GRAF SPEE BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 December 1939, Page 5

GRAF SPEE BATTLE

PAN-AMERICAN STATES ENTER PROTEST

VIOLATION OF NEUTRALITY ZONE.

MOVE FOR MORE STRINGENT ACTION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright NEW YORK. December 24. Pan-American States have protested to England, France and Germany against violation of the neutrality zone and have announced that they are beginning negotiations to strengthen Pan-America’s neutrality, including an agreement to prevent belligerent warships refuelling and carrying out repairs in American ports after committing warlike acts within the zone. The protest cites the Uruguayan battle and refers to reliable reports that the Graf Spee was pursuing, the merchantman Formoso when overhauled, also to British sinking and detention of German merchantmen in American waters. The Columbus is not mentioned.

The Washington correspondent of the United Press of America says the State Department explains that the proposal to punish belligerents refers only to individual warcraft. The penalty will not be extended beyond individuals. Neither will, ships known to have violated the safety zone be penalised for past infractions. The Washington correspondents of the "New York, Times” says the doctrine might swiftly be tested if there is truth in Germany’s determination to have merchantmen! tied up in American ports attempt to run the BritishFrench blockade. More than 70 German merchantmen remain in Chilian, Mexican, Brazilian and. other ports. The correspondent adds that the proposed refusal of the right of entry to belligerent violators is a middle course between the actual policing of neutral waters and merely writing protests.

The German Ambassador at Buenos Aires formally protested to the Argentine against the internment of the Graf Spec’s crew, after which he conferred with the Ministry of the Interior regarding details of internment. Uruguay's reply to the German protest regarding the Graf Spee contends that Uruguay adhered to The Hague Convention of 1907 and Uruguay’s neutrality decree of September 5. Senor Guani, Foreign Minister of Uruguay, has postponed action regarding the Tacoma, despite earlier authoritative statements that the vessel' was being interned. He may not act till after Christmas. Meanwhile the Tacoma remains detained and guarded. The Montevideo correspondent of the "New York Times” says that Uruguay decided at the last minute not to issue the Tacoma internment decree. The United States freighter Windrush, with a crew of 37 and 10 passengers, including a woman, arrived at Cristobal on fire, which the owners allege is the result of sabotage. The fire department prepared to flood the hatch immediately. The deck cargo of inflammable cellulose was unloaded. SCUTTLING OF BATTLESHIP ADMIRAL RAEDER’S RUMOURED RESIGNATION. LONDON, December 22. The Berlin correspondent of the British United Press says that it is declared in well-informed circles that no knowledge is possessed of foreign reports that Admiral Raeder, head of the German Naval Command, has resigned because of a disagreement with Herr Hitler over the scuttling of the Admiral Graf Spee. WAR AT SEA DEUTSCHLAND REACHES GERMANY. MORE SHIPS LOST BY MINES. LONDON. December 23. French wireless reports that the pocket battleship Deutschland has returned to Germany. The Norwegian steamer Rudolf was mined in the North Sea. The master and seven members of the crew have landed. Six members of the crew are still afloat in a boat. The Italian ship Comitas (3482 tons) which was mined in the North Sea. towed to Flushing and beached is seriously damaged amidships, and it is feared that she will be a total loss. A German war communique says that British and neutral shipping, which ventured into the danger zone on December 23 sutiered heavy losses amounting to 11 ships, eight of which were British. The total tonnage involved was about 51,500. The British Admiralty announces that it is mining' an area 500 miles long, closing approaches to the English and Scottish coast between 58 degrees 20 minutes north, one degree east and 51 degrees 43 minutes north and 2 degrees 32 minutes east, beyond which narrow control channels are prescribed. The German liner Stassfurt has been sequestrated at Tjilitjap, Java, because of a British oil company’s claim. The steamer Jagersborg, with a crew of 18, is missing, states a Copenhagen message. ___________