CITY OF FLINT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 October 1939, Page 5

CITY OF FLINT

RUSSIA RELEASES NAZI CREW SHIP HELD AT MURMANSK. FOP. SCRUTINY OF CARGO AND MAILS. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. LONDON, October 25. The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press says the Murmansk authorities have released the German prize crew aboard the American freighter City of Flint, it is believed on representations from Germany, on the ground that the ship was brought in for repairs. The ship is being detained at Murmansk for scrutiny of cargo and mails. The American Ambassador in Moscow, Mr Steinhardt, notified the Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, that the Soviet Foreign Office had assured him that the American officers and crew of the City of Flint were safe aboard the vessel at Murmansk. The State Department indicated that further details could not be expected. The New York “Herald-Tribune,” in a leader referring to the City of Flint, says: “The incident is full of diplomatic dynamite, but should be, and is being viewed calmly. Britain at present has a number of American vessels under detention in British ports to which they have been taken, by their own —not prize—crews. It is the German contention that Germany is following the British example, although in a somewhat different manner.” The United States Secretary of State has announced that the Government is determined to follow the case to its logical conclusion. The “New York Times” comments: ’“The reason why the City of Flint is at Murmansk instead of at the bottom of the sea is that she flew the flag, not of a small neutral, whose protest could easily have been ignored, but the flag of a great Western Power which Germany is less willing to affront.” The fact that it has taken Russia two days to supply information as to the whereabouts of the City of Flint is taken as a sign of the Soviet’s embarrassment at the German capture of the vessel and in bringing it to a Russian port, a radio message states. According to a Daventry report, the Soviet has informed the United States that the 41 members of the crew of the City of Flint have been released and that the cargo is being checked. The United States’ Ambassador in Moscow has been authorised to send representatives to Murmansk to interview the crew.

A later message states that the Moscow authorities have ordered the City of Flint to leave port as soon as possible. This followed a demand by the United States for the release of the ship, with her cargo and crew. AMERICAN ACTION RETURN OF SHIP DEMANDED. (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) WASHINGTON, October 26. The Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, announced that the United States had demanded that the Soviet return the City of Flint and her cargo to her American crew. GERMAN EXPECTATION (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, October 26. According to a Berlin message Germany has sent a memorandum to the United States stating that the crew of the City of Flint are safe. Official quarters in Berlin expect the Russians to hand over the City of Flint to Germany as soon as she is seaworthy.