The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-24
BRITAIN
BRITAIN PUSHES
DEFENSE AGAINST
POSSIBLE INVASION
CONTINUED From Page One)

lions alike reflected q feeling 81
tens1ty and Illustration no evident
since the Germans swept toward
Paris in the World War.
A tendency to accept a theory that
the government is gravely worried
and might be announcing less thar
it knows marked the gloom for the
average citizen.
The most immediate threat an
peared to be across the channel
where German officers on the hills
ABOVE Boulogne trained their ylas.
ses on the white cliffs of England.
All reports indicated the Nazi iron
cavalry Is smashing it's way with pre-.
clslon through the thinned and
weary ranks of the British expedi.
tlonary forces and pounding at the
outer gates Of England at Boulogne,
across the channel.
Leading Columns
Behind the German advance lie.
g1ons, more tanks and armored r
are reported leading long gray col.
umns through the gap at Audenarde
toward Ostend and ~Seebrugge, also
vital channel ports.
Earlier today when the peril of the
hour attained the highest pitch in
English history, Prime Minister
Winston Churchill, sombre and
grave, told a silent house of commons
that hope for Britain's cornered
army rests with the counter-attack
that General Maxine Weygand, AL.
lied chief is preparing with French
divisions along the Aisne river.
1T is too early yet to say what
the results Of this coastal fighting
may be-" said Churchill in the short.
est message he has yet given ON the
war situation, but it evidently car
ries with it implications of a serious
character"
Tells of Gains
He detailed briefly the German
gains across the channel, said Brit
ish communications were threatened,
that heavy fighting was going on at
Boulogne only 26 miles from Folk
stone, England, and that Abbeville
France, was in enemy hands.
Ut was at Boulogne that Napo
Icons grand army spent 13 months
waiting for the French fleet to clear
the channel of English sails.)
AS in the dark hours of 1915 Brit.
ain cast uneasy eyes upon Ireland,
Clement r. Attlee, lord privy sea-
and spokesman for Churchill in co
mons, assured members that al
phases Of the Irish situation had
been considered.
From Dublin came word that nor.
mally neutral Fire having called up
all its reserves, is guarding all ports
and watching foreign shipping from
armed trawlers and torpedo boats.
Parachute invasion and general de-
tense coordination were the subject
of Irish conferences.
Issues Warning
Ireland's deputy prime minister
Sean O'Kelly, warned that the gov
eminent would not let anyone "try
to take advantage of the disunity
of u people to exploit this country
for the advantage of some Other
country"
The fifth column defense drive
included expulsion of 1877 members
Of the outlawed Irish republican
army from Britain.
Besides Mosley and Ramsay those
arrested included John Beckett, sec
rotary of the British peoples party
and organizer Of mo more war"
Reports from the front except for
the sustained brilliance of the ali
force were disheartening. Genera.
officers stalked through corridors
Of the war office in grim silence.
One of these officers asked that
the significance of the British coun'
ter-attack in the Arras-Douai be not
Exaggerated" He pointed out that
such purely local actions are moth
ing like the full counter-attack fol-
which generals and privates alike
are awaiting hopefully.
Developments of the day included
C%hurchill's statement that Britain
never would conclude a separate
peace with Germany.
Neville Chamberlain originally
made such a pledge when he was
prime minister.
Alfred Duff Cooper, minister Of
information, said events Of the last
few weeks have done more for the
cause Of the Allies in the United
States than eight months Of propa
ganda."
Addressing the English speaking
union the minister, recently in the
United States on a speaking tour, de
clared that danger is a test o:
friendship and this country is in q
fearful danger today"
I'VE can leave it to the people O.
that great country (the United
States) to decide for themselves what
line they should take and when II
the affairs of the civilized world
he added.