CAPTIVE BRITONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 October 1940, Page 5

CAPTIVE BRITONS

ANOTHER KIDNAPPING IN RUMANIA AUTHORITIES & IRON GUARD PROFESS IGNORANCE. SITUATION DETERIORATING. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, October 3. ' The British Legation in Bucharest announced that a British subject, Mr Percy Clark, president of an engineering firm at Ploesti, was kidnapped by three men who tricked him into leaving his hotel in Athenee Place, in the centre of Bucharest. The Legation is now convinced that Mr A. Millar, another British subject, was also kidnapped. The Rumanian authorities declare that they are unable to act, and the Iron Guard denies knowledge of the kidnapping. The Legation’s repeated demands for the trial or release of the five Britons arrested a week ago remain unanswered. The Berlin radio says the Rumanian Foreign Minister, M. Sturdza, has rejected the British Minister’s protest against the arrests and accused him of being involved in sabotage plans in which those arrested were implicated. M. Sturdza asked the Minister to resign. “The Times” correspondent‘in Bucharest says thugs on the frontiers are bullying departing Britons. The strongest possible pressure from Britain is necessary to meet the situation, which is still .deteriorating. NO SATISFACTION IN SPITE OF BRITISH PROTESTS. AGAINST. INTOLERABLE INCIDENTS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 3. Despite assurances by General Antonescu, following Lord Halifax’s strong representations to the Rumanian Minister in London on Sunday, five British subjects are still under arrest in Bucharest and no satisfaction has been received as to their treatment. Meanwhile, it is confirmed in London that Mi- A. Millar was imprisoned in Bucharest by persons in civilian clothes, doubtless members of the Iron Guard, and that the Rumanian police profess, quite genuinely, complete ignorance of his fate.

Continuous inquiries are being pursued and no opportunity is being lost of explaining the grave view of Britain regarding a series of incidents intolerable as between civilised countries. It remains to be seen how far General Antonescu will be able or willing to control the activities of irresponsible members of the Iron Guard, who appear to be'influenced only by a desire to imitate Nazi methods.