U BOAT STANDARDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 September 1939, Page 7

U BOAT STANDARDS

HUMANITY SHOWN BY SOME COMMANDERS ACKNOWLEDGMENT .MADE BY MR CHURCHILL. ALL NEUTRALS WELL TREATED BY BRITAIN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) RUGBY, September 27. Mr Winston Churchill prefaced his account in the House of Commons of many cruel and ruthless acts of the U-boat campaign by a word in recognition of those U-boat commanders who had tried to behave with humanity. Some had given good warning, while some had endeavoured to help the crews to find their way to port. He recounted a story of one U-boat captain who "signalled me personally the position of the British ship which he had just sunk and urged that rescue should be sent. I was in doubt at the time," the First Lord observed, “as to the address to which I should direct my answer.” After a slight pause, he added, amidst laughter: "However, he is now in our hands, and is being treated with all consideration.” In contrast to the hard and bitter U-boat warfare, Mr Churchill was able to tell the House: “In all the far-reach-ing control which we are exercising upon contraband, no neutral ship has ever been put in danger and no law recognised amongst civilised nations has ever been contravened. Even when German ships have deliberately sunk themselves in order to avoid the formalities of the prize court, we have so far succeeded in rescuing their crews.” An interesting detail contained in Mr Churchill’s statement was the fact, that against 601)00 tons of oil lost by submarine action during the first fortnight of the war must be put 50,000 tons seized in transit to Germany, apart from enormous additional stores brought to the British Isles without mishap.