FRONT QUIET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23470, 6 October 1939, Page 7

FRONT QUIET

FRENCH GUNS CITIES DOMINATED ENEMY I! A IT) FAILS HEAVY BAIN FALLS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received October 5, 6.35 p.m.) V LONDON, Oct. 5 \lt is reported that parts of Saarlouis, noijth-west of Saarbruclcen, are in Allied hands. sources state that French guns are dominating the cities of Borgzabern, Pirmasens, Zweibrucken, Saarbruclcen, Saarlouis and Merzig v in the Saar-Palatinato area which civilians have evacuated. Troops are skirmishing in this vicinity. Intermittent artillery exchanges continued along the whole front, otherwise there was comparative quiet. Heavy rain impeded operations in the Moselle-Saar region. Low clouds brought air activity to a standstill. Patrols and Ambushes An official French communique issued through the British Ministry of Information states: "There were patrols and ambushes at several points of the front. The enemy have attempted a raid to the south of Pirmasens and have been repulsed." German motorised divisions are reported to have collected at Munich, TJlm, Frankfurt and Hanover ready to move up to the Western Front. An official Paris broadcast says that over 30 enemy aeroplanes were shotdown in the past month, excluding unproved losses. French aeroplanes flying over Germany opposed German aeroplanes and a barrage of fire. The losses were slight in view of the results obtained. Forces Concentrated The special military correspondent in France for the New York Times, Mr. G. H. Archarabault, states that barring surprises diplomatically, because militarily they seem well-nigh impossible, the situation seems to be well defined. All available forces of each side are concentrated and waiting action. The question is who will make the first move, when and how? The British Army momentarily may be left out of account, although it is potentially great. At present it is more in the nature of reserves. The initiative of a general battle on the Allied side is improbable, because it would be considered a rash offensive. A tactical initiative fully answers the present purpose, since it has enabled the Allies to come within easy striking distance of the West Wall and, at the same time, to place the greater part of the Mnginot Line out of range of German guns. Possible Developments The Germans may decide that they have ceded enough ground and launch a massive frontal assault with fresh troops on what they judge to he the weakest spot in the French lines, in order to recapture all lost positions in one swoop, after the 1915 and 101/ pattern. But a frontal assault, however successful, would inevitably spend itself on the Maginot Line. Its value would be chiefly moral, namely, to repel the enemy off German soil. A second possibility is an attack on both French wings simultaneously. A third is to attempt an enveloping movement through neutral territory. There are no other possibilities, except a protracted passive resistance behind the West Wall. The French believe this cannot be adopted, since it must provide time to bring the British armies into action. Rather it is believed in France that, should the peace offensive prove abortive, the Germans cannot do anything but'attack in one of tho three ways mentioned above. GAS IN WARFARE NO USE BY GERMANY (Received October 5, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Oct. 4 Answering a question in tho House of Commons the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. R. A. Butler, said the German Government had given an i assurance to the Swiss Minister m | London that it would abide by tho Geneva protocol of 1925 prohibiting the use of gas and bacteriological methods of war on the understanding that tho British Government also observed the protocol. FRIENDLY PALESTINE RANGED BEHIND BRITAIN British Wireless LONDON, Oct. 4 Replying to a question in the House of Commons, the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Mac Donald, said that since the outbreak of war the security of the situation in Palestine had improved. "Although there are some cases oi eniriitv by Arab terrorists," he added, "generally the Arab and Jewish sections are ranged behind Britain.in tlx present emergency and show every desire to co-operate in the successful prosecution of the war. The Govern ment appreciates most cordially th< spirit displayed by the people o:

TOBACCO FUND KING DONATES £25 LONDON, Oct. 4 The King has sent a personal donation of £25 toward tho Tobacco Fund for soldiers at the front. Every pound provides 1000 cigarettes. NEW POLISH ARMY (Roceivcd October 5, 5.5 p.m.) PAHIS, Oct. -1 ' The n o\v Polish Prime Minister, Genernl Sikorski, said to-dav that the Government's essential task was to form without delay an army which could continue the fight. " The French Prime Minister, M. Daladier. lias signed an agreement reconstituting tho Czech Army in France. KING RECEIVES PREMIER British TVirrlrss LONDON. Oct. <1 The Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, had an audience with the King last evening.