FRONT STILL QUIET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23504, 15 November 1939, Page 11

FRONT STILL QUIET

POINTS STRENGTHENED FRENCH GUN POSITIONS MORE PATROL ACTIVITY LONDON, Nov. 13 The French Saar front has been restrung with barbed wire and reconstructed with machine-gun emplacements on the advance positions which were reoccupied when the Germans withdrew after three days of intensive local activity. A communique Bays: "There was a quiet night along the front." Low clouds reduced fighting activities to a minimum. The French night communique says a certain number of enemy aircraft flew over north-eastern France last night. There was the usual patrol activity, especially east of the Saar. The German High Command states: "We repulsed fresh, attempts to gain the heights south-west of Pirmasens and took an officer and 24 men prisoner." The official Berlin news agency reports that 28 Germans took prisoner 50 Frenchmen during an engagement on the Western Front. It is claimed that 17 German aeroplanes were lost on the Western Front to November 10, compared with 16 British and 64 French, including three balloons.

SURPRISE VISIT AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS DOMINION MINISTERS' PARTY <• LONDON. Nov. 13 The Australian Associated Press states that the Dominions Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, accompanied the New Zealand Minisiter of Education, Mr. P. Fraser, and other Dominion Ministers when they paid a surprise visit to the Royal Air Force headquarters in France. They spent three hours in the area, after which they departed to see tho French Army. The party visited the fighter squadron that brought down a Dornier reconnaissance machine la;st Wednesday, but the young victorious New Zealand pilot, who figured brilliantly in that exploit, was absent on special leave in Paris. French detectives with the Royal Air Force accompanied the Ministers.

ITALY'S POLICY ATTITUDE UNCHANGED WARNING TO ALLIES LONDON, Nov. 13 The Rome correspondent of the British United Press says that, replying to Mr. Churchill's reference to Italy's peaceful policy and possible fruitful partnership with Britain and France, Signor Gayda warn!! them to keep out of the Mediterranean and reaffirms that Italy's foreign policy is unchanged. Signor Gayda adds: " We do not intend to engage in polemics on Mr. Churchill's statement. We remember the sanctions and encirclement policy." COMPULSORY SERVICE YOUNG AUSTRALIANS RETURNED SOLDIERS' VIEWS (Received November 14, 9.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 14 A resolution urging the Federal Government to introduce compulsory military training for single men from 20 to 26 was passed at the Australian returned soldiers' congress. The resolution limited the training to the duration of the war. FIGIIT FOR FREEDOM CANADA'S ATTITUDE OTTAWA, Nov. Id The Leader of the Conservative Opposition, l)r. R. H. Manion, in a broadcast. described the war as a fight for religious and democratic freedom. He said that Canada could not be neutral and remain a member of the British Empire. LOYAL MINORITIES GERMANS AND HUNGARIANS WILL STAY IN RUMANIA (Received Novmnb;r 14, 5.0 p.m.) BUCHAREST, Nov. 13 The loyalty to Rumania of the German and Hungarian minorities was emphasised at a political rally at Cluj, where the Prime Minister, General Argetoianu addressed 50,000 peasants. Other speakers saicl the German minority would nev«tr return to the Reich like the Baits (descendants of German colonists in the Baltic)..