SPANISH PROTEST TO LEAGUE

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22108, 2 June 1937, Page 9

SPANISH PROTEST TO LEAGUE

♦ "GREATEST OF ALL ACTS OF AGGRESSION" ALMERIA ATTACK DECLARED AN OUTRAGE (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) (Received June 1, 9.55 p.m.) ! GENEVA, June 1. The Spanish Government representative at Geneva, Senor Del Vayo, communicated to the League that on Saturday afternoon two Government aeroplanes, when reconnoitring rebel centres at Iviza, were fired on by German warships. The Spanish aircraft retaliated, bombing the aggressor. The Spanish Government immediately announced this action, whereas the German 'Government had waited 24 hours to announce that the Deutschland had been bombed. The Note then declared that the bombardment of Almeria was a flagrant aggression and constituted the greatest outrage against a sovereign State of any of the acts of aggression committed by the German Fleet since it intervened in Spain. The Note adds: "In view of the exceptional gravity of the act decided on by Germany, ,the Spanish Government, after long deliberation, and also in view of the announcement that Germany is dispatching more warships to Spain, asks that this communication be transmitted to the members of the League."

GERMAN VICTIMS BURIED

I MILITARY FUNERAL AT GIBRALTAR BRITISH SAILORS ASSIST AS PALL-BEARERS (Received June 1, 9.50 p.m.) GIBRALTAR. May 31. British naval and military honours were accorded at the burial of the 24 ratings from the Deutschland who were victims of Saturday's bombardment. British naval bands headed the cortege of 12 motor-lorries conveying the coffins. These were flanked by British and German naval ratings as pall-bearers. Another Deutschland rating has died in hospital. The Deutschland sailed for Germany after 12 more sailors had been sent to hospital. Twenty-three injured are already in hospital, four of whom are in a critical condition. The damage to the Deutschland consists of a hole in the quarterdeck and a hole on the starboard side of the forepeak. MEMORIAL SERVICE IN BERLIN THREE DAYS' MOURNING ORDERED PRESS' ALLEGATIONS AGAINST BOLSHEVISM (Received June 1, 11 p.m.) ' LONDON, May 31. The shadow of the Deutschland's dead fell heavily across the celebrations in Berlin to commemorate Jutland, which the Germans have been taught to regard as the greatest naval victory in history. A naval detachment, proceeding to the Unter Den Linden to place a wreath on the war memorial in memory of the Deutschland's losses, marched without music. Rear-Admiral von Trotha, a Jutland veteran, addressing the parade said: "These seamen have been criminally murdered." Three days' mourning has been ordered in Germany. All flags will be flown at half-mast and decorated with crepe streamers. Meanwhile the German newspapers reiterate the allegation that Bolshevism was to blame for the bombing. They ask why it is always Fascist vessels, namely, Italian and German, which are attacked. STATUS OF THE DEUTSCHLAND CONTROL FUNCTIONS NOT EXERCISED RIGHT OF ENTRY AT I VIZ A CLAIMED (Received June 1, 9.30 p.m.) BERLIN, June 1. German officials insist that the) Deutschland had a perfect right to berth at Iviza harbour, because under the control system ships off duty can enter the three-mile zone and anchor wherever they deem fit. A message from Paris says the Deutschland could not be regarded as being under the guidance of the control committee when she was bombed, because she was not then executing control functions.