AXIS AGENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24836, 9 February 1942, Page 6

AXIS AGENTS

PRESENCE IN SOUTH AMERICA NAZI AIRLINE IN BRAZIL OPERATIONS RESUMED (Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 7. The Under-secretary of State, Mr Sumner Welles, said to-day that the concentration of Axis agents in South American nations which had not broken off diplomatic relations with the Axis created a serious problem for the entire western hemisphere. Argentine and Ghile were the only nations still retaining ties with the Axis, and Chile was expected to break off relations soon. A Rio de Janeiro message states that the Government of Brazil has authorised the resumption of operations by the ill-famed Nazi Condor Airline, having accepted the company's assurance that the line is now completely Brazilian. The United States Embassy at Rio de Janeiro declares that the line is still under the direction of Nazis. ASSISTANCE FOR BRITAIN USE OF URUGUAYAN PORTS (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 7, The Uruguayan decision to regard Great Britain as non-belligerent in the war against the Axis is warmly welcomed in London official quarters. It is pointed out that by granting the full use of Uruguayan ports to British warships as though they were still neutral, this measure will assist considerably the work of the British Navy in protecting commerce in the new areas of ocean where it is threatened. Uruguay is the first South American State to take this step, which is regarded as a notable addition to collective defence in the western hemisphere. AXIS NEWS AGENCIES BANNED IN PARAGUAY (Rec. 7 p.m.) ASUNCION, Feb. 7. The Government of Paraguay has closed the German, Kalian and Japanese Official News Agencies and prohibited the publication or broadcast of their news, thus effectively shutting off the principal channels of Axis propaganda. NAZI SHORT-WAVE RADIO SEIZED IN BRAZIL RIO DE JANEIRO, (Rec. 9 p.m.) Feb. 6. The Brazilian authorities seized a powerful short-wave radio transmitter in the German Embassy to-day. This is described as the first step to shut down a cluster of clandestine radios throughout Brazil which have been communicating with Axis ships and Berlin.