Britain Will Justify Seizure Of Nazi Sailors

Northern Advocate, 25 January 1940, Page 5

Britain Will Justify Seizure Of Nazi Sailors

(Received 2.30 p.m.) RUGBY, January 24. The reply to the protest against the removal by a British cruiser of 21 GJermans of militaJty age from the Japanese liner Asama Maru will be despatched to Tokio with the minimum delay. Confidence is expressed that there will be no difficulty in justifying the measure taken.

Regret is expressed in the Press that the question at issue has been clouded by some agitation in the streets and Press of Tokio. There are indications that the Japanese Government itself is well aware of the German Embassy’s effort to use the incident to embroil Japan with Britain. No Intention to Wound The newspapers emphasise there is no intention whatever to wound Japanese feelings.

Reference-is made to similar action taken by both sides in the present war, and it is recalled that during the last war the Allied Powers removed more than 350,0 enemy nationals .of military age from 64 puetral ships. “The British cruiser which stopped the Asama Maru,” says the “Daily Telegraph,”’ “did not claim the full rigour of precedent of the last war. Only Skilled Ratings Removed Not every-pian of military age was removed, but only technicians and ■■killed ratings of special value to the German war effort. “What difference is there between such action and the Japanese claim' that we should, as before 1914, only have taken those actually embodied in the forces of.the Reich? “We • have no cause for complaint that neutral Powers should be watchful and strenuous in protecting their rights. “The more vigorously neutral Powers assert their just claims the better, but the process should be sent to the right address. “The shipping of Japan and her prestige are not injured when a score of Germans are from one of her liners, but her flag has been eontemputously insulted, and her mercantile marine has suffered a heavy loss from the German war on neutrals.” Precendents May Embarrass Tokio During the last 30 months, Japan has set many precedents likely to embarrass Tokio when pressing the protest against the removal of Germans from the Asama Maru, says the Shanghai correspondent of the “New York Times” (Mr Hallet Abend). British ships and those of other third Powers have been stopped in the Yang'tsc Estuary, a few miles from Shanghai, and passengers and cargo removed, although Japan is technically not a belligerent. 1937 Incident Recalled. It is learned the Japanese Foreign Office informed the British Ambassador (Viscount Craigie) that Japan views the Asama Maru incident seriously. Britain will reply soon. It is recalled the Asama Maru rgn ashore in the fortified area of Hongkong in 1937, and it was feared she might become a total wreck. But, despite the fact that she lay in a strategic zone, Britain perfnitted a Japanese company to undertake the salvage without which the vess.el would probably not have been afloat today.