War Brevities

Northern Advocate, 28 November 1939, Page 5

War Brevities

Secrecy. —Cabinet has decided to grant a secret session of Parliament, according to the “Daily Mail.” If Labour presses the request, it will be held this week or next.

Increases. —The wages of lower-paid workers employed by the London County Council and the metropolitan boroughs have been raised from 56/ to 63/ a week. Higher-paid workers will benefPt in proportion.

Two organisations have been incorporated to maintain an American hospital in France .and supply other war relief to Britain and France. They are entitled the American Society for French and British Medical and Civilian Aid. Both organisations .are headed by Mr Winthrop Aldrich, the well-known banker, who is chairman of the Chase National Bank of New York.

Appointment. —The Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain) and the French Prime Minister (M. Daladier) have jointly appointed M. Joan Monnet as Allied chairman of the Anglo-French Co-ordinating Committee for economic war efforts. M. Monnet was appointed French financial adviser to the Chinese Government fn 1934. He was the original French Under-Secretary-Gen-oral to the League of Nations.

Portugal.— His Majesty’s Government entertained a Portuguese military mission at luncheon. The War Minister (Mr Here Belisha) presided. Conversations. —The United States Ambassador in London (Mr J. P. Kennedy) had conversations witli Mr Chamberlain at No. 10 Downing Street. Mr Kennedy is returning to America for Christmas. •

Rationing. —lt is understood that the Minister for Food (Mr W. S. Morrison) will announce in the House of Commons tomorrow the date for the introduction of rationing of bacon, ham and butter.

Leave.—The Italian Government is giving winter leave to 300,000 reservists until March. ,

Negotiations.—The economic negotiations between Belgium and Germany will be resumed at, Brussels next week.

Authorised. —The King held a Privy Council and signed the Order-in-Coun-cil authorising the seizure of German goods in neutral ships as a reprisal for the unrestricted mine warfare.

Amalgamation. —The “Yorkshire post" and the “Leeds Mercury,” both owned by the Yorkshire Conservative Newspaper Company, have amalgamated owing to war conditions. The paper will be published at Id. The “Yorkshire Post - ’ has hitherto cost 2d. Admiralty.—Vice-Admiral Guy Roylo has been appointed Lord Commissioner at the Admiralty and Chief of the Naval Air Services, succeeding Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Ramsay, while Captain Edward Syfret succeeds him as Naval Secretary to the First Lord. Concentrations.— -The Bratislava correspondent of “The Times” says that German troops are accumulating on the eastern frontier of Slovakia bordering on Ruthenia, either as a warning to Russia or to frighten Rumania into a more reasonable treaty. Allowances, The Federal Cabinet has decided that separation allowances for dependants of members of the Second A.1.F., the Royal Australian Air Force, and the militia, during their three months' camp training will be 3/- per day for a wife, and 1/- per day for each child under 16.

Q-Ship?—One of the methods adopted by Germany fn endeavouring to escape the odium of sinking neutrals was revealed in the case of a Dutch vessel which was sunk on November 16 in mid-Atlantic. Referring to this incident, the Germans later announced that they had sunk a British Q-ship, diseuheu as a Dutch merchantman.