The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1939. THE SEIZURE OF THE CITY OF FLINT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 256, 30 October 1939, Page 6

The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1939. THE SEIZURE OF THE CITY OF FLINT

"THE seizure of lhe American ship City of Elint by a German erew and the piloting of that ship to the Russian port of Kola Bay indicated ihat the crew felt that the relationship between the two countries was close enough and harmonious enough to justify such action. The conduct of the Russian officials in taking possession of the vessel and dispossessing the German prize crew aboard gives another slant to the. said relationships of the two countries. The expected harmony has not proved to be so harmonious. Now, however, the question which arises is: What to do with the City of Flint? Mr. Cordell Hull demanded of Russia the return of the American freighter. He did not address his remarks to Germany but to Russia, and those remarks were diplomatic. He said that the Government of America was “determined to follow the ease to its logical conclusion.” What following a case of this nature to its “logical conclusion” may mean is not clear, but it sounds terrible and indeed terrifying by reason of its vagueness. Russia felt uneasy, but Germany’s wishes were not io be permitted to stand in the way of keeping on side with the United States of America. Russia knows that at the present time, with Germany. England and France fully occupied with their own requirements in order to prosecute a war, the only market in which she can secure those goods wlyeh she needs to make up the deficiencies of planned economy is the capitalistic market: of Ihe United States. Russia would doubtless liked to have retained lhe City of Elint if Germany’s pretension to it as a war prize could be upheld, and this desire has been evidenced by the conduct of Russia. Finding that the prize was no prize at all and likely to be an inconvenient possession, the Government intimated that lhe vessel was now free to leave Russian territorial ■waters. It is clear that Germany's influence with Russia is by no means dominant. Indeed, the -whole incident supports the thesis that Russia is exploiting the situation purely for selfish ends and with no desire to assist her ally. Russia is. in short, pursuing a policy of all profit and no losses. Assuming that the vessel puts to sea, where shall it go? To Germany? If the prize crew makes an attempt to navigate her to Hamburg will the British or the American navy units stop her in her course'.’ The situation is developing to a crisis condition and soon America will have to show whether she intends to allow Germany to do what she will with American ships. The whole incident, coming at the end of the Neutrality debate, represents tin immense gain to the Allied cause, for opinion in the United States, already strongly, but inactively, pro-ally and definitely anti-Nazi, is being moved to a higher temperature. Germany, during the last war, could always be depended on to do the right thing for her enemies, and it appears that the same accommodating conduct is likely to mark Nazi Germany's foreign relations to-day.