HOPES FADING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 5

HOPES FADING

NEUTRALITY URGE CIVIL WAR IN SPAIN GERMAN NAVAL WARNING THREAT OF REPRISALS STOPPAGE OF SHIPS (Klee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Heed. Aug. 21, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 20. Hopes of agreement on the nonintervention proposals in respect to the Spanish civil war, which yesterday seemed slightly brighter, are fast disappearing again as a result of the German reaction to the conduct of the Spanish Government cruiser, the LibeVtad, which three times fired itpou and. stopped and searched, with the assistance of a Spanish submarine, the German steamer Kaniierun. while the latter was outside Spanish territorial waters, en route to Genoa with refugees. Rear-Admiral Carls, aboard the Deutschland, cruising off Malaga, lias sent a wireless message to the commanders of Spanish warships stating that attacks on German vessels outside .the three-mile limit will be answered by force. It is officially stated at Berlin that the Kameruu carried no war materials.

Political circles in Berlin are seething with excitement over the incident, which, according to a German official News Agency, occurred seven and ahalf miles off the Spanish coast, constituting an outrageous and intolerable breach of international law, and further revealing the Madrid Government ’s utter lack of authority. ADVICE SENT TO HITLER

A full report of the incident was immediately telegraphed to Herr Hitler, who is at present on holiday at Berchtesgaden, and whose reaction is anxiously awaited.

The Deutsche Allgeniaine Zeitung points out that the Libertad is the cruiser whose crew mutinied at the beginning of the civil war, and murdered and threw overboard all the officers. “We have, therefore, to deal with a ship manned by mutineers and pirates,’’ states the journal.

British authorities on international law do not support the German claim that a search on the high seas is illegal. On the contrary, belligerents have long possessed the right, of search everywhere except in neutral territorial waters. Such a right extends to parties to a civil war, as the Trent, affair during the American civil war put beyond doubt. OPINIONS OF JURISTS International .jurists contend that both sides in Spain are recognised as belligerents de facto if not de jure. -Moreover, Germany, bv sending her admirals on a courtesy visit to the insurgents in Morocco, recognised them as belligerents, and, therefore, has no right to complain.

The German press, however, refuses to see the incident in this perspective, using it as a pretext, for a bitter campaign against Spain and attributing ilia situation to ail order from Moscow.

It is understood that the, stopping of the Kameruu was designed to prevent the breaking of the blockade of certain coastal areas declared by ihe Spanish Government. Britain is asking for a definition of the exact scope of the blockade.

A Berlin communique states that the charge d’affaires at Madrid has been instructed to make a protest in the most energetic terms regarding the- Kamerun incident, and to say that Germany will hold the Spanish Government responsible for all consequences ot similar incidents. German warships have been instructed to protect German shipping by every possible means. BAN ON SUPPLIES BRITISH RESTRICTION WARNING TO AIRCRAFT (Reed. Aug. 21, 11.40 a.m.) / LONDON, Aug. 20. The Air Ministry announces that any pilot convicted of making a false customs declaration in respect to the destination or other particulars of aircraft will risk the cancellation or suspension of his pilot’s license. The Hawker Aircraft Company, commenting on the report that an English plane brought down by the rebels was a Hawker Fury, issued a statement that a number of Furies were supplied to the Spanish Government six months ago in the normal course of business. ARMS FROM MEXICO ITALIAN CONVICTION (Reed. Aug. 21, noon) LONDON, Aug. 20. Rome reports that Mexico is shipping arms to 'the Government forces has strengthened the Italian conviction that neutrality ik impossible unless it is universally observed. It considers that Germany supports this view, and therefore the chances’ of an agreement, seem more slender than ever.