NAMES AND PLACES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 36, 1 March 1940, Page 2

NAMES AND PLACES

The Strong Man of France Edouard Daladier, Prime Minister of France, works 15 hours a day. Until the war ends he will also hold the portfolios of Minister of War and Minister of Foreign Affairs, which means that he is constantly besieged by a stream of callers and officials. Daladier is a widower and the son of a baker, His inexhaustible energy is conserved by good sleep, and he likes to go to bed immediately after dinner, which is usually a late meal. He reads during this meal, usually the works of the French poet, Mistral. Daladier rises at six and takes his breakfast of coffee and a roll. During this quick meal he reads a few passages from a book of 16th century sermons because he likes the beauty of their style and the purity of the ianguage, a model for his own speeches. His secretaries must frame their reports in perfect French. If any mistakes are noted, back they go, for this ex-school-master is a martinet and the terror of his typists and secretaries. He even corTects articles in the daily papers, making comment in the margins. Before war broke out Daladier cycled to his office; now he lives in the War Ministry. He rolls his own cigarettes and is a chain smoker. Admiral Darlan, Chief of the French Navy, is one of his closest friends and often arrives for lunch with a bottle of rare wine, which he and Daladier both enjoy. Callers are expected to be brief. If one of them begins to unfold a story beginning "I was told,’ Daladier barks, " Ah. And by whom?" He is a stocky man, familiarly known as the "Bull of Carpentras," the village in which he was born 56 years ago, World’s Smallest Submarine Lake Ladoga (or Laatokka) half of which belongs to Finland and the other half to Russia, contains a vast coastline which must be defended. Finland keeps one ‘submarine there, the smallest submarine in the world. It weighs only 99 tons. Active fighting has taken place on the frozen surface of the lake, and one of the world’s champion skaters, fighting with the Finnish forces, was killed by

Russian sharp-shooters while speeding across the ice with messages. Port of Suez Men of the ist Echelon would not see much of Suez, when they landed in Egypt. They would disembark at Port Tewfik, which is some distance from the

town and the real entrance to the Suez Canal. Trains wait on the wharves there, but they pass through the outskirts of Suez on the beginning of their journey. For many miles the railway line follows along the canal and skirts the Egyptian side of the Great Bitter Lake. At Ismailia, on Lake Timsah, it turns sharply

into the desert and follows the Ismailia Canal for some distance towards Heliopolis and Cairo. Battle Pictures for Trentham The Mayor of Masterton, Mr. T. Jordan, has presented a fine collection of reproductions of battle pictures to Trentham Camp. These have been hung in the office of the Camp Commandant, Lieut.-Colonel McHugh, M.C. The pictures are reproductions of famous paint-

ings by many of the world’s best known artists. By Lake Ladoga Sortavala, where fierce patrol fighting has taken place between Russian and Finnish forces, contains some of the largest and finest forests in Finland. It is at the northern end of Lake Ladoga. Here, also, is the island of Valamo, on which is situated the Valamo monastery, last remaining institution of the great Russian Orthodox Church. The picturesque island is 25 miles on the Finnish side of the frontier line across the lake and the Finns have allowed the ancient monastery to continue ever since the Soviet came into power. In recent years coastal batteries and. a garrison have been installed on the island. Communication between Valamo and the mainland is maintained only at night because of the attacks of Soviet ’planes scouting above the lake. On the frozen surface of Lake Ladoga the Russians are using armoured sledges, propelled by pusher type airplane propellers. These develop great speed but are unwieldy to handle.

Cheap-rate Cablegrams for Soldiers The Postmaster-General, the Hon. F., Jones, has announced that arrangements have been made for cheap-rate cablegrams, having reference to urgent private matters, to be accepted for despatch to members of His Majesty’s Army or Air Force serving abroad. The service is not yet available to Canada or Egypt. The rate will be 5d a word for the text and signature, with a minimum charge of 2s 6d for each message. No charge will be made for the words contained in the address, which should include full particulars of the addressee’s number, rank, unit, etc. Similar messages will be accepted from soldiers serving abroad addressed to their relatives in New Zealand. The Minister stated that negotiations for the extension of the service to include Canada and Egypt were proceeding. Tackling the Tanks "When they were expecting a tank attack, the Finns sometimes dug holes in the ground and squatted waiting there. Some of them were armed only with shotguns, They waited patiently .and coolly until the tanks came close and then fired through the slots. Time and again this set fire to the tanks’ fuel supply and they blew up. It was such tactics that partly accounted for the huge number of Russian tanks put out of action. "To me personally their moving appeal for assistance has gone home, Since I've returned to London I've rallied my friends and we’re trying to procure one aeroplane to give Finland as a gesture. It’s not much, but it’s something."’-H, McGrady Bell, broadcasting for the BBC, It is announced that Mr. Bell got his aeroplane.