ARRESTED JOURNALIST

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 October 1933, Page 7

ARRESTED JOURNALIST

PROTESTS TO GERMANY

EARLY RELEASE PROBABLE

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, October 28

The British Consul at Munich was permitted to see Noel .Panter, who will be charged with high treason, following his arrest by Bavarian Political Police on Tuesday. Panter is Munich correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” The “Evening Standard” has been banned by Germany until the end of November, owing to Low’s recent cartoons dealing with the Reichstag fir-3. Panter is to be charged at Leipzig under Article 92 of the Penal Code with high treason and espionage. Article 92 of the code provides for punishment by penal servitude of not less than two years’ for anyone who deliberately “communicates to another government or makes publicly known State secrets, or news of which he knows that to keep them secret is necessary for the welfare of the German Empire, or the Federal State, as against that other Government.” The Consul-General found Panter in good health, although pale from his confinement. He had been well treated and allowed to buy what he wanted.

It was stated that the charge is based on an accumulation of information concerning Storm Troops and Hitler Guards, which was used so as to convey the impression that they were military formations, and that Germany was violating the Treaty of Versailles. Panter declared that his message was sent in the course of carrying on his ordinary occupation of a journalist and of sending ordinary messages. Mr Gainer has asked the Bavarian Government for permission for a legal adviser to see Panter. The “Daily Telegraph” has a. leading article protesting against Noel Banter’s arrest. It expresses the opinion that the German Government has inconceivably blundered, and is following it up by an action raising the gravest international issues. The “News-Chronicle” ' comments: “If there is one certain way of focusing the attention of the whole of Europe on the military character of ‘peaceful’ demonstrations and of arousing widespread suspicion, it is by arresting a reputable English journalist, who dared to tell the truth in a leading English newspaper.”

WHAT REPORT REVEALED

LONDON, October 29.

The “Daily Telegraph” republishes fully Noel Panter’s report of Chancellor Hitler’s review of twenty thousand Storm Troops at Kelheim, which report immediately led to his arrest. Panter opened by stating: “A deeper significance attaches to this military display than either the Chancellor or the Nazi Lieutenants desire the outer world to know.” He mentioned that orders had been issued to the press to avoid everything that might represent the celebrations as being military in character, and in particular they were not to mention the firing ofsalutes, the inspection of the ranks by the Chief of Staff, and the participation of the Reichswehr. He added that particular anxiety was felt lest the British and French press should become “perturbed” by these events. Panter then proceeded to describe the inspection and a salute of twenty-one guns that was fired with cannon on Herr Hitler’s arrival, and ..again at the end of Hitler’s speech. He gave other details showing the essentially military character of the proceedings. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Berlin correspondent says: Panter, refusing to make a statement, except in the presence of a witness, was told that he would not be allowed facilities for consultation while he persisted in this attitude. Consequently, he submitted o/ Thursday night to an examination that was held in the absence of witnesses, when he declared that he had only done his duty as a journalist in faithfully reporting events that were of public interest. He strongly denied taking any action prejudicial to the interests of the German State. There is reason to believe that his statement might have turned matters in Panter’s favour but for a deposition he made, also on Thursday night, in unknown circumstances by a German journalist who had been arrested simultaneously with Panter. The iesult is that the charge has now been officially brought. Attempts to obtain legal assistance on Panter s beha.t have so far been unsuccessful.

SIR J. SIMON’S PROTEST.

RUGBY, October 29.

It is understood that when the German Ambassador called' at the Foreign Office yesterday, Sir J. Simon drew attention to the circumstances ot the arrest of Noel Panter, and took the opportunity to reinforce the points made by the British Ambassador in Berlin, in his official inquiries, at the German Foreign Office. A resolution passed unanimously by the executive of the Institute of Journalists, London, expresses , surprise and indignation at Panter’s arrest It urges the British Government to make every effort to secure his early release.

NET WIDESPREAD

LONDON, October 29.

The “Sunday Times’s” special representative at Munish says: All foieign journalists are taking .warning, and have arranged with their respective consuls to be informed if the newspapermen suffer a fate similar to Banter’s, as anyone might be as the section whereunder Banter will probably be tried makes anyone liable to ten years’ penal servitude for either sending to a foreign government or publiclv making known any information which it is to the Reich’s advanlake to keep secret.

NO TRIAL EXPECTED.

(Recd. October 30, 10.30 a.m.) BERLIN, October 29.

Diplomatic circles are confident that Banter will not be tried, following a guarded communique, in which the Government, for the first time revealed Banter’s arrest, adding that he had been in touch with a German living at Munich, who is suspected of espionage and sending atrocity stories abroad.

It is expected therefrom that the Government, are blaming a German