Main Office for China Manager for China' ing in Norway itself. There were reports that the Norwegian Government was preparing to negotiate with the German invaders. On the other hand Norwegian forces were giving battle to the Germans at Elverun, same seventy miles north of Oslo, suggesting that the Germans must have moved very quickly inland after landing at Oslo. It has now been decided that Norway will fight on the side of the Allies. Whether the Norwegians negotiated a peace with the Germans, or not, it would have no effect on Allied action with regard to their intentions in that part of the world The reduction of Norway to the same status as that which Denmark has accepted,—and there can be no real criticism of the Government of that country for making the decision it has—would not restore Norwegian neutrality, which Germany has so often, and so flagrantly violated. It would continue to be regarded as an enemy occupied country and subjected to all the disadvantages which must arise therefrom. Nor is it likely that the Allies will retire m the ports they have already occupied, or those others which they hope to capture in as quick a time as possible. Germany by her actions has justified the Allies' action. It is but to be expected that Germany will seek to take a big revenge for the blows which have been inflicted upon her, and the commencement of warfare on a total scale may now occur at any moment. When the news of this reverse to German arms percolates into Germany, as assuredly it will, it may be expected to have a profound effect on the moral of the people. That the Reich can only hope to offset with stories of other victories. It may be that the long expected raids over Great Britain will soon eventuate. If they do they will be met by the fortitude of the British people encouraged by the news of such a success as this, and with the determination that there will be a demand for an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and with the knowledge that what the Allies' navies have done at sea can, and will be duplicated by their armies on land.
It is to be hoped that the British will, as it is reported they might, establish some sort of protectorate over the Danish territories of the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland, if only as a means of preventing the Germans from seizing them. They would have considerable difficulty in doing it, though it must be remembered that they may be tempted to make an endeavour to do so in order to secure northern air bases for the purpose of further embarrassing Great Britain. British protection could be given without in any way interfering with the independence of the areas in question, and the maintenance by Iceland of her age-old independence. In the meantime the establishment of a new Government in Denmark under the auspices of the German invaders follows along the lines adopted by Soviet Russia when it invaded Finland, when M. Kuusinen was permitted to establish an administration in competition with that normally stationed at Helsinki. Fortunately its life was not of long duration, and M. Kuusinen has slipped back into the background where his antecedents suggest he properly belongs. There is a sinister passage in one of the telegrams published yesterday to the effect that Copenhagen being full of German espionage agents, the Gestapo is reported to be working, and acting on the basis of lists of names compiled in advance. From this it is to be assumed that Danes who have expressed little sympathy with the Nazis, if not actual dislike, may be expected to receive the same treatment as those of the same political complexion in Czechoslovakia, Austria and Poland. Opposition will be wiped out, and the protection which the Germans say they are extending to the Danes will undoubtedly be seen in the liquidation of many Danes who wish, and are ready to work for the independlence of their own country. The iniquity of the evil thing which has clamped down on Denmark will probably be realized in the course of the next few weeks, for unless the Nazis have undergone a complete change of heart, which cannot for lone moment be believed, they will follow just the same programme for the eradicating of Danish culture and the substitution of their own las they have adopted in other countries unfortunate enough to come under their dominance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.