ARREST ON BOARD SHIP

Chronicle (Levin), 16 May 1949, Page 5

ARREST ON BOARD SHIP

fN.Z.P.A,

— Reuter.

Poland Protests At Action By Britain

Comriafht)

Received Mojiday, 10.25 a.m. LONDON, May 15. The Polish Embassy, in a staternent issued 'today, stated that it regarded the action of the British author'ities in arresting the Communist, Gerhardt Eisler, on boara the Polish ship Batory, off Southampton last night, as a violation of the Polish sovereign flag and of the internationally accepted principlet of law and order and human rights. The protest, which referred to the "seizure and forcible abduction' of Eisler, added: "The British police, who boarded the ship ana guarded it from outside, took with them representatives of the Unitec States Government, deprived tht captain and his officers and representatives of the Polish Government of freedom of movement, ana made it impossible for the captain do carry out the order of 'the Polish Government to leave British waters without surrendering Eisier. "When the captain of the Batory arid representatives of the Polish Government refused to surrendel Eisler on the grounds of the warrant issUed by the Southamptor. Court, which alleged a breach bj Eisler of the American visa regulations, and invoked the AngloAmerican Treaty of extradition, the British police officers enabled the American representative to read a telegram from the State Department containing a threat of seizure of. the Batory -by the United States if it should return to United States waters, and if Eisler were not surrendered. It also threatened othei measures, which implied the elosing of the Gdynia-America Line in ;he United States."