LINER HELD UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 204, 30 August 1939, Page 12

LINER HELD UP.

U.S. " PRIVATEERING." American Authorities Detain German Vessel. GUARD OF POLICE POSTED. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 3 p.m.) NEW YORK, August 29. A mysterious move by the United States Treasury Department has held the German liner Bremen here against the captain's orders. The Bremen and the French liner Normandie arrived during the day. The Bremen expected to return to a German port immediately without passengers, but the Treasury decided the liner must first .undergo a thorough inspection. The Treasury Department refused to disclose its reason for holding up the Bremen, but a passport collector commented significantly, "You've heard of privateering, haven't you?" Moreover, the Department announced that the Normandie would be inspected first, the Bremen having to wait her turn, although the Normandie has not immediate orders to return. According to another passport collector a Customs search is being made for armaments and spies aboard the Bremen. The New York "World Telegram" states that 17 passengers were taken to Ellis Island, while 30 doctors, believed to be returning to Germany for military service, were seized by the Customs. The Associated Press of America states that the Normandie and Bremen were held up because the Customs are searching foreign ships for armaments that could be used to prey on ocean commerce in the event of war. The Bremen had discharged her cargo, had full steam up, and had virtually refuelled when the decision was announced. The officials of the line, amazed and irked by the United States' action, insisted on the Bremen sailing at the appointed time, regardless of the order. A detail of police was then posted to watch the ship. The situation raises the interesting conjecture whether coastguard cutters will pursue the ship if the Bremen sails without clearance papers. It is the first time in the memory of shipping men that a vessel of such size has been so treated. „ The Bremen arrived with 1009 passengers after a series of unexplained misunderstandings regarding docking day, the announcement of which was changed three times by officials of the line. The crew refused to comment on mysterious reports about the Bremen's, course at sea. MEETING IN ROME. Mussolini Actively Seeking Peaceful Solution. BRITISH ENVOY ATTENDS. (Received 3 p.m.) LONDON, August 29. Count C'iano and Sir Percy Lorraine conversed for half an hour. While neither the British nor Italians indicated the subjects covered, both indicated that Signor Mussolini was actively seeking a peaceable settlement, but while diplomacy seeks peace, emergency measures continue. The Rome broadcasting station advised Italians to evacuate large cities as soon as possible. General Balbo issued a decree controlling food. Mussolini's publicist, Signor Gayda, says the moment is obscure, and does not allow for optimism, yet Italv still wants to hope that her efforts" will bring about a return of common sense and honesty to all parties. SENSATIONAL OFFER. Mutual Exchange Of Poles And Germans. TEST GERMANY'S REAL MOTIVE (Received 3 p.m.) LONDON, August 29 tha T t he th?^ Peni ? e "n CablG Sei " ;ice stat <* that the official "Gazeta Polska" makes a sensational oner to Germany, to gradually exchange mutual minorities, for 1 1 Sfnnn p 0 ; 000 Geimans in Poland, fo 1 000,000 Poles m Germany. It is felt here that if Germany rejects the fm ft proclaims a war of liberation ma " minority, it would definitely prove that the Reich aimed at agieosion and imperialism. Poland's population at the 1931 census 74fM>Off 32 - 000 r ' ooo . of whom onlv <40,000 were German-speaking. The Corridor had 97(5,499 Poles, as against only 109,64.1 Germans, while the'" 1029 "87n U OO r Zig gave "Proximately 087,000 Germans and 15,000 Poles.