PACT WITH GERMANY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 September 1939, Page 5

PACT WITH GERMANY

RATIFIED BY RUSSIA UNANIMOUS DECISION. SUPREME SOVIET PARLIAMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) MOSCOW, August 31. The Supreme Soviet Parliament unanimously ratified the Russo-German Pact. NAZI HINTS HOPES OF MILITARY AID FROM RUSSIA. IF POLAND DOES NOT YIELD. LONDON, August 31. Hints emanating from the Wilhelmstrasse are that if Poland does not yield in some degree, military co-operation with the Soviet will be sought. The Nazi leader in Danzig. Herr Foerster, has left the capital. YOUTHS FOR SERVICE ADDITIONS TO RUSSIAN ARMY. VOROSHILOV’S DECLARATION. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) MOSCOW, August 31. Half a million men are expected to be adde(l to the Russian Army as a result of new laws announced by the War Minister, Marshal Voroshilov. The increase is being by reducing the conscription age from nineteen to seventeen. Marshal Voroshilov, announcing m Parliament the increase in the Army, said: “It is a warning to our enemies not to dare' to attempt to violate Soviet soil. We know the war will be cruel and that we shall be victorious.” He also announced that the Army and Navy had been doubled during the last three years. TELEPHONE SERVICES EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES. UNEXPLAINED SUSPENSION. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. The Telephone Exchange Supervisor reports that telephonic and teleprinter services from the Continent, including Germany, have been suspended without explanation. There is a similar suspension of United States overseas calls. WHITE RUSSIANS SERVING WITH FRENCH FORCES. (Received This Day, 9.0 a.m.) PARIS, August 31. The White Russian newspaper “La Renaissance,” in announcing that all White Russians have been summpned to the armed forces under the same conditions as Frenchmen says: ‘ Russian refugees are proud to represent the Russian national forces who will be the first to fight the Communist International.” EVACUATION PLANS MEASURES OF SAFETY FOR CHILDREN. LABOUR AND OTHER VIEWS IN BRITAIN.(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 30. There is some discussion in the Press as to the exact position in the time-table of precautionary civilian defence measures which should be taken by the evacuation from dangerareas of school children and the other categories, which include expectant mothers, young children and their mothers. ‘ The discussion arises out of the references to the subject in the House of Commons’ debate yesterday and in the interview between the Prime Minister, Mr Chamberlain, and a deputation from the National Council of Labour at which the matter was considered. In the House of Commons the Acting-Opposition Leader, Mr A. Greenwood, urged that the evacuation should be carried out at once, both so as to obviate any possibility of its not being complete before an outbreak of war and a risk of air attack and so as to gain experience of the working of the plans which might be invaluable for future use if, happily, the step taken proved unnecessary on the present occasion. While full weight is- being given to the considerations urged by Mr Greenwood and the National Council of Labour, the Government view up to now has been that evacuation entails such serious disorganisation, including four days’ interference with the normal transport arrangements, and inconvenience both to the famili* s of those to be evacuated and the households in the reception areas that the measure should only be taken when it is clearly imperative, and that to take it earlier is liable to create alarm and cause unnecessary anguish of mind to many people. In general, newspaper comment takes the line that the Government is in the best, position to choose the right moment for putting the evacuation scheme into effect. In the meantime the Government departments concerned and the local authorities are pushing ahead with plans for perfecting the arrangements in the case of a possible evacuation. The provision of educational facilities may entail the use of schools in . the reception areas on a “double shift" system. The need for organising the use of children’s leisure time when away from home and for the most part from the control of their parents is not being overlooked.