STRIKING CONTRAST

Evening Star, Issue 23511, 27 February 1940, Page 7

STRIKING CONTRAST

THE LEADERS’ SPEECHES BRITISH PRESS COMMENT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 20. (Received February 27, at 11 a.m.)l The speeches delivered by Mr Chamberlain and Hitler on Saturday form the subject of to-day’s newspaper editorial comment. 1 The Times,’ reviewing Mr Chamberlain’s speech, draws attention to the peace aims, which, tha editorial says, though linked with War aims—defeat of Hitlerism—can only ha fulfilled later by slow degrees. How far the defeat of Hitlerism involves tha defeat of Germany depends precisely how “ far the whole country continues to identify itself with Hitler.” ‘ Tha Times ’ points out that Mr Chamberlain emphasised: “■ We do not desira the destruction of any people,” whereas Ribbentrop and Goebbels publicly declared that Nazi Germany was fight-, ing for the destruction of the British nation and German domination of tha world. “ It is worth noting,” * The Times < continues, “that Mr Chamberlain concluded with the emphatic declaration that there would be no question whatever of laying down arms until conditions had been secured which made achievement of the Allied peace aims possible.” Turning to Hitler’s speech, ‘ Tha Times,’ after describing it as mainly “ stale repetition ” and “ a good deal made up on taunts and jeers, some of it almost meaningless,” speculates on the German people’s reactions to tha assurance that all Hitler has prepared is “ now working smoothly,” and whether they are convinced that he has made Germany “ blockade proof.” The * Manchester Guardian ’ contrasts Mr Chamberlain’s statement as to the method of creating a stable postwar Europe, which the editorial describes as a co-operative effort in which “ if Germany has the goodwill to that enterprise she can, as Mr Chamberlain said, do more than anybody else to give this new Europe the confidence essential to its success,” with Hitler’s declaration that a new order will come without help from the democracies. Asking what this Hitlerian new order is to be, the ‘Guardian’ says: “We have only to Took at Germany, Austria, and Czecho-Slovakia, and Poland for the answer.” ARMY SERVICE SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE ISSUED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 26. (Received February 27, at 11.30 a.m.) 1 A supplementary estimate for 1939 is issued regarding the numbers of officers and men required for Army service in addition to the numbers already voted. It is stated that the numbers already voted for the year have been very substantially exceeded. The purpose of this supplementary estimate is to obtain Parliamentary authority for such additional numbers of officers and men as may bo necessary. WAR-TIME PURCHASERS ALLIED TRADE WITH ITALY ROME, February 26. < (Received February 27, at noon.) An Italian trade delegation has gono to Paris. The recent British purchasing mission is reported to have been comparatively unsuccessful. On the other hand, trade circels suggest the French wartime purchases from Italy may be considerable. WAITING FOR THE ENEMY BRITISH WARSHIPS HEAR PETS AMO PARIS, February 26. , (Received February 27, at 11.5 a.m.)l Naval circles suggest that the British warships near Petsamo are await-, ing the departure of German naval units, including submarines, detained there by the ice, which is preventing, their leaving eastward.