Mr. Harold Nicolson's warning to the British people to be prepared for more bad news in the future Is a sign of Allied confidence. The British people are not afraid to face the facts; they prefer facts, however unpleasant, to balder dash, Bad news will be taken with the same calmness as good news, and the Government tean rest assured of the wholehearted support of the Empire so. long as reverses, provided they do not give the enemy valuable informa Hon, are acknowledged as well as victories. 'The' opposite. is the case in Germany. Hitler cannot afford to tell the German people the truth, except about his. victories. His" loss, which have been terrific, must be minimized, But how long can he keep them dark? How Jong can the thousands of German mothers who must sooner or later receive the official infor-motion of the death of their sons, be prevented from comparing notes. They have been given to understand that this war is a foregone conclusion for the Nazis. But will they be prepared to stand the cost, when they know at Fast what that cost has so far been, and will be {in the future? The policy of the British Government in concealing nothing that might not assist the enemy has prepared the British public for whatever might happen. If the developments of the next few days prove to be better than was yesterday anticipated, the British public will be cheered, not ' disheartened. Whereas the German public, led to believe that all ig over bar the shouting, will learn only slowly and by devious means of the disappoint ment of their High Command. The Allies, judging from the statement made by the Minister of Information in the House of Commons, are prepared to see that the real news reaches the German people by one means or another. This can be the only interpretation of Mr. Duff-Cooper's mention of the section of German public opinion which does not agree with Hitler and the Nazis and believes that this war was from the beginning unnecessary. Work such as thit is not "fifth column"; it is simply letting the facts speak for themselves, The Irrepressible Prevaricator The German claim that H.MS, Nelsoi has been sunk has been denied by the British Admiralty, and another of the usual German Hes has been nailed to the counter. 'The claim made by the military spokesman at the 'Withelmstrasse at a foreign Press but "When, where and' by what sinking was effected was not stated for military reasons." Quite obviously the intention of the German authorities is to prevent the British Admiralty knowing where 'HAES. Nelson was.
German message goes on to state that of the 1280 men in the crew, 700 were killed. The falsity of the claim may' be tested by another German press message which quotes the German high command on. Saturday night, the same night on which the Press conference was, held, assaying:
Warships and eight "According to repens so far reesived three Kransports with a total different calibre. bombs, 4 cee Vessels Were set_on fre or badly' dama The tonnage of the Nelson is 33,950, so that for the remaining two warships and eight transports there is a balance of only 6050 tons to be divided between ten vessels. 'The peculiarities fof German arithmetical calculations when it comes to. reporting the. damage inflated upon the British Navy, have already been commented upon;. so much' success against it has been Sbtained on paper, that the wonder is that anything of it remains for thave further sink-Ings." The fact that the Navy has been able to support the evacuation of Dunkirk in the mane her that it has, and still maintain large torces inthe Mediterranean clearly proves the nse curacy of the German claims Which have been Dut forward with such sseiduity from the com oncement of hostilities. The astonishing {hing about the whole malter is that in none of the reports has the slightest suggestion been fade that the German fleet, or ils remnant have at any time sought to" take an interest In the proceedings off Dunkirk. Facts do speak onder than words and the absence of whatever German Navy. which may still exist from the scene of these operations fs the clearest possible proof that the claims which have from time to time been advanced by the British Admiralty, are completely true.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.