FAILED IN DUTY

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21043, 20 February 1940, Page 5

FAILED IN DUTY

BRITAIN INDICTS NORWAY TREATMENT OF PRISONERS “NOT FIT FOR A DOG” (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 18 The Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, put the British complaint against Norway’s neglect of her duties in connection with the German “prison-ship” Altmarck, to M. Erik Colban, Norwegian Minister in London. After pointing out that Norway must have been fully informed of the Altmarck’s predatory career as an auxiliary to the Admiral Graf Spee, Lord Halifax asked:— (1) Did the Norwegians most carefully search the Altmarck when she entered Bergen? (2) How was the search carried out? (3) What did the search reveal? (4) What would the Norwegians have done if they had found the prisoners? (5) If the Norwegians believed prisoners were aboard, why did they not detain the Altmarck and remove the sick prisoners? (6) Why were the prisoners not released or held pending an examination of their legal position? (7) Why did Norwegian warships accompany the Altmarck? British Action Justified Lord Halifax declared Norway had failed in her duty as a neutral. The question of the British Navy’s infringement of territorial waters was less important than the fact that 400 British seamen had been kept for many weeks in conditions not fit for a dog. The German violation of Norwegian waters and their treatment of prisoners was contrary to international law and justified the British action. M. Colban presented the Norwegian protest against the British violation of territorial waters, and also requested the return of the prisoners, reserving Norwegian rights.