CRITICAL DAYS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 141, 15 May 1940, Page 7

CRITICAL DAYS

LONG STRUGGLE EXPECTED. AMERICA ENDANGERED. Received May 15, -11.40 a.m. NEW \Ulllv, Alay 14. The British Ambassador (Lord Lothian), in a speecti to the English-speak-ing Union, said: “The next tuirty days may decide whether Hitler is to receive a serious setback or whether there will be an effective barrier, left to the dictatorial domination of Europe, Asia and Africa in which event i the united otates would lie isolated"and alone.” Lord Lothian stated that Hitler evidently intends to try to gain a decision this year before Britain’s huge resources, including 50,000 pilots expected annually from Canada, can be assemb.ed. lie also apparently intends to induce other military dictatorships to come in this year on his side. Even if the Allies are able to check Hitler's thrust this mouth the struggle will be tar worn ended. The British, from the beginning, said the war would last at least three years. Lord Lothian reviewed the Canadian air scheme and said New Zealand, Australia and South Africa had similar schemes on a smaller scale. “The issue between Hitler and the Allies is nakedly clear,” he said, “namely, the ideais of individual freedom, self-government and democracy against a system which respects none of these spiritual values. 1 have no doubt that in the end freedom w.ll prevail —the only question is the amount of sufferin'- we bring upon ourselves before we learn the lesson.” GROWTH OF LAWLESSNESS. AAIEIUCAN CONCERN. WASHINGTON, May 13. “Recent years have seen truly terrifying developments in the contravention of essential conditions lor the effective I'uuuciouiiig of an orderly world,” sa;d the Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) in a statement. “There has been a staggering, multiplication •of instances in wlinli solemn contractual obligations have been brushed aside with contemptuous gestures and destructive action. We cannot close our eyes to what is going on elsewhere in the world or delude ourselves with the mere hope that all this will pass us by.” Addressing the American Scientific Congress to-day, Air Cordell Hull said that in some nations science had been reduced to the sorry state of the handmaiden of aggression and brute force. Weapons made possible by great scientific discoveries were being wielded by some nations in pursuit of policies of aggression and aggrandisement. The nation which sacrificed freedom of thought or denied the dignity of the human soul doomed itself inevitably to decadence. DEFENCE EXPANSION.

The Senate debated the enlargement of national defence after Senator Lodge had introduced a resolution seeking the appointment of a commission of five Senators and five Representatives to formulate a new United States military policy and recommend needed appropriations. Senator Lodge said the United States is able to place only 75,000 adequately trained troops in the field, although the nation’s nominal military strength totals 423,000. NETHERLANDS POSITION. JAPANESE SATISFACTION. TOKIO. May 13. Tire Japanese Government feels that for the present it Ims obtained satisfactory assurances, that no change is intended in the political or economic situation in the Netherlands East Indies. according to persons close to the Foreign Minister (Mr Arita). The Government will continue, however, to watch the situation with the closest attention. "It won’t he caught unawares by untoward events.” tire informant said. The vernacular Press in Batavia gives pi ominence to a protest of the Japanese Consul-General (Mr Utiji Saito) to the Governor-General against increasing anti-Japanese agitation. Instances cited are that on Friday Dutcli hoys parading at Bandoeng against Germany, upon passing a Japanese shop, shouted, “Drive out the Japanese.” The Fatherland Club has also adopted a resolution demanding a search of Japanese homos suspected of hiding arms. CARE OF REFUGEES. QUEEN’S APPRECIATION. (British Official Wireless.) 1 Received Mav 15, 9.47 a.m. RUGBY,''May 14. The Queen of England is sending a personal message by post on a specially designed card to every householder who has c-ared for children and mothers who were moved in the early part of the war under the evacuation scheme. . Queen Elizabeth’s message says: “1 know that to this unselfish task you have sacrificed much of your own coin fort, and that could not have been achieved without the loyal co-opera-tion of all your household. I wish to mark my appreciation of the service yon have rendered your country.” The total recipients of the message are estimated, at 320,000.