ATTACKS ON NEUTRALS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 April 1940, Page 5

ATTACKS ON NEUTRALS

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. LONDON, April 8. The Allied broadcast decision to lay mines in Norwegian waters stated that the German campaign against the merchant shipping of all nations had been intensified and pursued with even greater brutality than before. The . number of neutral vessels destroyed by the Germans now exceeded 150, and the neutral lives lost totalled nearly a thousand. The attacks had been carried out in almost every case in defiance of the recognised rules of war and frequently with the greatest barbarity, and on many occasions without the slightest justification. “Gremany had already announced that she was entitled to destroy any neutral vessel bound for a British port, including the contraband harbours, but there had been repeated cases of vessels being destroyed between two neutral ports when they had no intention of touching at any British port. “It was obvious that the German Government was engaged' in an indiscriminate campaign of destruction throughout the waters in which their unnotified mines were laid oi’ in which their submarines were able to operate. Though the greatest losses had fallen on neutrals, Allied vessels also had suffered. "A new development in the policy of destruction is the bombing of British and neutral trawlers and fishing boats and the machine-gunnihg of their crews,” the broadcast continued. “The innocent character of fishing boats has hitherto been universally recognised, but it has not prevented Germany from committing nearly 200 attacks aimed at sinking them and murdering the crews. Even lightships and their crews have been ruthlessly attacked with bombs. REPLY TO TERRORISM “It is a fact deserving of constant emphasis that German attacks have been deliberately aimed at the de-' struction of neutral lives and property, and it is abundantly clear that their purpose is pure terrorism. “On the other hand, the Allies have not destroyed a single neutral ship or taken a single neutral life. They not only have saved innocent victims of German outrages but also have rescued from drowning German airmen and submarine crews who had been guilty of these inhumanities.

“Germany is flagrantly violating neutral rights in order to damage the Allied countries while insisting on the strictest observance of the rules of neutrality whenever such observance provides some advantage to herself. “International law nas always recognised the right of a belligerent to take appropriate action when the enemy has systematically resorted to illegal V practices. Such action, even though ’i unlawful, in ordinary circumstances, becomes lawful in view of other belligerents' violation of law. The Allied Governments, therefore, are entitled to take such action as they deem proper in the present circumstances. “A heavy proportion of the losses has, fallen on the Norwegian mercantile marine, yet while Germany is repeatedly sinking Norwegian shipping and murdering Norwegian seamen, she continues to demand from the Norwegian Government the fullest use of her territorial waters for Germany’s own commerce. “Norway has even felt obliged to provide an armed escort in these waters for German ships, though she is unable to take effective action against the German brutality on the high seas. “Whatever may be the actual policy which the German threats and pressure compel Norway to follow, the Allies no longer can afford to acquiesce in the present state of affairs whereby Germany obtains resources vital to her prosecution of the war and obtains from Norway facilities placing the Allies at a dangerous disadvantage. They have already given notice to the Norwegian Government that they reserve the right’ to take such measures as they think necessary to hinder or prevent Germany from obtaining resources or facilities in Norway.”