WAR NEWS

Grey River Argus, 14 February 1940, Page 7

WAR NEWS

VARIOUS ITEMS. LONDON, February 12. Inhabitants of Cyprus have given £2,500 for the Red Cross Fund, and the Legislature of the Bahamas has donated £20,000 towards Imperial defence. The Polish newspaper, “Goniack Crawcowski,” stated that delegates of the American Red Cross and Quaker organisations have been unable to carry out intended relief measures in Poland, owing to the definition at Gibraltar by British authorities of American ships, with supplies for Poland. This statement is incorrect. So far from obstructing the shipment of food and relief supplies to Poland from America, the Allies have done everything to facilitate dispatch, subject only to necessary safeguards to ensure supplies should, in fact reach the people for whom they were intended. The British Wool Federation, which represents the importers and top-makers, whose interests are largely those cf Dominion producers, caused a sensation by seceding from the wool and textile delegation to the central body representing all important sections of the industry. The secession was the outcome of dissatisfaction regarding the wool control policy. It is claimed that importers are drastically handicapped, while manufacturers are not subjected to restrictions. The wool controller raid the Control Board’s intention was to foster the export trade as much as possible even to the detriment of civilian and home business. Experiments had been made with the introduction of merino wool into service cloth to allow more crossbreds to be released for other essential needs. He was satisfied that the prices which it was intended to charge in the next rationing period were justifiable on the cost price of the raw material, plus expenses, and he maintained that the prices were not excessive. x Over two hundred Canadian exservicemen, all wearing war medals, paraded at Aidershot with the serving Canadians, who are there under training. These ex-service-men, who came from all parts of the British Isles, included blinded and severely crippled men. After attending church, the whole parade marched past Major-General McNaughton, who took the salute. What is believed to be an unprecedented instance of a negro training for an officership in the British Army, was supplied by. Arundel M. Moody, aged 22 son of Doctor Harold A. Moody, ’ President of . the League of Coloured Peoples. The father states several African students desired to enter the army, as a result of which he took the matter up with Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. MacDonald, whereafter Arundel was commissioned to the Officers’ Trainl .’ng Corps, Mr. MacDonald announcing that people of not pure European descent, might be commissioned as an emergency measure.

The Viceroy of India’s proclamation at the outbreak of the war, anrfi the emergency orders-in-council pro-1 mulgated under it, require renewal before the end of six months, which have nbw almost expired. The House of Commons will accordingly be .asked to give the proclamation and Orders a further six months’ legality. It is understood the Labour Party has decided the time is inappropriate for a general discussion about India’s constitutional future, and it is anticipated the debate will not travel! much outside the issues raised by the Orders themselves.