TYPICAL EXCUSE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 167, 14 June 1940, Page 7

TYPICAL EXCUSE

WASHINGTON EPISODE.' AXIS PROPAGANDA. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received June 14, 12.20 p.ni. . RUGBY, June 13. Authoritative circles in London regard the Rome radio explanation that the U-boat commander who held up the American liner Washington thought the ensign she was carrying isvas ,a “Greek flag” as curious, but. “consistent with the Fascist-Nazi conception of duties towards neutrals.” The sinking of Greek ships, and the murdering of Greek sailors can at present have no serious repercussions, whereas the reverse might be the case where America is concerned, Recent experience shows that a country is only to be treated as a neutral as long as neutrality is the Axis policy. Stories being given by German news agencies to-day of an anonymous letter in the New York Daily Mirror warning America that the Washington is to be torpedoed on her way back from Europe “by a British submarine flying a Nazi flag” are regarded as being unworthy of even the German propaganda machine. ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN. An earlier British . Official Wireless report stated : The United States liner Washington arrived at Galway on Wednesday evening; she is taking on some thousand passengers. Largely owing to the fact that she had been stopped by a German submarine she was several hours overdue. In this connection it is amusing to listen to German propaganda excuses for the German submarine’s interference. At 4 a.m. on Wednesday the German Propaganda Ministry, broadcasting from the Deutsohlandsender, sought to excuse this action by stating that the German Government did not learn until yesterday afternoon that the ship would call at an Irish port in addition to Bordeaux and Lisbon. But the Official German Wireless Service, Trans-ocean, on June 3 stated: “As, however, the steamer Washington will pass through war zones which otherwise would be evaded by American vessels competent German military quarters had been informed of the intended voyage of . the steamer and received strict orders to let the steamer carry out its voyage unhindered.” Both from Hamburg on June 7 and from the Deutsclilandsender on June 10 the fact that the Washington was going to call at an Irish port was stated.