenue should be guaranteed by the Government; secondly, a further amount which the controlled undertakings might be paid in excess of that minimum ; thirdly, profit-sharing on a 50-50 basis which extended to a point where each of the controlled undertakings would reach its standard revenue; and fourthly, above that point all additional net earnings accrued to the Exchequer, It was impossible to forecast what would happen after the war, but he expressed the opinion that the railway charges would find their economic levels as they would during the war in accordance with the agreement. There was no intention of securing charges during the war beyond an economic level. The Government intended, as far as possible, that the controlled undertakings should operate upon an economic basis involving adjustments in charges to a variation in working costs, including wage rates, prices of material, and other circumstances arising directly out of the war, and including the cost of meeting charges for making good war damage. It was not possible under the stress of war conditions to retain the jurisdiction of the Railway Rates Tribunal over the general level of charges. The Government did not intend, however, that that safeguard should be abandoned, and a special department of the Ministry was being set up, to be aided, by a distinguished Civil servant, to deal with the question of railway rates, with the advice, if necessary, of permanent members of the Railway Rates Tribunal acting in an advisory capacity. The road transport industry, from an operational point of view, presented an entirely different problem, because, instead of the five large integrated undertakings, there were 500,000 vehicles owned by 200,000 separate individuals. The Government method was to take the advice of people who had practical knowledge of running the industry, and by a characteristically British mixture of voluntary effort and State action they had developed an organisation extremely resilient and every day becoming more efficient and more ready to deal with the typo of emergency that might yet have to be faced. It was not necessary to own road transport in order to call upon it if the railways broke down in a particular district, and from the operational point of view they were doing as well under the Ministry of Transport scheme as under the one advocated by Mr Morrison.

SDUTH AFRICAN ASSEMBLY LONG'DEBATE ON EMERGENCY POWERS BILL CAPE TOWN, February 13. (Received February 14, at 1.30 p.m.) The Assembly, after a long sitting, passed the second reading of the Emergency Powers Bill by 79 votes to 59. FIRST BLDDD NEWLY-FORMED AIR SQUADRON LONDON, February 13. (Received February 14, at 8 a.m.) The squadron formed from the gift of the Nazim of Hyderabad was the first of the newly-formed squadrons to shoot down an enemy plane. It sent a Heinkel crashing into the sea during the raids on shipping on February 3. A rubber boat in which the crew tried to escape adorns the mess as a souvenir. AUSTRALIAN AIR STAFF ARRIVAL OF NEW CHIEF SYDNEY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 8 a.m.) Sir Charles Burnett, who becomes Chief of the Australian Air Staff, has arrived from England by flying boat, and will have immediate consultations with the War Cabinet,

FIGHTING IN FINLAND

SOVIET SUCCESSES DENIED HEAVY RUSSIAN LOSSES CONCENTRATED OFFENSIVE KEPT UP LONDON, February 13. In their latest communique the Russians claim that they have captured 32 Finnish reinforced concrete forts on the Karelian Isthmus, including 12 artillery posts. The Finns admit Russian pressure round Suomo, but state that all -attacks have been repulsed and that the Russians have nowhere gained a footing. They claim that 1,000 Russians were killed in the last 24 hours, and l that 73 tanks were destroyed. Between 30,000 and 60,000 Russian troops are believed to bo concentrated round Suomo, where attacks were led by 150 tanks accompanied by air raids and artillery fire. Seventy-ton tanks with three-gun turrets have now made their appearance, but the Finns claim to have put several of these out of action. In the far north snow hampers land operations, but there have been further Russian air raids. THE BALTIC STATES RUSSIAN PRESSURE APPARENT LONDON, February 13. The ‘ Daily Mail’s ’ Stockholm correspondent, in a message from Talinn, says Russia is demanding more help from the Baltic States against Finland. It is believed that the demands include more military and aerial bases. The Latvian, Estonian, and Russian Ministers in Talinn and Riga have gone to Moscow. The Latvian Minister in London is believed to be preparing an appeal to the Allies for arms to resist Russian violation of the frontier. Latvia is sending a delegation to London to discuss tho 'question of increasing trade.

REQUEST TO AUSTRALIA CANBERRA, February 13. (Received February 14, at 8 a.m.) Australia has been asked through the League of Nations to assist Finland with wheat, meat, dried fruits, barbed wire, and other commodities. The Federal Cabinet will shortly consider the request, which will probably be acceded to in the form of a gift or on partial payment basis. NEW BRITISH MINISTER AUDIENCE WITH KING (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received' February 14, at noon.) The King'received Mr G. 1)1. Vereker on his appointment as British Minister to Finland. i ARRESTS IN SWEDEN COMMUNIST TRANSMITTERS DISCOVERED STOCKHOLM, February 13. (Received February 14, at noon.) The police, raiding a village outside Gothenburg, found two secret wireless transmitters in the alleged headquarters of foreign Communist agents. A Britisher, D. W. Beach, and two Swedes were arrested and charged with “ illegal work for a foreign country in several Swedish ports.” The police announced that prominent Communists, including two parliamentarians, had been arrested. FURTHER FAILURE RUSSIANS LOSING 3,000 DAILY TOTAL CASUALTIES OF 33,000 A new big Russian offensive on the Salla front failed. The Russians landed hundreds of parachute troops armed with pistols and equipped with skis. It is authoritatively estimated that the Russians on the Karelian Isthmus are losing 3,000 a day killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The Russian casualties since the offensive began are estimated at over 33,000. Snow is still falling in the Baltic.

THREE FINNS BEAT OFF TWENTY RUSSIAN BOMBERS

HELSINKI, February 13. (Received February 14, at 1.35 p.m.) The Russians have abandoned artillery attacks on Bjorko as too costly, leaving the task to the air force, which bombed Viipuri almost to fragments. Three British planes ploted by Finns beat off 20 Russian bombers in Central Finland, breaking the Russian formation and driving the planes confusedly to their base. Three of the largest Finnish banks show a marked improvement in business. American donations of £150,000 of the £400,000 collected have reached Finland for refugees*

UNITED STATES NEUTRALITY

ATTITUDE TOWARDS WARS IN FINLAND AND CHINA MR HULL OPPOSES INVOCATION OF ACT WASHINGTON, February 13. (Received February 14, at 8 a.m.) The United Press Washington correspondent learns that Mr Cordell Hull informed the Senate Foreign Committee that he opposes the invocation of the Neutrality Act to the Russo-Fin-nish and Sino-Japanese Wars. Mr Hull wrote to Senator Pittman that invocation was not in accord with the State Department’s programme. He pointed out that the United States was not endangered by those wars, and added that he believed the department was able to prevent .involvement in the European War. EXPORT AND IMPORT BANK INCREASED LENDING POWER WASHINGTON, February 13. (Received February 14, at 2 p.m.) The Senate passed and sent to the House of Representatives a Bill increasing the Export and Import Bank’s lending power, enabling loans to China and Finland. MR SUMNER WELLES VISIT WELCOMED BY BRITISH GOVERNMENT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 11.30 a.m.) Questioned in the House of Commons about the forthcoming visit to Europe of Mr Sumner Welles, the Prime Minister said: “ I need hardly say that the British Government for its part will be ready to welcome the President’s representative and to take him fully into its confidence with the object of assisting the President in forming an estimate of the present situation.” NEW NAZI PROPAGANDA APPEAL TO WORKERS OF THE WORLD BERLIN, February 13. (Received February 14, at 1.5 p.m.) Dr Ley, in an article in * Der Angrif,’ says: “ Workers of the world should unite to destroy English capitalism and destroy the old English dragon which guards the treasures of the earth and withholds the world riches from the workers.”

Dr Ley declared that the appeal embraces British and French workers.

VISIT TO ENGLAND FRENCH NAVAL CORRESPONDENTS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 11 a.m.) Eleven French naval correspondents, most of whom arrived in London last night, will spend five days in England as the guests of the British Council. They will visit shore establishments and dockyards, and will inspect the Navy’s active work at sea. UNDER POLICE WATCH SOVIET EMBASSY IH PARIS PARIS, 13. (Received February 14, at 1 p.m.) The Soviet Embassy has been placed under a special police watch despite the usual diplomatic immunity. The Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said the action was due to the Embassy’s relations with the outlawed French Communist Party. The Russians had imposed a similar watch at the French Embassy in Moscow, and were questioning and searching, even photographing, visitors. ANGLO-SOVIET TRADE AGREEMENT NOT YET IN OPERATION (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. (Received February 14, at 11 a.m.) The President of the Board of Tirade disclosed in the House of Commons that the agreement with the Soviet trade,delegation concluded! last October for the exchange of timber against rubber and tin had not yet been put into operation, largely owing to shipping difficulties.

ONE MILLION POLES FORCED TO WORK ON GERMAN FARMS AMSTERDAM, February 13. (Received February 14, at 1.5 p.m.) Poles employed on farm work in Germany are officially estimated at 1,000,000, more than double the total of all foreign agricultural workers in the Reich a year ago. Between February IS and March 1 all Ukrainians, White Russians, and Ruthenians in the German part of Poland will be transported to Russia.

BRITISH SHIPPING ROUTES AMERICA DESIRES EXCHANGE WASHINGTON, February 13. (Received February 14, at 1.35 p.m.)l President Roosevelt and Mr J. P. Kennedy (Ambassador to Britain) discussed the exchanging of Britsh and American shipping routes. They hope to persuade the British to turn over to the United States exclusively British routes, re-employing United States tonnage outside the war zone and releasing Britsh for use in the Atlantic. DR SCHUSCHNIGG HEALTH DEPLORABLE AMSTERDAM, February 12. The health of Dr Schuschnigg, for. mer Austrian Chancellor, is deplorable. He is paralysed and in danger of losing the sight of his left eye. The Gestapo have taken him from an hotel to their Vienna prison. ADRIFT IN RUBBER FLDAT BRITISH AIRMEN PICKED UP COPENHAGEN, February 13. (Received February 14, at 2 p.m.)' A Danish ship picked up four British airmen drifting in a rubber float on the North Sea, and later transferred them to a British warship..