GERMAN CRIME AGAINST NEUTRALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 87, 12 April 1940, Page 8

GERMAN CRIME AGAINST NEUTRALS.

WELL PREPARED.

Actually Started In Last Week Of March.

"SINISTER LOTTERY."

United Tress Association. —Copyright.

(Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, April 11. The German crime against Denmark and Norway, Mr. Churchill told the House of Commons, was elaborately prepared, and actually Met in motion in the last week of March.

"We received information," he said. "that huge numbers of German merchantmen were fitting a<9 transports and numerous email vessels had been assembled in various Baltic |>orts and also at the mouths of the Kibe River. but no one was able to tell when they Would be need, or against what peaceful countries.

'"Germany obviously prefers to strike, the weak rather than the strong; therefore, all small neighbours were, and etill are, highly alarmed. F.ven the neutrals who had done the most to placate. Germany, and had been of the greatest aid to Germany, could not feel sure they would not be attacked without reason, without warning, and be speedily overrun, reduced to bondage and pillaged of all property, especially all eatables.

Drew Unlucky Numbers. "fn the (small hours of Monday morn ing we learned that Denmark and Norway had drawn the unlucky nuinbere in this sinister lottery. "The Allies in the la«*t war we.re so deeply injured by German use of the Norwegian corridor that Hritain. France and the United States induced the Norwegians to lay a minefield in territorial waters. The Admiralty, after the outbreak of this war. brought this moderate and respectable precedent to the attention of Norway.

"Our Government urged it to allow the establishment of a minefield in Norwegian waters and compel traffic to come to the open sen. It was only natural and right that the Government had long been most reluctant to incur the. reproach of even technically violating international law, but it became intolerable to watch, week after week, iron ore being transported through the. corridor for the manufacture of shells to strike down the young men of Britain and France in the 1940 campaign. Stop Iron Ore Supplies. "The. Government ultimately decided to interrupt the traffic in the Norwegian corridor. Kvery precaution was taken against the slightest danger to neutral shijis and loss of life. Undoubtedly itcould be proved that German troop movements began before, the laying of the Allied minefields.

"The Germans doubtless suspected that minefields would be laid, and therefore decided to use the corridor to send merchantmen northward filled with military stores and German soldiers concealed under decks, with oilers to eeize various ports of military value. Germany also set in motion other invading forces. '"We. sympathise with and understand the terrible dilemma of the Norwegians, who for months have writhed in helpless anger while scores of their shi|>s were sunk and hundreds of their sailors drowned."