GERMAN THREAT

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20914, 20 September 1939, Page 7

GERMAN THREAT

WARNING TO BRITAIN POSITION OF NEUTRALS DESIRE NOT WEAKNESS (Official Wireless) (Received Sept. 20, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 19 The Belgian press reproduced the following bulletin by the Deutsche Naclrrichten: “Great Britain is mistaken if she thinks that Germany is disposed to allow her communications with neutral states to be cut by British guns. We must warn these states not to submit to Britain. This warning is specially addressed to the Oslo States, which met at Copenhagen on September 18. “Germany desires to leave neutral countries outside the present conflict. This desire must not, however, be considered as weakness. Germany is not disposed to allow the least deviation from neutrality, even if it is a question of yielding to force.” This will be seen to contain a direct threat to the neutral States to force them to conform with Germany’s ideas of neutral conduct. British Government's Attitude The British Government’s attitude toward the question of trade with neutral countries was made clear in a statement issued by the Ministry of information on September 19. If that attitude has produced this violent reaction in Germany it is clearly because she notoriously depends to a large extent on the Scandinavian States for war materials, and wishes to force iliem to continue to supply her with these, though in international law no neutral State is under any obligation to supply anything to belligerents unless she feels so disposed. Such threats are more remarkable in view of the German Government’s declared intention to impose a contraband control of its own on neutral shipping. Falsehood of German Allegations A recent .German communique asserted that the British Government had addressed notes to the neutral governments, especially to those of the Oslo Group, showing determination to ride roughshod over the latter’s vital interests and rights as neutrals. It was alleged that the British Notes put forward a number of demands and stated that non-compliance on the part of neutral governments would be regarded as a breach of neutrality. These allegations are now categorically denied hy the Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish Governments, which have issued a statement that no such Note was received by any of these governments. STRICT NEUTRALITY INTENTION OF MINISTERS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 20, l p.m.) COPENHAGEN, Sept. 19 The Scandinavian Ministers’ conference has issued a communique coniirming the intention to maintain strict neutrality.