NAZI ULTIMATUM

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24676, 31 August 1943, Page 3

NAZI ULTIMATUM

REJECTION BY DANES ANOTHER GERMAN WARNING (Reed. 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 30 According to Swedish newspapers martial law was proclaimed in Denmark after the Danes rejected an ultimatum presented by the German Minister in Denmark, Werner Best, following his two-day conference with Himmler. Renter's Stockholm correspondent says Best stated to the Danish Prime Minister, Scavenius, on Friday morning: "I am a dead man because my conciliatory policy has failed." Best's fate is not known. On Friday he handed to Scavenius the German ultimatum and a private letter. The fact that the martial law proclamation was signed only by the German com-mander-in-chief in Denmark, von Flanneken, is interpreted to mean that Best has been completely set aside and, at least politically, already is "dead." The German-controlled Danish radio last evening repeated for the eighth time the German proclamation of the state of emergency. It added a warning that German patience was exhausted and that martial law would hp ruthlessly enforced. Professor Gudrnund Hatt. a Dane, broadcasting on the Danish radio, reviewed Germany's difficulties in occupied countries and emphasised that British propaganda was resulting in a surging up of national feeling and sabotage. The Germans, he added, were thus forced to take counter-measures. The Berlin radio states that strikes and sabotage in Denmark were promoted by Christmas Mueller and his associates. Mueller was formerly Danish Minister of Commerce, but ho escaped to England early last year. A message from him was broadcast to the Danish people yesterday by the 8.8.C. European service. The message said: "Three years of German occupation, three years of exploitation and three years of injustice have finally resulted in revolts against the Germans. We are proud of our countrymen. The Germans have again been defeated, but they are carrying on in their usual brutal way. They cannot bend the neck of the Danish people just as they could not bend the neck of the Norwegian people." SABOTAGE IN NORWAY LONDON, Auk. 30 The Oslo radio has announced that 11 Norwegians were put to death about 10 days ago for taking part in widespread sabotage. Three others were sent to prison on the same charge.

PUNISHING GUILTY

DESPOILERS OF POLAND LONDON, Atir. 29 The British Government has issued ;i solemn warning of its determination to exact punishment of those guilty of the systematic and barbarous depopulation of parts of Poland. The Foreign Office states trustworthy information has been received by His Majesty's Government regarding crimes committed by German invaders against the population of I'oland. His Majesty's Government reaffirms its resolve to punish the instigators and actual perpetrators of these crimes. The Government lias further declared that, so long as such atrocities continue to be committed, they must be taken into account against the time of a final settlement with Germany. Meanwhile, the war against Germany will be prosecuted with the utmost vigour until the barbarous tyranny is overthrown.

NEW WING INSIGNIA

AMERICAN ARMY AIR FORCE SYDNEY, Auk- SO A new design for wing insignia has been adopted for the United States Army Air Force planes in the Southwest Pacific. The design is a white star on a circular field of blue between two white rectangles. A red border encloses the design. This is the second change in the United States Army Air Force wing marking. Planes at first carried a white star against a circular blue background with a red dot in the centre of the star. The red dot was taken out because it resembled the rod dot on Japanese planes. The new American design- is visible at 00 per cent greater range than those of the Japanese or Nazis. When lar away it assumes the shape of a long, narrow bar, in contrast to the Japanese insignia, which maintains its circular appearance. AIRMEN INTERNED (Reed. 7 0.40 p.m.) LONDON, Auk. f?0 The Soviet authorities, in accordance with international law, have interned an American military plane and its crew which landed in Kamchatka on August 12, states the Moscow radio. The airmen said they had been raiding Japanese bases in the Kurile Islands and were forced to land because of damage to the engines.