GENERAL NEWS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 99, 26 March 1942, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 1.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Mar. 25. A message from Rio de Janeiro says the Government has made two important arrests in a drive against Fifth. Columnists. It apprehended Renato Rosier, head of tne Bayer Aspirin Company, which is owned by 1. G. Farben industric (the German Dye trust), also Henrich Fless, a German pastor. The police obtained evidence that they are active members of tho Gestapo controlling Nazi funds used for propaganda and espionage activities.

The Mexico City correspondent of tho Herald-Tribune says the Government lias quietly begun a thorough elimination of the Fifth Column in Mexico to prevent its weakening tho country's defence from within in case of an attack from without. The secret police are arresting many Germans, Japanese, and some Italians, who aro linked with subversive or propagandists activities. Tho Fifth Columnists are being incarcerated in a fortress at Carlos Deperote, on a dreary plateau 130 miles from Vera Cruz. The Wall Street journal states that navy patrol boats are being built upside down successfully, resulting in increased construction speed. The advantage of building upside down is that it is easier to weld the bottom facing upwards. Patrol ships about 173 ft long and of 300 tons are gradually turned on their keels as construction proceeds and are filially slid into tho water right side up. A Washington announcement states that Lord Beaverbrook has arrived by plane to assist in the creation of internation organisation to co-ordinate Anglo-American supplies and production.

WASHINGTON, March 25.

The Department of Justice announced that a further 410 enemy aliens have been seized. In all 4032 Japanese, 2143 Germans, and 966 Italians, a total of 7141, have been arrested since the outbreak of war. Rear-Admiral Emory Land, chairman of the Maritime Commissioner, in a broadcast, declared that there is loafing by a small minority both in tho production line and the front office, ondangering America's shipbuilding programme. Admiral Land said: "Although the strike problem is not serious now, what is serious is the loafing, and a person who is putting forth less than his maximum effort is a victim to the insidious, infectious, and deadly disease known as loafing. Every loafer is a saboteur of morale, giving direct aid to the enemy." The Attorney-General (Mr Biddle) said that at least 30. actions would be begun promptly to revoke the citizenship of persons with Axis leanings and believed to be disloyal to the United States at the time they took the oath of United States citizenship, and several hundreds of such cases would follow. Mr Biddle said he believed membership of tho German-American Bund constituted prima facie evidence tor a dcnaturalisation -petition. OTTAWA, March 25.

Mr Elliott Little, the Canadian Selective Service Director has declared newspapers and news associations aro essential services and if they needed more help he would be sympathetic to transferring men from non-essential work if feasible. RUGBY, March 25. Negotiations for the exchange of British and Japanese diplomatic and consular officials are proceeding but are not yet completed, said Mr Eden, in a reply in the House of Commons to a question. It was hoped the exchange would take place at LourCnco Marques. Tho report of the outrages in Hong Kong were based partly on information derived from Miss Harrop, of the office of the Colonial Secretary in Hong Kong, and partly on information obtained from other reliable sources, stated Mr Eden in the House of Commons.

His Majesty's Government has every reason to believe that tho new Persian Government, like its predecessor, will collaborate fully with Britain and the Soviet in carrying out the provisions of the treaty of alliance. Mr Richard Law, Foreign Under-Secretary, gave this answer to a House of Commons question. An Air Ministry communique states: This afternoon bombers escorted by fighters attacked shipyards at Le Treit and other fighters made a sweep over the Pas de Calais area of Northern France. In the course of these operations two enemy fighters were destroyed. One of ours is missing.

Mr Noel Raker, joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport, speaking of the setting up of a post-war reconstruction committee Of the road transport industry, said: r 'Of one thing 1 am absolutely certain —that when the war is over we must plan our transport and above all our road transport more thoroughly and more effectively than we have ever done before. Wc must plan for greater safety; we mus't make our lovely country open to those who want to see it when they get their brief annual respite from factory work. We haw made great progress towards holidays with pay, but there are still twelve million workers who have not got this and they will have it soon. Road transport may well be the answer to the problem which this reform will set." LONDON, March 25.

The Viehv radio has quoted a Shanghai report to the effect that a Japanese naval squadron has been sighted in the East China Sea proceeding in the direction of New Guinea. The Moscow radio reported that a clash between Rumanian and Hungarian troops on the Rumanian-Hun-garian frontier eastwards_ of Siglnsoara resulted in casualties on both sides. , „ STOCKHOLM, March 20. A violent outburst occurred at Chemnitz (Germany) during Hitler's speech on the occasion of the day of commemoration for dead heroes. Crowds shouted "We don't need war; we want peace." Workers in the Wupperthal munition factory stopped, production for two hours as a protest against the mobilisation of workers for the front. Five workers were .arrested, \\omeu smashed the windows of two large stores at Darmstadt. CHUNGKING, Mar. 25., The Japanese have resumed their air raids aiter a long lapse, bombing places in the provinces of Shensi and Honan, including the outskirts of Sian the capital of Shensi. SYDNEY, March 26. One million respirators arc to be distributed among the civilian population and New South Wales, said Mr Heffron. Minister of National Emor,fenev Services, in a review of the organisation. Mr Heffron added that the National Emergency Service now has a strength of 70,000. BRISBANE, March 26. The Fifth Column menace in North Queensland is now practically broken. Hundreds of Italians have been interned or put in labour battalions, and hundreds more will follow. It" there are any doubtful elements then left they will not have a chance to make a "move. Action by the authorities has driven them underground or broken up an extensive spy ring

which, it is claimed; was operating along the coast. Formerly signal lights were reported for hundreds of miles along the coast but these have now been stopped. It was reported from Canberra, on February 14 that a vigorous nation-wide campaign, to stamp out the subversive activities of enemv aliens had been launched by Ihe Armv Intelligence. Service.