GERMAN ATTACK AWAITED

Southland Times, Issue 23946, 12 October 1939, Page 5

GERMAN ATTACK AWAITED

REGULAR TROOPS IN SIEGFRIED LINE DEFENCES THREATENED BY FLOODING (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 11, 7.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 10. The Paris correspondent of The New York Times (Mr G. H. Archambault) says that the reason for the unusual German activity on the Rhine and Moselle was revealed today. The West Wall (Siegfried Line) is now manned entirely by regulars, many of whom doubtlessly fought in Poland. It is believed with the German peace offer virtually rejected, that the .Germans will act soon. Their reconnoitring is most marked in the Moselle and Saarbrucken sectors.

Unlike the reservists who they have replaced, the patrols do not retreat as soon as they are fired upon, but persevere until they can throw grenades. Yesterday and today they came within grenade range of the French advanced 'positions, apparently hoping to entice the defenders into , a hand-to-hand skirmish in which prisoners might be taken, but the French drove them off with machine-guns. ■ It is reported from Paris that Herr Hitler has ordered that the French must be driven out of Germany. Millions are now facing each other ready for the big German push to wipe out the blow to Nazi pride because the war is being fought on German soil. If such an attempt materializes, the Germans will face stern resistance from the French who have constructed a series of miniature Maginot Lines as they advanced.

If the Germans succeeded in regaining the lost ground they would then be faced with the fortress of Thionville which would cost 1,000,000 lives to capture. The Germans might seek to avoid it by violating the neutrality of Luxembourg, but France is prepared for this and all other contingencies.

The weather on the Western Front is deteriorating rapidly. ( A report from Basle (Switzerland) says that rain has caused the Rhine to rise, threatening sections of the Siegfried Line. Flooding is inevitable if it rises higher. A French war communique says that enemy patrols continue active, particularly east and west of the Saar. The French and German artillery is active in the same regions. The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press of America states that the French show no disposition to strike, but, are content to let winter and the blockade destroy Nazism. ANTIQUATED POLISH STRATEGY FAILURE TO PREPARE ■DEFENCES Giving what he believes to be the reasons for Poland’s rapid downfall, the special correspondent of The Daily Mail, London, Mr G. Ward Price, says “All last summer the 'British and French General Staffs were urging the Poles to prepare defensive positions, but Marshal Smigly-Rydz persisted in relying on a ‘war of .movement’ and thereby sealed Poland’s fate. “The Polish General Staff was ini competent' and represented mostly guerrilla fighters without technical knowledge. “The Poles asked the Allies to send aircraft when their antiquated strategy collapsed, but it was impossible to send fighters because they had not the range necessary to cross German territory. “It would have been impracticable to send bombers because' the Polish bombs would not fit their bomb-racks. Polish aerodromes and repair shops were destroyed.” PORTUGAL’S FIDELITY TO ALLIANCE DR STATEMENT WELCOMED IN LONDON RUGBY, October 11. The reference to the Anglo-Portu-guese alliance in the message delivered yesterday by the Portuguese dictator (Dr Oliveira Salazar) to a special session of the Portuguese National Assembly has been warmly welcomed in official circles in London. Dr Salazar’s speech, with its expressions of friendship and fidelity to the alliance has given great satisfaction in London, and the present attitude of the Portuguese Government meets with profound understanding. The Portuguese Government’s policy is held to be one that well serves the mutual interests of the British and Portuguese peoples. President Carmona’s friendly allusions to his recent visit to South Africa are noted in London with pleasure, and it is believed they will be highly appreciated in the union itself. LORD NUFFIELD’S GIFT TO RED CROSS . (Received October 11, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 10. Lord Nuffield paid £lOO,OOO for a Red Cross flag-day emblem, thus fulfilling his promise to give that sum to the Red Cross fund when £250,000 had been raised by public subscription.