THREAT BY FRANCE

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21367, 11 March 1941, Page 5

THREAT BY FRANCE

WARSHIPS TO CONVOY FOOD SHIPS 40,000,000 PEOPLE MUST BE FED “GERMANY IS MORE GENEROUS THAN BRITAIN" (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 11, 1 p.m.) VICHY, March 10 A threat to order French warships to convoy food ships if Britain continued to seize and sink them was made by'Admiral Darlan at a press conference. He said: “ I am responsible for feeding 40,000,000 people in France and additional millions in Africa, and I will ieed them even if I have to use force. “The Germans, by releasing 2,000,000 quintals of wheat earmarked for the army of occupation, have proved more generous than the British, but I still hope for more generous action from England. "In the hope of a belter understanding with England I will not protect food ships for a few weeks, hut if this fails I will seek Marshal Petain’s authorisation to convoy them. "1 told Admiral Leahy last night that a blockade alone is powerless to starve Germany. The blockade does not harm Germany. It touches only peoples not participating in the war.” Marshal Petain, who frequently nodded approval of Admiral Darlan s statement, said: “'W'e need American aid now as never before. We are in a bad way, and the next few weeks will be worse still. We have planted as much as we could, hut without fertilisers and fuel we are restricted. There will not he enough wheat in the next harvest to carry us through another winter.”

BRITISH ADVANCE HUGE AREA OCCUPIED EAST AFRICA CAMPAIGN RETREAT OF ITALIANS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright y LONDON, March 10 British troops now occupy almost two-thirds of Italian East Africa. In two months they have captured 100,000 square miles in Italian Somaliland, 29,000 square miles in Eritrea, 39,000 square miles to the south and west of Lake Tsana, in Abyssinia, 10,000 square miles in Abyssinia in the drive from Kurmuk, and 10,000 square miles on the Kenya front. This doas not include large gains resulting from the record-breaking drive of East African armoured forces on the main road from Mogadiscio to Harar. These forces are probably nearer Harar than has hitherto been indicated. They are driving an important wedge between British Somaliland and the rest of East Africa, and menace the railway from Addis Ababa to Jibuti. They have advanced 1000 miles in six weeks and are now approaching the area of Graziani’s drive to the Ogaden district in 1936. During the short rains which are normally due in April, the terrain will be more difficult. Difficulties will also be encountered as the Abyssinian highlands are approached, but the magnificent road will be of n*uch assistance. Italians in Flight The Italians from Ogaden are in full flight. British aeroplanes report white flags at points over 100 miles ahead of the most advanced British forces in area, where the Italians are believed to have no forts before Harar. South Africans from Lugh Ferrandi, in Italian Somaliland, have occupied Dolo, on the Abyssinian border, and are pushing on to the J north-west, a line roughly parallel to that of the Mogadiscio-Harar advance, but further south. A Cairo headquarters communique states: "British troops in Italian j Somaliland are now well over halfi way from Mogadiscio to Harar, and have captured a town 240 miles from Harar.” In western Abyssinia patriots from Burye have driven the Italians beyond Dambacha, keeping up merciless pressure from all sides. The Italians at Keren are still stubbornly resisting. They number at least 40,000 and include some of j the best Eritrean regiments, with a stiffening of Savoy Grenadiers. Little Disease Amongst Troops An East African correspondent remarks that the low casualties sustained by the Imperial forces against the Italians have been equalled by the triumph of the medical authorities m preventing the progress of disease among the troops, says a British official wireless message. In earlier wars in this field there has been a terrible danger of heavy death rates. In eight months only 35 Europeans have died of sickness. African deaths of all diseases were at the rate of only three per 1000 annually. Sickness rates in the field were slightly lower than among troops in camp. In earlier wars it was not uncommon to have more than half the men laid up with malaria and deaths fr ° m dysentery were numerous. So iar there has been little malaria, and dysentery reported has , a medium type. Probabl* two-thirds of the improvement is and hve e tCr know;ed ge and health and hygiene precautions. About 2 Africans f ° r “ s "mg causes im‘h re ,a h u ospi,al from all disease pi‘ m ' ougb dents and •> 5 d J e \ . Pla gue, sleeping sickness and* typhoid are unknown. Successful Operations stite? a in°T dqua /l ers com munique -tales. Jn Libya and Eritrea the situ.- * lon remains unchanged, land ~ byi>sinia and Italian Somalilh operations continue to progress successfully.” pro^

SEIZED BY BRITAIN FRENCH SHIP OFF AFRICA STRONG PROTEST MADE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 11, 1.0 p.m.) LONDON, March 10 It is officially announced that a British cruiser seized the Ville de Majunga southward of Capetown. The Ville de Majunga was en route to Madagascar from Dakar. The French Government has made an energetic protest to South Africa. DOLLAR SECURITIES ACQUISITION ORDER MADE BRITISH INDIA RESIDENTS (Onicial wireless) (Received March 11. 11.40 a.m.) RUGBY. March 10 The India Office announces that an acquisition order has been made by the Government of India, affecting the holdings of certain leading American dollar securities owned by residents in British India. Permission will be granted to effect the delivery of securities held for safe custody in the United Kingdom by lodgement at the Bank of England, London, and for securities so held in the United States by lodgement with an agency, the Bank of Montreal, New York. Similar orders have been made by the Government of Burma and by the Indian States. NEARING THE END FIGHTING IN ABYSSINIA ENEMY FALLING BACK GENERAL SMUTS’ CONFIDENCE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, March 10 The Prime Minister of ■ South Africa. General Smuts, has returned to Pretoria from his visits to Nairobi and Cairo. He said he did not thrnk the campaign in Abyssinia would last very long. A conference in which Mr Anthony Eden, General Wavell and , Admiral Cunningham took part had < been held at Cairo, during which a ] plan to expedite the campaign had ; been discussed. General Smuts said that things were going remarkably well. The Somaliland campaign was practically finished and he believed that the campaign in Abyssinia was entering upen its final stage. The enemy was now falling back on the inner circle. General Smuts said the talks at Cairo, at which the world war situation was fully considered, were most .Umely and fruitful.