ARMED NEUTRAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23748, 30 August 1940, Page 10

ARMED NEUTRAL

POLICY OF SWEDEN FIGHT IF NECESSARY DEFENCES STRENGTHENED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received August -Jf), 7.1 ~> p.m.) STOCKHOLM, August 2U "The neutrality of Sweden is armed neutrality," said the Minister of Defence, M. Skoeld. "That means that if someone puts demands contrary to our neutrality and seeks to impose them, or violates the independence of our country, we shall oppose them with force if necessary. "Now divisions have been created this summer and further ones are. contemplated. The army has been strengthened by large quantities of arms and war materials. "The production of warships, aeroplanes and other war materials is being speeded up, and this hay resulted in a good position as regards war preparedness. The Government has commandeered war material ordered from Sweden by foreign countries. "In addition it lifts bought four destroyers, motor torpedo-boats, and a large quantity of torpedoes from Italy, modern fighter aeroplanes from the United States, and reconnaissance machines, arms and munitions from Germany. "Important fortifications also have been carried out." TRAINING AIR PILOTS SCHEME SPEEDED UP MORE FACILITIES IN CANADA British Wireless LONDON, August 28 A reduction in the time for the training of aircraft pilots and crews under the Empire scheme, as a' result of an increase in facilities, has been announced. The High Commissioner for Canada has received a message from his Government that the training period of pilots will shortly be reduced from 24 to 21 weeks, and that for crews to 18 weeks. Without loss of efficiency, there will be an increase in the supply of trained crews. A resumption of deliveries to Canada from the United Kingdom of certain types of advanced training craft has made it possible to adhere to an accelerated plan for the opening of eight service flying schools instead of five, as provided for in the original schedule. Work is beginning on 15 more construction projects, the majority of which are units of tho Empire scheme. CATHOLIC BISHOPS CLAIM IN BERLIN "GRATITUDE TO GERMANS" LONDON, August 2S The Berlin news agency alleges that the German Roman Catholic bishops on August 24 decided that special ceremonies of gratitude to the German troops and of loyalty to Hitler will be arranged after the final German victory. The bishops, it is said, expressed their own thanks "for the German soldiers' victorious ,advance in the defence of the homeland, without which the Roman Catholic Church in Germany would be prevented from carrying out its care for souls."

"Such an utterance would be quite out of line with anything that the German bishops are known to have said since the outbreak of war," remarked Bishop Liston yesterday, when ho was asked to comment on the cablegram. "They have been exhorting their people to trust in God and to bear their hardships patiently, but the note of exultation over military successes or the justice of Hitler's cause has been wholly absent. This is markedly different from their attitude in the last war. "Another thing that makes one doubt the truthfulness of the report is that the bishops would be most unlikely to talk about victory at this stage; they would have too much sense," Bishop Liston added. "They are endeavouring to hold their people together, no doubt, in the hope that when the war is over the Church may be a stabilising influence and may be able to help in bringing about a better order of things. "It is worth noting that for some time past the Nazi Government has forbidden the publication of Papal encyclicals or even bishops' pastoral letters and their circulation in printed form, although they may be read to congregations in church. This throws still further doubt on the matter."