Immediate Prosecution Authorised

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 80, 3 April 1941, Page 7

Immediate Prosecution Authorised

Saboteurs of Axis Ships U.S. REPLY TO DEMANDS FOR RELEASE United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received Wednesday, 7 p.m. WASHINGTON, April 1. The Attorney-General has authorised the immediate prosecution of alleged saboteurs of Italian and German ships. The step is considered equivalent to a reply to the Axis’ demands to release the ships and their crews. The Attorney-General said that, where sabotage was found, the master and principal officers, and also any guilty members of the crew, would be held responsible. The Act provides maximum penalties of a fine of 25,000 dollars, or 20 years’ imprisonment, or both. Sabotage has been found in 25 Italian ships and one German. The New York World-Telegram says the French Line approached the State Department with a plan to use. 18 French vessels located in American waters, excluding the Normandie, for service between Indo-China and the United States. It was pointed out that largo quantities of raw rubber and other defence materials were located in Indo-China, awaiting shipment to America, while French merchants in IndoChina have millions of dollars to buy American silks and tr ac^or8 > but have no way of getting deliveries. It was stated that the French Line is willing to have the Government place a supercargo on each vessel as a guarantee that it will reach the ports for which it clears. The entire fleet totals 90,000 tons, including three fast tankers, which are stated to be available for any neutral service the United States Government may designate.