INTERNMENT OF CREW

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20993, 21 December 1939, Page 7

INTERNMENT OF CREW

COST £SOOO A MONTH BLAME FOR GERMANY (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 19 The President of Argentina has issued a decree for the internment of Captain Langsdorff and the 1039 officers and men from the Admiral Graf Spee, says a message from Buenos Aires. The men will be sent to various places inland and will be granted certain liberties. The officers will remain on paroie in Buenos Aires. The expenses of the internment, about £SOOO a month, will be charged to Germany. A despatch from Montevideo says it is understood that the official report of the Uruguayan authorities claims that the Admiral Graf Spee was sunk inside territorial waters. She is still burning. The authorities are guarding the German merchant ship Tacoma, because she is alleged to have on board valuable instruments taken from the Graf Spee. The Chief Blame The Pan-American nations are discussing laying upon Germany the chief blanle for the battle within the neutrality zone, as the British steamer Streonshalh was sunk and the French liner Formose was attacked while plying between American ports, says the Washington correspondent of the New York Times. Some republics, including Brazil, want to ban the refuelling of belligerent warships in Pan-American ports. Eleven American republics have supported Uruguay’s early stand in protesting against the violation of neutral waters. It is learned from unimpeachable diplomatic sources that if Captain Langsdorff had disobeyed Uruguay’s order to depart, the Latin-American nations were prepared to send warships—presumably Argentine—to act as policemen to escort the Graf Spee to sea.

It is said that Uruguay, while under German diplomatic pressure, consulted her neighbours and was promised full support, especially from Argentina and Brazil.