HESS CLASSIFIED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 May 1941, Page 6

HESS CLASSIFIED

IN CATEGORY OF NAZI CRIMINALS RESPONSIBLE FOR BLOODSHED & MISERY. DUKE OF HAMILTON’S INTERVIEW (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) LONDON. May 15. The Associated Press has learned from a high-placed official that the Government regards Hess not only as a prisoner of war, but in the same category as the Nazi criminals responsible for bloodshed, suffering and misery in Czechoslovakia, Poland and elsewhere. Hess is still kept isolated in a room at a hospital, with an officer in attendance and guards nearby. His condition is reported to be improving rapidly. It is expected that Mr Churchill will deal with the report of the Duke of Hamilton's interview with Hess when he makes his statement in the House of Commons. The British United Press reports that Berlin officials angrily deny reports that the Nazis are undertaking a house to house canvass in order to reassure Germans about the Hess affair, but admit that “a few members of the party may have talked the matter over with neighbours.” MR CHURCHILL HECKLED DENIAL OF NEEDLESS DELAY. < PROMPT ACTION TAKEN.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, May 15. Replying to a question in the House of Commons why the Minister of In. formation did not take steps to anticipate the German broadcast alleging that Hess was insane. Mr ChurchiL said: “It may be as well that the Minister of Information did not do so. a« the suggestion has since been refuted.' To further suggestions that, it was unfortunate that 48 hours were allowed to elapse before the news was given out and that the Germans were thus allowed time to publish their version. Mr Churchill said: "It was not unfortunate, but if it had been it would have been unavoidable. We had established that a man had landed, but we only had evidence which, while it was most interesting, could not be considered conclusive of his identity. I immediately sent up an official who knew the Deputy-Fuehrer and who spoke to him in fluent German. While that was proceeding, the German announcement came .out of the insanity of Hoss and his flight. By that time what had hitherto been surmised emerged into definite certainty.”

SILLER AND SENSE SCOTSWOMAN’S COMMENT. AN AMERICAN EFFUSION. LONDON, May 15. Mr McLean, the Scottish ploughman who found Hess, resented being filmed by newsreel men and went on ploughing. Mr McLean's mother has received a telegram from a New York woman signing herself Sarah Lynn and stating: "You did a magnificent job. Hurrah for the Scotch! I’m one.” Mrs McLean's terse comment was, "That woman has more siller than sense.”

HOW HESS ESCAPED REPORTS OF SPOTTING PILOTS DISBELIEVED. (Received This Day. 1.30 p.m.) T.ONDON May 15. Hess was lucky not to have been shot down by two Hurricane pilots when flying to Scotland on Saturday night, says the “Daily Express.” One pilot is a young New Zealander, with seventeen victories to his credit and .the other a squadron leader from Ireland, who has shot down fourteen German planes. They spotted Hess's plane off the Scottish coast and reported it to headquarters. Hess's life was saved because the authorities disbelieved the pilots’ report and decided that a German fighter plane could never be risked on a flight, so far from its base.