FAR EAST MOVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23618, 30 March 1940, Page 11

FAR EAST MOVES

GERMAN PENETRATION ALLIES CONFERRING / JAPAN AND CHINA By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ' NEW YORK, March 28 Alarmed by the extent of the German penetration in Yunnan, southwest China, Allied officials have gathered at Hanoi, French IndoChina, to watch developments, says the Shanghai correspondent of the New York Times. The Ambassadors of Britain, Sir Archibald ClarkKerr, and France, M. Henri Cosine, reported that they are concerned by the threat of German subversive activities in Burma and Indo-China. M. Cosine is understood to have warned General Chiang Kai-shek that the German position in Yunnan must bo liquidated in 21 days, otherwise the French will occupy the Hano-Kunming railway.

The correspondent says that on tho eve of the inauguration of the Wang Ching-Wei regime, the wildest rumours are going about, of which the chief' is that 26 empty .Japanese transports steamed up the Yangtse in preparation for a wholesale withdrawal from Central China in order to supply "face" for Wang. Russian photographs giving evidence that Russia is rapidly completing a nar-row-gauge railway from Urga to the Manchukuo border have excited the Japanese military authorities. BRITISH PRISONERS PARTY WELL TREATED VISITOR IN GERMANY AMSTERDAM, March 28 An American broadcaster, Miss Breckenridge. says she visited a German prison camp, where 120 British prisoners, including New Zealanders, the entire crews of the British" submarines Undine and Starfish, and some of the Rawalpindi's crew and 55 French are interned in a castle. The members of tho crew of the Starfish told her they were at* the bottom nine hours and counted 32 depth charges. Then they brought up the submarine's stern and escaped by tho emergency exit.

The Germans gave them Czech uniforms. which they are still wearing, The men said they were well treated, and allowed to hold Anglican Church services, including prayers for His Majesty.

MR. WELLES HOME SECRECY ABOUT TOUR REPORT FOR PRESIDENT 'Received March 29, 5.35 p.m.) . WASHINGTON, March 09 The Assistant-Secretary of State. Mr. Sumner Welles, United States envoy to Europe, has returned. He declined to comment regarding his tour of the capitals and his interviews with national leaders. Mr. Welles was closeted for. an hour and a-half with President Roosevelt, after which he called briefly at the State Department in an atmosphere of the utmost secrecy. The President's secretary, Mr. Stephen Early, bluntly told journalists that Mr. Welles' report was intended for the ears of Mr. Roosevelt alone, and .would not be communicated even to his closest associates to ensure that there was no leakage of its contents. CONDUCT OF WAR AUTHOR AS CRITIC BRITISH LEADERS ASSAILED LONDON, March 28 Addressing students at a conference at Leeds, the well-known author, Mr. H. G. Wells, said the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, and the Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, were just playing about with the war. There was much more suppression of opinion than in 1915,. "Why." .asked Mr. Wel Is. "is there this hysterical trust in a Government. which everybody knows is grossly I incompetent, yet none dare attempt to I replace?"

NEUTRALITY BEACONS DENMARK'S PRECAUTION , (Received March 20, 5..15 p.m.) COPENHAGEN, March 28 Thirteen "neutrality beacons" are being installed on the west coast to prevent violation of Danish territory by foreign aircraft. GERMAN ECONOMIES RADIO APPEAL TO WOMEN LONDON. March 28 Tin' Berlin wireless announcer to-day in a broadcast to women asked them to economise in soap by using gloves made of old pieces ot cloth for housework. and to peel several days' supply of potatoes simultaneously, thereby not wasting soap in washing their hands daily. The announcer also asked women.to economise in stockings by sewing patches of tnllo on the toes of stockings and using leather for children's.