Evening star., 1940-03-21
British Government
Reorganization Seen
Over Easter Holiday
Simon and Houre Draw
Fire; Raids on Baltic
Bases Are Expected
By the Associated Press.

StrucC MS caDlnet during the interval
before sittings are resumed April 2.
The House of Commons session
ended with outspoken criticism of
. two cabinet bigwigs, Chancellor of
the Exchequer Sir John Simon and
Lord Privy Seal Sir Samuel Hoare,
voiced by Geoffrey Mander of the
liberal opposition.
1T is widely felt throughout the
country that the chancellor of the
exchequer and the lord privy seal
'are heavy liabilities both at home
and abroad" he said.
Speculation outside Commons
mentioned Air Minister Sir Kingsley
Wood and Supply Minister Leslie
Burgln as ministers likely to be dis
placed by the Prime Minister in re-
shaping his cabinet for more vigor-
GUS prosecution of war tasks.
Demands Smaller Cabinet.
Mr.. Mander demanded that a
smaller war cabinet be formed. senti-
= ment which has been expressed fire.
quently in recent weeks.
The Air Ministry, meanwhile. an
nounced that one German plane had
appeared today over the Shetland
Islands and then vanished without
dropping bombs when British fight
ing craft took to the air.
Children in the locality left their
schools for air raid shelters during
a 15-minute raid warning.
British vessel, its name undis-
closed, was bombed last night off
the south coast. Five members of
the crew were killed.
Opposition criticism was reused
IN Commons by the governments s
colonial policy and particularly
withholding of royal commissions
=. report on conditions in the West
Indies.
Colonial Secretary Malcolm Mac
Donald acknowledged West Indian
conditions are bad, but asserted they
are no worse than lin many other
countries"
Baltic Bases May Be Next.
Germany's -bristling sub
marine bases in the Baltic are the
next probable targets of British
bombers, it was reported meanwhile
as the belligerents disputed the re-
suits OF their heavy exchange of
blows across the North Sea.
The Admiralty belittled a German
contention that nine British war
ships and merchantmen had been
sunk IN an air attack on a CONVOY
OF the Scottish Coast yesterday.
Actually, it said, only one Nor
Weglan ship had to be abandoned
and another Norwegian and Swed-
lsh steamer were hit. Two naval
planes and anti-aircraft guns drove
on 10 German Heinkel bombers, it
asserted.
However, 1t was announced later
that 80 men were feared lost from
Two Danish ships, the 2,1O9-ton
Bothal and the 1.153-ton Viking,
sunk off the northeast coast of
scotland yesterday The manner
OF their sinking was not disclosed
"A hfeooat landed seven survivors
early today.
. DNB, official German news agency
SAID nine ships sunk totaled AZ non
tons and two others of 1000 tons
were damaged badly. The agency
acknowledged that one German
plane had failed to return.
The Danish steamer Minsk. 900
tohs' was sunk by torpedo and shell
flre Tuesday night, it was dis
closed today when nine survivors
!anoed at Scottish east coast town.
twenty of the crew are missing.
Reprisal for Sylt Raid.
The German raid was in reprisal
ior the British bombardment of Sylt
Island Tuesday night and Wednes-
oay mornlng-a raid that was itself
IN reprlsal for Saturdays German
bombing of the British naval base
at Scapa Flow.
Watchers along England's SOUTH
east coast reported that mysterious
pomoer, believed to be German.
dropped white, orange, red and
green flares during the night
intense activity of British coastal
defense forces last night led to re-
ports that German planes were an
preaching, but there were no veri-
ned reports of plane visits TODAY
, besides that Of the dropping
craft.
British fighting planes, however
were reported ranging far out to sea
with other patrols active along a
wide stretch of coast.
Tonic for British Spirits.
The Sylt raid, in which British
onclals said great damage was done
10 the German seaplane station. was
spring tonic for the spirits of the
whole British nation. The flyers
themselves expressed relief at being
permitted to "cut loose" at last after
Their long series of pamphlet raids
ana reconnaissance tours over Ger
man soil.
The Exchange Telegraph Agency
reported 49 giant bombers had mar.
ticipated in the Sylt raid, 48 of them
returning safely.
Sir Kingsley detailed the Svlt ex-
plot happily to the House of Com
mons yesterday, but did not reply
when a member advised him:
Bear in mind that the country
sincerely hopes this will be no iso-
lated instance"
Nevertheless, reports persisted
that Germany's submarine nests and
shipyards in the land-locked Baltic
Sea would be probable objects of
attack.
Danes to Protest Bombing.
The Baltic is sheltered from the
North Sea by Denmark. Reports
from Copenhagen said that 10 bombs
were dropped on Danish soil during
the British raid on Sylt and that the
Danish Minister to London would
protest.
Scores of Germany's most
DANCE LESS0 Ms