LURED BY NAZIS?

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 February 1941, Page 6

LURED BY NAZIS?

FORMER DUTCH PREMIER SAID TO HAVE BEEN DECEIVED & KIDNAPPED. NETII ER LAN DS GO VER NM ENT INVESTIGATION. <By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright > (Received This Dav. 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, February 19. The Netherlands Government is investigating a report that, the Germans kidnapped and imprisoned Mr D. J. de Geer, former Premier of Holl,and. because he refused to divulge information about Britain. It is suggested that the Nazis lured Mr de Geer from London with a report that his wife was ill. thus making him commit a breach of loyalty. Mr de Geer is reported to have chartered a German plane in Lisbon, which instead of flying to Holland took de Geer to Germany. A cablegram from London on February 6 stated: "The former war time Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr Dirk Jan de Geer, in spite of solemn assurances to the contrary, has returned to Holland. Announcing in London with profound indignation, Mr do Greer’s departure from Lisbon for Holland. the Royal Netherlands Government adds that he formed the present Cabinet in June. 1939. and retained the leadership till last September, and thus as the head of the Government when tlie Germans invaded Holland, he had an important share in the Cabinet’s unanimous decision to go to London from the Hague with Queen Wilhelmina.