SECURITY ZONE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 February 1940, Page 8

SECURITY ZONE

RECOGNITION REFUSED BY GERMANY NOTE TO AMERICAN POWERS COMMENT ON INTERNATIONAL LAW. REFERENCE TO ALLIED BASES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 1.25 p.m.i BERLIN. February 1-1. In an official Note to the American Powers, Germany refuses to acknowledge the establishment of the 300 mile security zone, but welcomes the desire of the Americans to maintain strict neutrality. The Note expresses (ho opinion that international law can bo adapted to changing interimtional conditions, but that in the waters where the establishment of a security zone is contemplated, only those regulations valid up ,o the present can be taken into aceoimt. German warships, it is stated, have meticulously observed these regulations; therefore the America's protests against the attitude <>f German warships is unjustified. Germany cannot recognise the authority of the Americas io take unilateral measures which are no l , in aecordmice with iinernational law. Germany's position is different from that of other belligerents. She lias never had territorial aspiration.-', on the American continent, but Britain ain't Franco have established important bases on islands adjoining the Americas. The -position might bo avoided if Britain and France, under a guarantee from the United States, did not use their .American possessions as bases for military action, but Canada would still be a direct neighbour of the security zone. Britain and France apparently were not taking the security zone seriously and wished to destroy its fundamental idea from the very beginning.