MENACE OF FORCE

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20950, 1 November 1939, Page 8

MENACE OF FORCE

BASELESS CHARGES

SINKING OF SHIP

AUSTRALIAN WOOL

INCREDIBLE MISERIES - H ARCHBISHOP’S INDICTMENT A SATANIC SPIRIT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Nov. 1, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 31 The Archbishop of Canterbury, speaking at the Diocesan Conference, asked if we could doubt that the world is now confronted by a menace of force which really and truly is an evil. “Consider the persecution and cruelty inflicted on a people whose only crime was their blood or their loyalty to religion and conscience,” he said. “Consider all the almost incredible miseries suffered in the concentration camps, which stain the record of the present rulers of Germany. “We are using no mere language of exaggeration when we describe this spirit, armed with ruthless force, as in truth Satanic. “There are some among us who feel passionately that the use of a countervailing force, with all its terrible consequences, is against the mind of Christ. I must respect their conscience, but I cannot doubt that a Christian citizen is fully aware of his support and service to his country.”

USE OF POISON GAS ALLEGATIONS BY GERMANY STRONG DENIAL BY BRITAIN (Official Wireless) (Received Nov. 1, 3.15 p.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 31 The War Office announces that despite its statement issued on October 20, in which the German allegations that Britain had supplied poison gas to Poland were categorically denied for the third time, Germany continues to circulate in neutral countries by pamphlet and wireless repetitions and elaborations of the same baseless charge.

Since October 20 the Polish Government also has issued a categorical denial that poison gas was ever supplied in any form by Britain to Poland, and a Swiss doctor who examined German soldiers alleged tc be the victims of British poison gas in Poland has declared in an interview on October 23 that he “found no evidence indicating in what circumstances the poisoning has occurred,” and that he had at the time “feared that his statement would be misused for anti-British propaganda.”

Alleged Circumstantial Evidence

The justification put forward by Germany for repeating its charges is that what it calls “laconic answer” is not sufficient rebuttal of what it claims to be a “charge proved by circumstantial evidence.” This so-called circumstantial evidence consists of the following assertions:

(1) That large dumps of mustard gas mines were found at or near Oxhoeft, in the vicinity of Gdynia, and were stored among war material supplied by Britain,

(2) That Polish dockers admit having unloaded at night shortly before the war all the material found in these dumps.

(3) That mustard gas mines and shells discovered near various towns in Poland were accounted for on delivery forms showing that they had been distributed from the dump at Oxhoeft mentioned above.

This the sole connection between Britain and the poison gas alleged to have been found anywhere in Poland is that this gas came from the Oxhoeft dump, and that this dump had been filled from British ships. Reply to Charges The following is therefore a further reply to this charge. It is still necessarily laconic but none the less complete. The Board of Trade, through a system of export, licenses for raw materials, maintains the strictest control and complete records of all exports of munitions. A detailed ex-' amination of these records and every possible source of supply shows that nothing of the kind at any time has been sent to Poland.

MEMBERS OF CREW MISSING LANDING OF SURVIVORS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlrbt) (Received Nov. 1, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 31

Three members of the crew of the British cargo steamer Caimmona are missing. Forty-one others landed in lifeboats, following an explosion without warning. Five of the crew of the Juno are missing. One survivor died.

PRICE TO BE PAID lUnlted Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) SYDNEY, Oct. 31. It is now revealed that the Australian Woolgrowers’ Council has recommended that the price paid by the British Government for Australian wool should be 15£ Australian pence per lb. for a contract for one year, and 171 pence if the contract was for the duration of the war and 12 months afterwards-