THE BREMEN’S RETURN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 14, 14 December 1939, Page 8

THE BREMEN’S RETURN.

The mystery of the German liner Bremen, which left New York immediately prior to Britain’s declaration of war upon Germany, was solved with the news of the vessel’s arrival at Murmansk, the Russian Arctic port. According to a statement issued by the captain, the voyage in northern latitudes was most hazardous, and rather than allow his great ship to be captured everything w r as ready to destroy it by fire if a British warship intercepted ii:. A grim ocean drama ended at Murmansk and there the Bremen stayed until some days ago when, apparently believing the opportunity favourable, it left on its return to Germany, And it is now safely home because a great nation honours its written word. As the .Bremen was hurrying to safety it encountered a British submarine which could easily have encompassed its destruction. But international law does not permit a submarine to torpedo a vessel and leave its crew and passengers to the mercy of the elements. So the submarine’s crew unable to guarantee the safety of the Bremen’s personnel—they were too far from land for one good reason —had to watch a most valuable prize slip from their grasp. Such is the difference between Britain and Nazi Germany- —-to the one the signed or spoken word is her bond; to the other it is a means to an end to be cast aside if the circumstances demand it. To Britain honour is greater than the prize and that is why the Bremen is now in Germany.