NEUTRAL PORTS

Evening Star, Issue 23512, 28 February 1940, Page 9

NEUTRAL PORTS

INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE'S PROPOSALS POSITION OF BELLIGERENTS’ MERCHANTMEN RIO DE JANEIRO, February 27. The inter-American Neutrality Committee made the following recommendations : Neutrals should do their utmost to prevent merchantmen from using their ports and waters as bases to aid belligerents. Mcrchantment should be prohibited from contacting belligerent warships except to give aid for ■ humanitarian reasons, otherwise they would be considered auxiliaries and subject to internment. Mcrchantment should be prohibited from loading war materials, provisions, and fuel for transfer to belligerent warships. SHIPPING SPACE AUSTRALIAN CARGOES FOR BRITAIN POSITION GENERALLY SATISFACTORY SYDNEY, February 23. (Received February 23, at 11 a.m.) The Federal Committee engaged in investigating the shipping shortage issued a report saying the position was generally satisfactory. Considerable quantities of wheat, sugar, and meat had already been shipped to Britain, and the outlook for space was better thau was expected. TJicre would probably be ample space for the transportation of cargoes which the Mother Country most urgently needed.

HEAVY GUNFIRE HEARD HEAR SYLT COPENHAGEN, February 27. Heavy gunfire was heard for three hours near Sylt, apparently directed against aircraft. NAZI RUSE ADMIRALTY HOT TO BE DRAWN LONDON, February 27. (Received February 28, at noon.) British naval circles regard the Vardo (Norway) report of a sea battle as an attempt by Germany to obtain information as to whether British naval ships are in 'the vicinity. The Admiralty does not intend to satisfy the Nazis’ curiosity. RUMANIAN OIL SECRET AGREEMENTS WITH ALLIES BUCHAREST, February 27. (Received February 28, at 1.20 p.m.) Secret agreements have been signed by which France supplies Rumania with quantities of warplanes, machine guns, and other arms. Britain has already flown 50 planes to (Rumania, This action followed Rumanian assurances that she would not favour the Nazis in oil shipments. PAN-AMERICAN AIRWAYS EXCLUSION OF BERMUDA LIKELY TO BENEFIT HITLER

NEW YORK, February 27

The New York ‘ Herald-Tribune,’ in a leader headed ‘ Pan-American Airways Skips Bermuda,’ says;— “ There has always been something a little funny about tho mail controversy, and now Pan-American Airways helps the State Department to extricate itself. Mails will no longer be censored at Bermuda, and there is nothing Britain can do about it, but this solution, at the cost of putting the United States in a position of furnishing Hitler with a free pipe line for the importation of money and securities which may be most valuable to him, docs not really clarify our attitude to the blockade problem. “ The United States has resigned all neutral rights which Germany might wish to infringe, but maintains those which might embarrass the Allies, who will do nothing serious in reply. If the United States in effect authorises Germany to wage economic warfare with mines ami torpedoes it seems wo ought similarly to authorise the Allies to wago a counter economic war with a blockade, censorship, diversion of ships, etc,” MORE MAIL DETAINED NEW YORK, February 27. (Received February 28, at 12.5 p.m.) Pan-American Airways announce that tho British last night detained l,Boolbs of Clipper mail at Bermuda, making 19,8001bs since January 18.