AMAZING NORWEGIAN DECLARATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 44, 22 February 1940, Page 5

AMAZING NORWEGIAN DECLARATION

GERMANS ALLOWED FREE PASSAGE FOR PRISONERS I COMMENT IN BRITAIN AND AMERICA [ British Official V'- ek-n • RUGBY, 1 eb. 20. i Till Italemenl of the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Dr. H. Koht, in ■ which he maintained that it was no : part of inter national law for a neutral Ito inspect a belligerent warship ana that he would have let the Allmarek. through even had he known that British prisoners were on board, has led I to further British editorial comment. I The Daily Telegraph and Morning I Post finds several precedents lor the | view that prisoner’s of wai cannot be conveyed through the territorial > waters of a neutral. A case in 1918, * similar to that of Ihe Altmarck, is | recalled, when a supply and prison! ship used as a German raider, rani aground on the Danish coast. Her t German crew was intern |i and the ■ British prisoners were lefeased by; Denmark. Again in .1916. when a German prize i crew brought the Appam, with 428 | British victims into a harbom n* Vir | ginia, the United States Government |. ordered their immediate release. The newspaper cites the words of Mr. J. V. Gerrard, American . Ambassador in Germany in 1911. who says: “The Germans had no more right to take prisoners through Norwegian waters than , to take them by train from Neu ■ York to San Francisco.” ’ The Manchester Guardian says: “Germany’s continuing fury oxer the Hoss of the Altmarck’.s piisonci.s suggests that Germany is less concerned about the point of law than over the . loss of ‘face.’ This loss of prestige right under neutral eyes comes at a time when Germnay loudly claimed to have the North Sea under control.” “If this is true," asks the Manches- < ter Guardian, “why did not an escort set out from Wilhelmshaven to bring line Altmarck in? The real i cason for : ■N: /E anger lies in Germany's old hope ;

of terrorising neutrals whom she seeks to destroy by forcing them to trade only with her." The Manchester Guardian considers this reason is borne out by the Nazi ruling that Germany has a right to sink neutrals calling at British port.. 1 :.