LULL MIGHT BE BROKEN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21555, 18 January 1940, Page 7

LULL MIGHT BE BROKEN

Allies Ready For Acute Strain

Neutral Courage Praised Review By Prime Minister British Official Wireless RUGBY, January 16. Reference to the renewed anxiety at the week-end about German designs against Belgium and the Netherlands and the natural wish for precautions by the two Governments,” was made in the House of Commons to-day by the Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain) in his weekly review of the war. “We cannot but admire the calm and courageous attitude of the two Governments and the Belgian and Dutch peoples,” he said. “At the moment there is a lull in operations,” he continued. “At any time that might be broker.. Perhaps in a few weeks, or even in a few hours, there may be events which will change the history of the world. We in this country hope, as do the people of every nation, that the just and lasting peace we are seeking will not be long delayed. “On the other hand it may well be that the war is about to enter upon a more acute phase. If that shou’d prove to be the case we are ready for it. and in common with our Allies, we will spare no effort and no sacrifice that will be necessary t> secure the victory on which we are determined.” In the course of his review of the war, Mr Chamberlain referred to the heroic and successful resistance of Finland and he intimated arrangements had been made for the supply of certain war material from Britain, adding: “I can assure the ouse that the amounts involved are substantial.” The situation in the Far East continued to be dominated by the SinoJapanese hostilities, and there was no warrant for optimism regarding :.n early settlement, said the Prune Minister. However, the British Government had welcomed the recent action by the Japanese Government in the direction of relaxing some of the restrictions which, from time to time, had caused difficulty and tension. He hoped that the Mediterranean area . uld long continue to be spared the suffering and horror of war.

Certain dislocations in n jrmal life had been and would remain inevitable, but it was the British aim. ‘le . .irsuing the war with all determination, to avoid as far as is consistent with that object, injury to th- interests neutral Powers. Allie ' Co-operation Speaking of Fra neo-British cooperation. MT Chamberlain said that in the field of supply the closest cooperation existed between the depa’ ments concerned in Britain and ..hose of France. As a result of the financial agreement, the unity of action of the two countries had been made complete. “Indeed,” he declared, “it is our hope, as I have stated elsewhere, that the system of collaboration which has been thus involved may, in time, form the basis of closer relations i the economic and financial sphere between the nations of Europe and of the world, and so facilitate the work of peaceful reconstruction to which we look forward after the successful termination of the war.” Turning to the several theatres of war, the Prime Mi .istei said that patrolling and artillery fire had con tinned on the Western Front and the British troops in the Maginot Line sector had taken their full share of activities. During the last month air activity been hampered by short daylight and by fog and snow-covored landing grounds. The ’- -'itish air forces none the Ijss were ccntinuous.y

L. action, in particular over the whole battle area of the North Sea. Every week considerable British forces had flown to he Heligoland Bight and approachec t the Baltic in search of the Gern an fleet as it might venture out to sea.

Speaking of the Empire’s war effort, Mr Chamberlain said that special forces .’n New Zealand and Australia had now received ntensive training, and would he rtly take their places where they were needed most. ’ i addition there was now .u obdac.e t- the operation of the great Empire air training scheme in Canada. Newfoundland had re rifted several hundred men for patrol duty.

In India, he said, enlistments wei higher than the number required. De spite German propaganda, the situ ation in India was calmer than for number of years.