GERMAN PROTEST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23995, 19 June 1941, Page 9

GERMAN PROTEST

EXPULSION OF CONSULS

NO SPECIFIC CHARGES (Rerd. 6.15 am.) WASHINGTON, June 17 Germany has lodged a sharp protest to the United States against the closing of the German consulates. President Roosevelt has declined to specify the accusations against German consular agents except to declare their activities subversive, which term includes many sins. A German radio announcer said to-day that Berlin had rejected the charges brought against Germans in the United States as "arbitrary and unfounded." The Government has ordered the customs and immigration officials to take the necessary steps to prevent German nationals from leaving the United States without proper authority >• The object of the order is to prevent leakage of frozen funds from the country. Special watchers are being posted immediately at strategic air ports and ports of departure to enforce the edict. Guenther Tonn, of the German Transocean News Agency, slashed his throat and a wrist at Ellis Island while awaiting trial for failure to register as an alien agent. Tonn was taken to hospital. He is not seriously injured. ROBIN MOOR CASE RESCUE OF SURVIVORS CHARGES NOT AFFFXTED i Rerd. 6.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Juno 17 The United States Government's basic charges against the German sinking of the freighter F{obin Moor are not changed by the arrival of the missino; survivors at Capetown. The State Department is awaiting a cabled summary of the testimony of the 3~> survivors. The Under-Secretary, Mr. Sumner Welles, said, however, that the depositions of the first survivors rescued were sufficient for the Government's case. President Roosevelt said the United States Navy now possesses, as it has every year since 1918, plans t-o provide arms for the use of American merchant vessels for their own defence. He added that as far as he was concerned the plans were still in the Navy Department's safes, thereby implying that it is not at present intended to put the plans into effect.

GIANT NEW BOMBER AMERICAN ARMY ORDER (Reed. 0.30 p.m.) NEW YORK. June 18 According to the New York ITernldTribuno, the Army Department has launched a long-range programme designed to perpetuate its superiority in the heavy bomber field by ordering a new super-bomber which is expected to render obsolete all present aircraft of this class within two or throe years. It will have a range of 7000 miles and a top speed of .350 miles an hour. Construction has already begun.

An agency message from New Yorkquotes an important defence official as saying that civilian consumption of rubber in the United States will be curtailed shortly.

GERMAN PLANE DISASTER (Reed. U. 30 p.m.) LISBON, June IS

A German aeroplane blew up over Portugal. All seven of the crew were killed.