ALLIED BLOCKADE

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 December 1939, Page 8

ALLIED BLOCKADE

DUTCH REPLY TO GERMANY, j [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] THE HAQUE, December 7. A semi-official statement on the part of Holland, replying to Germany’s demands that neutrals should resist the Allies’ blockade, declares that compliance with German wishes would mean war with Britain and France. It emphasises that neutrality imposes no obligations on neutials to reply with force. “Nor,” it says, “does any obligation exist to answer with force the German submarine action or Germany’s unreasonably long detention of the Dutch timber ships coming from the Baltic. The reply adds that Germany must know that no neutral land willingly submits to superior force. Prince Bismarck found it so in 1870, when as a neutral, Britain delivered’ war material to France, but the Iron Chancellor did not then answer with force what he considered to be Britain’s unneutral conduct. On the contrary, he confined himself to making representations to the British Government, because he was not in a position to oppose the British sea superiority with any chance of sue-, cess. That is the case of the neutrals, to-day, or, at any rate, of the smaller of them; but they do not thereby any wise lose their neutrality'. UNITED STATES ATTITUDE. NEW YORK, December 6. The “New York Times” Washington correspondent says: It is authoritatively reported that the UnitedStates has sent a Note to setting out the American position regarding the seizure of German exports by the Allies. The United States will broadly reserve American rights, and it piay challenge the validity of the British action, but it. will not join the issue to an extent that will impair BritishAmerican political relations. The correspondent adds: This reservation will provide a basis for claims on behalf of the United States nationals who sustain damage as a result of the seizures of German exports.

MOST-EFFECTIVE WEAPON. PARIS, December 6. The French Chief Censor, ViceA.dmiral Usborne, said: “I am not one believes that this war will be short. I have no faith in the disintegration of Germany from the inside. We shall win only after we have brought Germany to her knees. The best way to do this is by means of a blockade, with a possible extension of air operations.” CONDITION FOR NEUTRALITY LONDON, December 7. According to Berlin reports, a semiofficial reply to the Dutch statement says that Germany will consider Holland truly neutral only if she refuses to export to Britain.