LOSS OF MALAYA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 16 February 1942, Page 5

LOSS OF MALAYA

ALLEGED NEGLECT NO PREPARATIONS MADE New York, Feb. 13. Amercian refugees who arrived here to-day related shocking stories of the neglect which they allege resulted in the loss of the Malay Peninsula. All agreed that air protection was absolutely lacking and asserted that exaggerated self-confidence was substituted for forethought. Preparations were simply not made. 1 Elliot Simpson, secretary of the Rothschild Company, a crude rubber exporter, said: “I am going to Wash- ; ington to lay the whole picture as I , saw it before the State Department. . “My chief complaint will be about ] how the British ordered the evacuation , of British women and children from . Penang city without notifying 40 j American residents, Indians, or Chinese. , “They would have left us behind; it was just an accident that we learned in time. “If the British lose the war it will < be because of pure and unbelievable i carelessness.” i Mr Simpson said that there were ] only about 500 troops in Penang and I not one anti-aircraft gun. There were 1 no guns of any kind. 1

Camouflage was not attempted. The red-roofed houses stood out like bea- ' Even the American Consul was not j notified about the evacuation. Mr Simpson contended that Penang was the key to Singapore. If it had been fortified all might have been 1 saved. Moreover. 7000 tons of rubber and 5000 tons of tin were left on the piers. • C AN STAND THE TRUTH" “The New York Post,” in an editorial to day. says: “Australian officials show their wisdom bj r refusing to censor Cecil Brown’s radio reports.” (Brown’s broadcasts resulted in the Columbia Broadcasting Corporation recently being barred from the air by the authorities at Singapore). “We can stand the truth and be better for it Let us squeeze every lesson we can from the Singapore struggle. To discuss the Singapore setback is now a first duty of all of us. What went wrong? Truth is our ally. We want to know.” The “Post” gives prominence to one of Brown’s broadcasts, which it surprisingly asserts was not heard in Australia. To-day, according to the “Post,” Brown declares that because of Singapore. Australians are very angry, bitter, and apprehensive, and that unprecedented criticism of the Mother Country is appearing in the j Australian newspapers. Brown criti- i cises Australia, too. declaring that j there are many aspects of unreadiness. I and quotes one Australian newspaper editor as saying: “Conscription for the army is one thing no one talks about. People here know that the salvation i of this country depends on overseas ; j troops, ships and aeroplanes,” which. ; of course, can be interpreted in two ! ways.