NAVAL PATROL PLAN DESERTED

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 455, 24 June 1937, Page 5

NAVAL PATROL PLAN DESERTED

Not Prepared To Risk Further “Target Practice” (_Press Association—Copyright.) *’ Received June 24, 1 1.30 a.m. LONDON, June 23. Germany and Italy have withdrawn from the non-inter-vention patrol scheme owing to dissatisfaction with the committee’s treatment of the alleged attempt by a Spanish Government submarine to torpedo the German cruiser Leipzig near Oran. * The German Embassy has announced that the German Government will not be willing to expose her naval forces entrusted to the International control task for further target practice off Red Spain. Germany limited to a minimum the guarantee necesary to ensure the safety of her ships w’hen she requested a joint naval demonstration. Since the Anglo-French Governments refused even this minimum request, Germany regrets to have to state that the spirit of solidarity is lacking among the control Powers, which is indispensable to the execution of a common International task. She therefore decided to withdraw finally from the control scheme. A communique from Rome is phrased almost identically. It stated that Italy now resumes the right of liberty of action in respect to acts of aggression. The German cruisers Koln, Deutschland, Luchs, Leopard and Tiger left Algerciras in an easterly direction. The whereabouts of the Leipzig is not known.