Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 1940. CONCERNING NEUTRALS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1940, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 1940. CONCERNING NEUTRALS.

J-JITLER’S invasion of Norway has caused most neutral nations to take stock of their respective positions, and some do'not find the reflections consoling. The smaller States in Europe would be very apprehensive if the developments suggested the Allies would be unable to suppress Nazi aggression, .and even the neutral great Powers have had to take notice. Fortunately, the Allies’ naval and aerial successes around the Norwegian coasts have demonstrated German weakness, and with the landing of British troops in Norway, it may be assumed that the enemy advance will be stopped,

and much worse befall'them. The Norwegians appear to be rallying in defence of their freedom, and the presence of Allied troops, coupled with the knowledge of the continuous attacks on the invaders by sea and air, should do much to inspire the Norwegians to fight their hardest. There is quiet general confidence in Britain and Overseas, that the German invasion of Norway will be comparatively shortlived. Meanwhile, reports from foreign neutral capitals are framed on lines calculated to thrill or alarm. Italy, whose future action is important’, is holding her naval manoeuvres earlier than usual, but wrong inferences should not be gathered from this. Mussolini has said more than once that Italy ■will not enter the war, unless her interests are attacked. The Allies have no ambitions in that direction.’Where the Balkans are concerned, Italy has most to fear from Germany or Russia. The Italian Press has long been proGerman, but its influence on national policy is negligible. Japan is another Power useful to correspondents looking for sensations and the latest effort is to visualise Japan seizing Hong Kong and a few other trifles of territory if the Allies take measures to protect the Dutch East Indies. Holland would join the Allies were she attacked by Germany, and this would give the former a legal right to safeguard the Dutch East Indies.

Germany, Italy, Russia and Japan are often used as a scare combination against Britain and France, but as the interests of the four mentioned Powers are opposed to each other, it is difficult to believe that they can unite effectively. Moreover, such a move against the Allies, would almost certainly bring the U.S.A, into the struggle on the side of Britaih and France. This would be an act of self-preservation by the U.S.A., who realises that she would be the next to be attacked were Britain defeated. Mr. Roosevelt has, once again, expressed his own personal antipathy to Nazi aggression. Each speech he makes on the subject seems to be preparing his people for ultimate entry into the war, if the policy of the Administration is to avoid this act, if possible. The President’s latest speech was direct denunciation of Nazi policy, and was addressed not only to those dwelling in U.S.A., but to all people in the American continent. Anti-Nazi feeling-is spreading everywhere, and although there is little desire to declare war, the fact that there may be no alternative, is being increasingly faced. Some of the news from U.S.A, sources as to the intentions of the Germans and Japanese is probably propaganda by those in favour of enlarging the U.S.A. Navy beyond Administration requests and Congressional approval, but these alarms must make the American people less certain of their own security.