GRATITUDE OF DUTCH

Southland Times, Issue 24163, 27 June 1940, Page 5

GRATITUDE OF DUTCH

British Treatment Of Royal Family CONFIDENCE IN FUTURE (British Official Wireless) (Received June 26, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, June 25. Broadcasting from London Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands said:— “My first words to you are words of heartfelt gratitude to the British people here and in the great Dominion of Canada for the very kind reception and warm hospitality extended to my family and me after we had to leave our country.” Explaining why he and his family had to leave their country, Prince Bernhard said it had been clear from the first that the German objective was the capture of The Hague, the seat of government, and the Royal Family. Instructions had been found, he said, on the body of a dead German general to the effect that members of the Royal Family had to be captured and sent to Berlin if resistance was offered. _ The instructions continued that these prisoners would be dealt with in the Ger-

man capital in “accordance with the resistance offered.” He recalled how King Haakon of Norway had been followed by German bombers wherever he went. Members of his family and his Government had therefore to flee from the country in order that Dutch resistance might not be silenced. FREEDOM AT STAKE “There is far more at stake than the material welfare of the nations of Europe, great though that may be,” said Prince Bernhard. “It is no . less than the very existence of the spiritual freedom for which peace-loving nations have struggled throughout the centuries.”

Referring to the next objective of Germany—the British Navy, Prince Bernhard said: “Speaking as a citizen of a small European nation with a great seafaring tradition, I would like to say that the British Navy in recent history has not interfered with anyone except those who cherish aggressive intentions. On the contrary, it had a stabilizing influence in a very great part of the world. If ever the Nazi fleet should take the place of the British Navy then God help the world, but there are still forces to check Hitler’s boundless ambition, forces inside as well as outside the fighting arena, forces, too, that will prove to be stronger than mechanized brutality.

“The fight goes on. The Queen of the Netherlands is inspiring further resistance, to which the Dutch Empire and Dutchmen all over the world stand pledged. The Netherlands Government is organizing our share in the common effort. We feel confident in the company of our Allies. We have no fear as to the outcome of this momentous struggle.” ENEMY ACTIVITY IN AUSTRALIA SYDNEY, June 26. The State Ministers, feeling that the Federal Government is too lenient in its treatment of people engaged in subversive activities, are demanding that all enemy aliens in New South Wales should immediately be interned. The Minister of Transport, Mr M. F. Bruxner, said that the only policy for Australia was to intern not only enemy aliens, but also all who were engaged in subversion. The Federal Government had shown extraordinary apathy in handling what was a very grave matter in a critical period of Australia’s history. He added that when the full story of the work in this State, since the war began, of the Army Intelligence and its policy became known the people would be staggered by the far-reach-ing nature of enemy activity in AusThe Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies), replying to Mr Bruxner’s criticism said the public could rest assured that all the necessary action was being taken to intern enemy aliens, hundreds of whom were already in safe keeping. Mr Menzies added: “I prefer to accept the judgment of the Minister of the Army (Mr G. A. Street), who has unlimited power to intern, rather than Mr Bruxner’s, whose prime responsibility is to attend to the problems of his own State.”