BRITAIN'S "AUDACITY"

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 201, 19 August 1940, Page 3

BRITAIN'S "AUDACITY"

SPANISH PRESS LACKS PROPORTION VIEWS ON SEA POWER The Spanish press, in past weeks, insisted that Britain's defeat was imminent, and pointed out that "as the British fleet fled from the Italian Navy, Britain no longer ruled the seas!" The entire press so lacked a sense of proportion, that newspapers at present are "astonished at Britain's audacity in explaining their previous statements. The Madrid newspaper, A.8.C., stated: "Perhaps the war will not end as soon as some impatient people expect, but Germany is prepared for a long war." All previous press forecasts in Spain said that the attack and campaign against Britain would be lightning-like. The comment of the Yeni Satah sums up Turkish press opinion. "If Germany wanted a peace based on justice and rights, she would have stated lier conditions long ago, thereby wresting the principal moral weapon from Britain," the Yeni Satah states. Only one Turkish newspaper suggests that, in ,view ol past experiences, it would perhaps be opportune to consider a peace offer seriousljr. Turkish newspapers generally sug gest that Hitler's reference to the Soviet in his speech to the Reichstag indicates that Germany has given Russia a free hand in the Near East, and they declare: "This ' is not wording, because despite German propaganda efforts, TurkoSoviet relations continue to be friendly and mutually confident."