SURPRISING MISTAKES

Evening Star, Issue 23553, 17 April 1940, Page 7

SURPRISING MISTAKES

NAZI NAVAL BLUNDERS WARSHIPS AND TRANSPORTS NOT ESCORTED (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, April 16. (Received April 17, at 9.42 a.m.) In estimating the significance of Gen* many’s naval losses newspaper commentators lay emphasis on the fact thatj the ratio' of the loss is even more important than the numerical total. The ‘ Manchester Guardian ’ does not hesitate to say that the German navy is no longer a fleet in being. Thai ‘Guardian’ also expresses surprise that major ijnits of the German navy, like the Gneisenau and the Admiral Schecr, should be despatched on missions without a- screen of destroyers* Students of naval warfare declare that Seldom in history hat so glaring a case of useless wastage of material been seen. * Referring to iGermany’s grave tactical mistake in not providing an adequate escort for the transports, the ‘ Guardian ’ says the German high command hoe taken a suicidal course of sending valuable transports without protection across 60 miles of disputed water. BRITAIN'S MANPOWER ORGANISATION FDR WAR AND INDUSTRY STATEMENT IY MINISTER (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 18. (Received April 17, at 11.45 a.m.) During a discussion in the House of Commons on the organisation of manpower to-day the Minister of Labour announced that the calling-up date for men of 27 would be-May 25. Tha numbers mobilised either for military, service or for reservation in vital‘industrial employment had reached; 1,700,000. Since the outbreak of war 300,000 had volunteered for the armed forces. There had to be maintained « balance of man-power as between tha armed forces and the need* of industry. Involved in that was a factor known only.- to the Government _and • which he could not divulge-—the size at which the armed forces had been fixed. The Minister dealt with the measures taken to release from military duty, men whose qualifications were essential to war. production at home. He paid a tribute to the invaluable co-opera-tion of the trade unions in the organisation of industry, for war. From tha beginning of rearmament it had been! emphasised repeatedly, that the maximum effort would not be felt befora the second or third year. They wer* now reaching that stage. The Government had prepared an estimate of the probable requirements of manpower in the war industry for 18 months ahead. This was secret, buf employers and workers in the various industries concerned had been taken into the Government’s confidence.. The Minister attributed the smooth! working of all the arrangements necessary for bringing industry to the pitcif of productivity that the war effort required to the growth over recent year* in the efficiency of the machinery fo* collective bargaining between the emr ployers and the trade unions. - TERRIBLE PRIVATIONS CREW IN SHIP'S LIFEBOAT SWEPT UP OH SHETLAND COAST LONDON, April 16. (Received April 17, at 10.50 a.m.) The horrible sufferings of the crew of the steamer Stancliffe were revealed when a battered ship’s lifeboat wa* swept up on the rock-bound Shetland. coast. Rescuers found eight men dead lying in the bottom of the boat, an ~ Arab seaman dying, and 15 men in a pitiful state of exhaustion. They had been adrift for nearly four days and could scarcely talk, hut said that a U-boat torpedoed the , Stancliffe o» April 12. A lifeboat containing tha remaining 15 members of the crew wa« smashed to pieces immediately it waa> launched and occupants believed drowned. The trawler Sansonnet lost 10 of tha crew drowned. BELGIUM’S STAND COMPLETE INDEPENDENCE ANXIOUS EYES OH HMWAY BRUSSELS, April 18. (Received April 17, at 9.50 a.m.) M. Spaak, speaking in the Senate* said the Government would not accept any suggestion for the abandonment of Belgian neutrality and complete independence. “ The Belgians are emotionally watching Norway’s effort,” he said. { “ Her position is similar to ours. Wo A are most determined to defend our national spil.”-