NAZI FURY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1940, Page 5

NAZI FURY

OVER AMERICAN AID TO BRITAIN TIRADE BY OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN UTILISATION OF GERMAN SHIPS. DESCRIBED AT WARLIKE ACTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, December 21. It was officially stated in Berlin that the German Government has requested the Department of State in Washington to recall several members of the United States Embassy in Paris. D.N.B. (the German news agency) states that the members of the embassy in question are accused of being involved in action which endangered the Reich’s security. It claimed that an employee at the embassy, Miss Elizabeth Deegan, and also the secretaries, Messrs. Cross and Hunt, aided a British officer to attempt to flee from France.

It added that the American State Department had already recalled those involved and had promised to investigate further. The spokesman of the German Foreign Office said he was fully aware of the seriousness of hi? statement, which was made as the “representative of the Foreign Office and the responsible spokesman thereof.” He referred to a statement which was made by the British Minister of Shipping, Mr. Ronald Cross, to an American correspondent in which the Minister said that the war next year would be at sea. The Minister had added: “The real struggle will be to maintain our communications and confine the enemy to his ports. “There, is a certain number of enemy ships in the United States, and I naturally have a covetous eye upon those vessels.”

This statement, the German spokesman said, had concentrated the Reich Government’s attention on the whole question of the United States’ support of England. ISSUE IN THE BALANCE.

The Berlin correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain states that the German spokesman solemnly declared that the question of continued peace or possible war between Germany and the United States hung in the balance as the Reich awaited America’s reaction to the proposal by Mr. Cross that Britain might use enemy ships in American ports. The text in London of the Wilhelmstrasse spokesman’s statement reads: “According to a report which is available here, Mr. Cross declared, inter alia: “Perhaps America can spare us vessels from her existing normal shipping strength. There are also enemy ships in America, and I am naturally eager for those vessels. These are the only possibilites I see for partial effective reinforcement of our tonnage.” “This declaration by Mr. Cross was addressed to American Press representatives. It means nothing else but a demand upon America to engage in a warlike act—an act which could only be described ?s support for England. We are waiting expectantly to see how America answers this brazen demand for a warlike act. “We have recently become accustomed to the fact that certain United States circles permit a formula of action which in itself is clearly not in accordance with international law but which is directed by pettifoggery whereby an attempt is made to attribute an appearance of international correctness to the resultant actions. Thus we will be extremely interested to hear America’s reactions to this clear demand by the British Blockade Minister.

“We are growing ever more interested in Anglo-American relations in connection with American support for this England which is ever near to collapse, because we consider it is impossible, in the long run for a nation in relation with other nations —even in Press matter —to treat one with restraint to a point of self-sacrifice and permit a policy of repeated pinpricks, violations, insults, challenges and moral aggression toward the other. In all seriousness, in my capacity as an authorised spokesman, I tell you that this demand by a British Minister for support in the death struggle is claiming our full attention.”

WITHDRAWAL OF AMERICANS. The Berlin news agency alleges that three ■ members of the staff of the American Embassy in Paris —Mrs. Deegan, Mr. Cecil Cross and Mr. Lee Hunt—assisted British subjects, and adds that Cross hid a British secret agents for months in the American Embassy. In Washington today the Secretary of State, Mr. Hull, said Germany had a perfect right to request the withdrawal of three members of the Embassy in Paris, and they would be withdrawn. Mr. Hull did not comment on the German assertions regarding American aid to Britain and “moral aggression.” ACTION ASSURED IF IT CAN BE DONE LEGALLY. WASHINGTON, December 21. A high official, commenting on the proposal to acquire the idle shipping immobilised throughout the United States for the British, said, “You can bet that this acqusition and transfer will be made if it can be done legally in the interests of our policy of aid for Britain.”