THE LOST YEARS

Evening Star, Issue 23861, 16 April 1941, Page 7

THE LOST YEARS

GERMANY’S SEVEN YEAR START DEMOCRACY’S DANGEROUS DILLYDALLY LONG STRUGGLE LIKELY Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyrigln WASHINGTON, April 15. (Received April 16, at 9.15 a.m.) Tho Secretary of War (.Mr H. L. Stimson), testifying before the Defence investigating Committee to-day, said that the United States was facing a dangerous emergency, infinitely greater than in World War days. Therefore, the army and navy must be prepared to fight in any part of North, South, or Central America, or even possibly in other regions where necessary. However, Mr Stimson continued, there were many encouraging factors because of tho intelligent advance planning of the War Department in collaboration with industry, which had raised the production point at least a year ahead of the war levels of 1917-18. Aeroplanes cost five times more than in 1917. The newest types cost nearly a million dollars, even after the full production cost had been reduced 300,000t101. Mr Stimson reminded the committee that Germany began war preparations seven years ago, which involved a new diplomatic technique, a new form of propaganda, and finally new tactical methods. Despite grave warnings, the democracies had preferred not to compete with that preparation. The result was that Germany in 1938 was ready to move toward her objectives, first without force, and then, at the first show of opposition to her plans, with terrifying violence. Germany disclosed to the world a quantity and variety of modern weapons and also a method of employing them which thus far had achieved far-reaching results. The present dangerous emergency and the efforts to meet it might be very prolonged, and accordingly it was inevitable that civilian needs be further subordinated to the military programme. OCCUPIED COUNTRIES WE SHALL LIVE AGAIN ’’ SPECIAL EASTER BROADCAST (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 14. Representatives of countries at present held under the Nazi yoke took part yesterday iu a special American Easter broadcast entitled ‘ We Shall Live Again.’ Each speaker stressed the determination of his country never to let its spirit be subjugated. Crown Prince Olaf, in the course of his message, said: “ The true spirit of Norway will never surrender, no matter how dark the future may become, no matter how great the odds may seem.” Princess Juliana said: “ Our country is dominated by a numerous enemy, but not so the spirit of the inhabitants.” M Paderewski spoke for Poland and Prince Jean for Luxembourg, while Belgium was represented by M. Camille Gutt, Finance Minister, who is on his way to Canada, where he will stay for one week. Mile Curie gave a message to France, and Mine Hurban. wife of the Czech Minister in Washington, spoke for Czecho-Slovakia. Colonel Donovan said: ‘‘ I express the overwhelming sentiment of this nation when I say to the representatives of the invaded lands that they shall indeed live again, for they have not died. Tyrants may rise as they ever and again have done, but they cannot conquer the unquenchable flame of hope in the human heart. This is your strength and our American strength. The dictator who has temporarily invaded your countries knows this as well as we do. For ho opposes it with the only two weapons he can command. One of-'those is force—but force alone cannot last. His other weapon is propaganda, a device of disunity—but tins is potent only as long as a confused world is not aware of it.” SIGNING POSTPONED THAI PEACE TREATY WITH INDO- ' CHINA PERSISTENT DEMANDS FROM FRENCH BANGKOK, April 15. (Received April 16, at 8 a.m.) The official signing of the Indo-China-Thailand peace treaty has been indefinitely postponed, due to the French persistently demanding compensation for public utilities and also for railway concessions in the ceded areas, which Thailand refuses to concede. AUSTRALIA’S WAR EFFORT FINANCIAL SACRIFICES NECESSARY SYDNEY, April 15. The Acting Prime Minister, Mr A. W. Faciden, warned the Premiers at the Loan Council to-day at Canberra that from now on every Australian would have to give all he had in order to provide the maximum amount for national security. The Government, he added, had not even contemplated compulsory lending along the lines of the British plan, and he again emphasised that the war was coming nearer Australian shores almost every day.