INNOCENTS SLAIN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20184, 29 February 1940, Page 5

INNOCENTS SLAIN

'GERMAN CONTEMPT DISREGARD OF RULES ILLEGALITY POLICY TOO LITTLE SURPRISE (Elec. Tel. Copyright —United Tress Assn.) (British Official Wiroloss.) Reed. 11 a.m. RUGBY, Feb. 28. The speech delivered in the House of Commons yesterday by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. Winston Churchill, giving a review of the war at sea, has been received in the press generally with considerable satisfaction. The Manchester Guardian says: “In this war illegality has been Germany’s policy from the first days and breaches of law in sinking at sight, machinegunning and bombing have taken hundreds of neutral lives. This slaughter of the innocent, through contempt of the rules'to prevent it, causes too little astonishment in the outside world.” Referring to Mr. Churchill’s statement: “In the interpretation of the rules and conventions affecting neutrals, humanity rather than „ legal pedantry must be our guide,” the Guardian says: “This is a far-reaching statement. Our right to make it is given by our record of never designedly taking a neutral life.” PATROLS AND BIG GUNS WEST FRONT ACTIVITY (Reed'. Feb. 29, noon.) PARIS, Feb. 28. A communique states that patrol activity and some artillery fire was experienced at various points on the Western Front.