UNITED HOUSE

Evening Star, Issue 23560, 26 April 1940, Page 7

UNITED HOUSE

DETERMINED TO BREAK NAZI MENACE POINTS FROM BUDGET DEBATE (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, April 25. (Received April 26, at noon.) The general impression of the Budget debate ko far is that, although points of detail are questioned, there is a unanimous desire of all parties to see the war prosecuted in the most energetic fashion. Through all the speeches has rim the underlying determination t» break once and for all the Nazi menace, whatever sacrifice may be involved. In business circlese there is curiosity to know the order of the yield which the Chancellor is looking for in ! regard to the proposed “ purchase tax.” This is shared both by trade circles, which are anxious to estimate its effect on business, and by those economist critics . of the Government who consider it* plans do not provide for a sufficiently - large* diversion of civilian spending. The view of financial circles is reflected in the rise in gilt-edged securities. The proposal for limitation upon distribution of profits led to a demand for stocks seemingly least affected. RESUMPTION OF DEBATE CAUSTIC LANUR CRITICISM LONDON, April 25. (Received April 26, at 1 p.m.) In the House of Commons criticism of the inadequacy of Britain’s financial effort was again the keynote of the Budget debate. Mr Dalton said the war effort was gravely inefficient. The large ; unexpended* amount of money discredited the Minister*, who were waging war half-heartedly and lackadaisically* Britain was nbt producing enough aircraft and arms, and was not producing them fast enough. She was not producing sufficiently in other necessaries, and many quarters were' most concerned at Hie wastage of foreign assets, due to a leakage in the foreign exchange’control The economic war wai also being waged moat inadequately. • The- Treasury’s “ clammy hand ” still 'retarded the economic war id" southeast Europe, and elsewhere. ■ Mr Dalton supported a capital levy. NAVAL CASUALTIES ADMIRALTY LIST (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 25.(Received April 26, at 1. p.m.) Thq Admiralty announces a list of the casualties incurred recently in the British ships Eclipse, Hotspur, and Rodney. The destroyer Eclipse, which was damaged in operations off the Norwegian coast, suffered the. on* officer and three ratings killed, and two' ratings wounded. In the destroyer Hotspur, which was damaged in . the first battle of Narvik, ratings were killed and one officer and three ratings wounded. A b°mb from a Nazi aeroplane which hit the Rodney wounded three officers and four ratings, but did no other damage,/ and the ship remained at sea. , ,; • - EXAGGERATED GERMAN CLAIMS ALLIED SEA LIBBIB IN NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN , (British Official Wirsltss.)' RUGBY, April" 25. (Received April 26, at 10.35 a.m.) German propaganda claims in respect to losses inflicted on the Allies at sea in connection with the Norwegian campaign are being watched' with interest in London. There is a very marked tendency, at present to add a touch of actuality to the original form of th* claims. For example, the German Official News Agency yesterday, purporting to summarise the Allied sea losses announced by the German High Command since April 10, converted 'th* claim in the High Command communique of April 17 that “ four direct hits of < heavy and the heaviest bombs , were made on ■ light and ■ heavy • cruisers ’* into a definite assertion that four cruisers were badly damaged. Again, where the High Command on April 19 claimed that “ three more submarines were probably sunk,” the German Agency includes them as definitely sunk. The communiques of, the German High Command rarely show evidence of the exercise of restraint in the interest* of accuracy, and this further exaggerai tion of its claims in the German news reports is regarded as significant of th* extreme anxiety of the Nazi authorities not only to divert attention at horn* from the serious German losses at sea, both of warships and heavily-loaded transports, but to impress opinion ■ abroad;with the idea that German air . power has been able to cripple Allied action at sea, despite our unquestionable command of the sets. / . DANISH STEAMERS REGARDED AS BRITISH PRIZES CAPE TOWN, April 25. (Received April 26, at 1.30 p.m.) Two judges sitting as a Prize Court ordered two Danish steamers sheltering . in Durban to bo handed to the Crown as prizes.