Evening star., 1940-01-08
Parliament Recall
Demanded on Case
OF Hore-BeIisha
British Lobor Leaders
Are Reported Pressing
For Full Explanation
py the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan 8.-Indignant de-
mands were made today that Par
Lament meet quickly for full ex-
planation of the dismissal of Leslie
Hore-Belisha as war secretary.
Expecting no full account from
Prime Minister Chamberlain in a
scheduled talk tomorrow, Labor
leaders in the House Of Commons
were reported pressing for a ses-
sion before the Parliament meet
ing set for January is.
The home office, meanwhile, an
nounced Vice Admiral c. v osborne,
director of the censorship divisions
of the press and censorship bureau.
had resigned and that Osborne, in
\entor of the paravane to protect
ships against mines. would under
taAe new work of national i'm
portance' in connection with spe-
ciahzed naval construction.
Reports previously that he would
resign said his Office would be abol-
ished, leaving full powers in hands
| of Sir Walter T. Monckton, director
general of the Press and Censorship
Bureau, who recently had offered
his own resignation because he felt
the fighting forces heads blocked
his access to fuller news.
Resignation to Be Aired.
Tboro u,oe oaporol ,urooroo,+ +ho
real reasons for the unexpected
resignation Friday of the war sec
retary who had extensively re-
modelled the British Army would be
aired in Parliament, with a state
ment by Mr.. -Belisha and a
reply by Mr.. Chamberlain.
With all its unanswered ques-
tions-about prejudice" intrigue
and army caste-the resignation re-
manned a political tempest. Some
members of Parliament talked of
fighting it out behind closed doors
of secret session.
Most London newspapers were in<
censed over what they called the
sacrifice of the man who fostered
democracy in Great Britain's army.
The press association declared the
government must give "a frank ex-
planation" to "allay an unpleasant
feeling that something unusual has
happened in British politics"
Prejudice Mentioned.
1t said that in a final interview
between the Prime Minister and the
dismissed war secretary, Mr.. Cham
berlain offered Mr.. Hore- Belisha the
presidency of the Board of Trade
land could not understand why he
declined"
Mr.. Chamberlain, it said, praised
Mr.. Hore-Belisha and told him "he
could have no word of criticism
against him, but said there is
prejudice"
Mr.. Hore-Belisha arranged for
last good-byes today to the Office he
had filled since 1887. This is the
first working day for the new min
listers named in the shake-up: War
Secretary Oliver Stanley, former
president of the Board of Trade; his
successor, Sir Andrew Rae Duncan,
and Sir John Reith, who replaced
Lord Macmillan, minister of in
formation.
Still more shifting of high Offices
was foreshadowed.
More Liberal Policy Seen.
A more liberal British news CEN
sorship policy was foreshadowed by
the resignation of osborne.
Monckton assumed personal charge
of news censorship with Usborne's S
assistant, Vice Admiral George T.
Thompson, remaining as his aide.
News censorship has been criti-
cized widely since the outbreak of
the war, when osborne assumed his
post. Although he had a distin-
guished naval record, osborne was
believed to have proved too deeply
trained in the navy's traditional 81
lent service to administer liberal
censorship.
Favors Least Censorship.
Sir Walter, noted barrister and
intimate friend and adviser of the
Duke of Windsor. is known, on the
other hand, to hold the view that
censorship is necessary only for the
most urgent security reasons.
Thompson is regarded as sympa-
thetic with Sir Walters views.
Monckton, whose department con-
trolls issuance and censorship OF
all government news, is believed to
have been assured freedom to de-
eide when news from service de-
partments should be released or
withheld.