AWAITING DEVELOPMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 23688, 23 September 1940, Page 5

AWAITING DEVELOPMENTS

EGYPTIAN CABINET'S DECISION FOUR MINISTERS RESIGN CAIRO, September 22. (Received September 23, at 8 a.m.) Four prominent pro-war Ministers resigned, and new Ministers have been appointed. It is stated that Cabinet refused to be rushed into decisions, and was determined to await developments before declaring war. An earlier message stated that as the R.A.F., artillery, and warships relentlessly pound Marshal Graziana’s supply columns west of Sidi Egyptian party leaders continue the conferences with the Government with regard to a declaration of war. Ahmed Maher, the leader of the Saadist Party and Speaker in the Chamber, is heading the campaign for Egypt’s entry into the war, and in a speech said: “The enemhy has invaded our country and attacked our children. We cannot be onlookers, and must disregard our own strength and stand beside our strong ally, whose mighty Fleet and mighty Air Force have astounded the world. They have proved) able to frustrate the enemy and confound him.”

SAADIST PARTY'S CRITICISM UNDERTAKING NOT CARRIED BUT LONDON, September 22. (Received September 23, at 1 p.m.) The Cairo correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says the Saadist Party withdrew its Cabinet representatives on the ground that the-,Government had failed to carry out its undertaking to declare war if Italy invaded Egypt. The Premier refused to allow the incident to lead to a Cabinet crisis, and obtained the King’s consent to replace the resigned Ministers by combining some of the portfolios and drawing on the Ministers without portfolio. The Cabinet supports the Premier’s contention that Italian occupation of 60 miles of waterless desert is unimportant and does not represent an attack. Should the threat to Egypt increase the Government’s resolution to defend the country will be fulfilled. The Government now depends on Wafdists for support. AIR ACTIVITY BRITISH REPORTS' FROM CAIRO (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 22. (Received September 23, at 1.20 p.m.) On Saturday morning Alexandria was bombed by enemy aircraft, causing negligible damage and very few casualties. * Enemy aircraft again raided Haifa on Saturday afternoon. Bombs were dropped on various quarters of the town, causing a certain amount of damage, the buildings affected being a mosque and a Moslem cemetery. Thirty-two persons were killed and 18 injured. All were Arabs. It is believed that at least two enemy aeroplanes were hit by anti-aircraft fire. On the other fronts there is nothing to report. A R.A.F. Cairo communique states that a scries of reconnaissance flights were carried out by the R.A.F. on Saturday over enemy territory in the western desert and valuable information obtained. At Sidi Barrani our bombers raided an aerodrome and troop positions. Bombs burst among the aerodrome buildings close to a group of three enemy fighters. Direct hits were registered on a supply dump. All our aircraft returned safely. In East Africa the South African Air Force aircraft attacked Birkao. Buildings were bombed and several fires started. A small factory was damaged and 70 per cent, of the buildings was gutted. ’ ' R.A.F. bombers, operating from the Sudan, raided the Tessenei aerodrome. One enemy aircraft, a Caproni 133, was badly damaged by a near miss. An enemy bomber to raid Aden on Saturday, but was driven off. Another was treated in a similar fashion shortly afterwards. No damage was done.