NAZI TECHNIQUE NOW FAMILIAR

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 175, 19 April 1940, Page 9

NAZI TECHNIQUE NOW FAMILIAR

Neutrals Forewarned (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 17. The thoroughness of the preparations for the German onslaught on Norway is now being revealed, and the fact that agents were waiting at landing places to put themselves at the disposal of the German troops on their arrival has served to put other neutrals on their guard. In countries in south-eastern Europe in particular the authorities are stated to be on the alert and are carefully watching tlve movements of possible German agents The similarity of the technique adopted by Germany toward Norway to that employed in the earlier aggressions is noted in “The Times,” which recalls that Herr von Ribbentrop preceded the invasion of Boland with a diatribe against the Polish Govern meat for rejecting “reasonable terms which in fact they have not yet even seen.

“A very similar method seems to have been used against the Norwegians.” it states. “In the small hours of Tuesday morning last week the Nazi Minister in Oslo presented himself al the Foreign Office with 12 demands with which it was urgent that the Norwegian Government should instantly comply. In consideration for their acceptance, it appeared that the Nazis would ‘protect’ Norway against the alleged diabolical designs of Britain and France, since Germany ‘still tried to defend the rights of neutral countries.’

“From a study of the text of the ultimatum to Norway, it appears that the only right of neutral countries is the right to abject servitude under the Nazi heel, and the Norwegian Government naturally rejected the terms with contempt. “But what shows the familiar technique is the timetable. Dr. Bauer presented tire Nazi demands at 5 o'clock in the morning. German warships hail already been sighted at midnight ami fighting had begun between them and the Norwegian coast defences soon after half-past three. In fact, Cabinet was already assembled to discuss the conduct of the war in being before Dr. Bauer arrived with the conditions on which the Nazis were prepared to pro serve peace. “There is n<> reason why further victims should be taken in.” FATH ER M ARTINDALE LONDON, April 17. Father Martindale, who was reported yesterday to have, been refused permission to leave Denmark-, is safe in a German Jesuit college at Copenhagen. He is unable to communicate with the outside world.