THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 6, 1941.
Library. Supreme Couch
ATTACK ON 'GREER'
Roosevelt On "Elimination" Of Axis Submarine
Attack Took Place On American Side Of The Atlantic
THE GREER INCIDENT WAS THE CENTRE OF INTEREST AT PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN WASHING- TON, WHEN THE PRESIDENT, REPLYING TO QUESTIONS ON THE SUBJECT, DID NOT SAY EXACTLY HOW MANY ATTACKS WERE MADE ON THE DESTROYER, WHICH WAS CARRYING MAIL TO ICELAND, BUT SAID THEY OCCURRED DURING DAY- LIGHT DEFINITELY ON THE AMERICAN SIDE OF THE OCEAN.
He said that while the Greer was alone at the time of the attack she was clearly marked and carried an identification number and the U.S. flag.
Asked what would be done if the attacker was found, President Roosevelt replied he supposed the U.S. forces would "eliminate" it or try to. The President authorised the direct quotation of the word eliminate and said it was a good one.
He emphasised that good day- light and visibility prevailed dur- ing the attack. He did not say whether all the attacks occurred
minded him of the father in the allegorical story of some country children going to school.
When an undisclosed person
to
EX-COMMUNIST
DEPUTY SHOT
DEAD IN PARIS
was
Marcel Gitton, former Communist de-. puty for the Seine De- partment, who shot at in Paris on Thursday night, died in hospital yesterday afternoon, states a Paris despatch.
Paris radio stated earlier in the day that Gitton was seriously wounded when his as- sailant fired ot him at point-blank range.
-Reuter. 000000000
U.S. NAVY WARNS
FURTHER CLASHES
ATLANTIC BATTLE GOES WELL
The results of the Battle of the Atlantic during the past two months are viewed with satisfaction in London, says Reuter's naval.correspondent.
While in accordance to general practice no figures of U-boat sinkings are being given, it may be said that so far as can be as- certained, up-to-date, results for August have been no less satis- factory than were the improved results for July.
These results appear to have been achieved despite the fact that the number of U-boats operating against British`ship- ping has not diminished.
In the meantime, British sub- marines themselves have been doing magnificent work in the Mediterranean against enemy shipping routes on which the Libyan garrison depends for sup- ples. Damage to enemy ship- ping on these routes has been Lenormous. Reuter.
AMERICANS
CAN BE EXPECTED LEAVING
UNDER STREAMER headlines such as
within a relatively short time on fired at them from the bushes "Fear of United States shooting warsin sub-dents head a party of about 115 marine attack,” the American afternoonweek for home in a President papers splashed photographs of the Greer and her captain.
Thursday morning or at intervals the father Look the
The President left little doubt!tion that there was nothing
posi- that he approved the action of the do about it-no reason to search
depth charges.
Greer's commander in dropping the bushes or take other steps because the children were
He said it was very fortunate the Greer was not hit and remark- ed it was beyond his power to say why the submarine's alm was so poor.
No Excuse
not hit.
any
A reporter asked: "Is any search of the bushes being made?”
Looking Into
Matter
a
Captions were "Warship that fought off submarine," and "Fear of further submarine attack on U.S. ships.'
One American agency writes: "It is believed that American
"Now
is
He would not disclose whether the submarine's periscope was THE PRESIDENT REPLIED: warships in the Atlantic have above water, declaring he could "YES, IN OTHER WORDS WE been warned by the Navy De- not discuss that.
DON'T GO ALONG WITH partment to be alert to the pos- A reporter asked whether it FATHER, IT MIGHT EVEN BE sibility of further encounters with was possible for the submarine to SAID THAT THE SCHOOL-Axis sea raiders." make a mistake in broad daylight TEACHER (MEANING THE; The newspaper "PM" devotes at torpedo distance. The Presi- PRESIDENT) IS LOOKING INTO all its front page to a leader on dent said he would put the
ex- THE MATTÉR.”
the incident headed planation this way: If the submar- President Roosevelt replied
the time to stop Hitler." ine had its periscope above the in the negative to
The paper adds: "Maybe Hitler question surface there was no excuse
will come clean and admit It for whether the Greer attack had wrong identification.
was intended for what it was- caused any change of orders to The President reminded the U.S. vessels.
an act of war-a shooting war. journalists that most torpedoes Reminded it was once the prac- were fred by means of visual tice in case of attack to "go tell sight. However, almost all naval pop," the President agreed that vessels, including German and
was not done any more. Italian, he added, have listening! President Roosevelt dismissed a devices and it is possible to fire at question whether the attack pre- a sound. This method was not sented any ground for diplomatic action and declined to discusS the approximate location of the attack-Reuter.
nearly as accurate.
A Hypothetical Question
President Roosevelt dismissed | as a hypothetical question how he would classify the Greer In- cident as regards a “shooting
* war."
Answering an enquiry whether
it was possible for a ship to be on the American side of the Atlantic and simultaneously in the belli-
V
U.S.. AID FOR
FREE FRENCH
Now's The Time
"We do not know but it does not make much difference, What
not ared the first gun-now they we do know is that if they had would later.
(SPECIAL :TO""GĦINA -MAIL”), Many prominent Shanghai resi-
Americans who are leaving..next
1. The voyagers, include. MAL. R. Schinazi, head of Elizalde, Inc., and Carroll D. Alcott, the radio holiday and hopes to return to
liner.
newscaster. The latter is on
Shanghai in two months. Inter-
national News Service.
ATTACK ON GREER'
CAUSES
SENSATION
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, stating in Washington that the U.S.S. Greer was attack- ›ed more than once, added that steps have been taken to track down the attacker, which will be eliminated if found.
The story of the attack on the Greer was splashed in all American newspapers under banner headlines.
"Now, while tho Germans can be Hcked, is the time to Tick them. Now is the time for
.action action and more
and
Some quarters in Washington more and more and more."
have been predicting for some In an article headed: "U-boat time that the Atlantic patrol is knew ship was ours,"
Fletcher now so extensive and ships going Pratt, military expert of the to Iceland so numerous, that it "New York Post," declares: was difficult to see how an inci-· “Evidence at hand indicates that dent with German craft could the submarine attack the long be avoided, and that. a seri U.S. destroyer Greer was a de-ous clash might lead anywhere.
German liberate action by the
on
The United States submarine commander who knew
gerent zone proclaimed by Ger- Secretary of State, Mr. ship"
he was attacking an American
many, the President said the
had never been notified of the Cordell Hull, indicated Mr. Pratt asserts that in view establishment of such a zone. .......
of the appearance of destroyers yesterday that the United of the Greer type "nobody in He added a blockade was never recognised if it was ineffective. States is at least indirect. his right mind could take them
. Further questioned whether ly aiding
for British or anything else but the Free
American destroyers."
the Greer behaved according to instructions and policy in drop. French.
ping depth charges immediately, President Roosevelt suggested. there was no information to the contrary.
"An Allegory
Sensation In Britain
In the afternoon, - - however, Reuter's diplomatic conrespon- dent stated," official circles in London regarded the matter ad purely one between Germany and "America and are making --no÷comment..
Among the general public in The attack on the Greer, howBritain the attack-caused some- ever, does not appear likely to thing of a sensation because it lead to a worsening of United has been generally recognised in States-German relations,
Britain for some time past! that the Germans have tried hard to However, there is a belief in avoid involving themselves in any Washington that this is probably kind of incident with the United only the first of an inevitable States, in accordance with Hit- series of such incidents.
ler's policy of dealing with only one country at a time Reuter.
Carrying Out Orders
Congressional opinion so far offered unanimously belloyed the Groorvlarnothing to go o war-about.
SIR EARLE PAGE TO GO TO LONDON
"Public Calm- "The United States has the friendliest relations in every way A cross-section of opinion col- with the Free French Govern-lected by the "New York"Post" ment,” he said. He assumed that from people in various walks of this systematic ;ald would con-life shows the American public tinue.
generally is calm and is adopt- The U.S. Navy is carrying out It is understood in Canberra The President asked his ques Earlier in the week Comdr. ing a "wait and see" attitude. the-orders-to-defend Itself 12 at that Sir Earle Page, Common- tioner what he would do If George Cabanler -anhoudeèd in Some people weld there was tacked and this and similar incl-wealth Minister for Commerce, attackód,
San Diego, California, that he no proof whose submarine was dents will undoubtedly do much has been chosen to proceed to President Roosevelt himself had been appointed by General Vinvolved. Othors and It must towards unifying American-opin: London to represent the Cabinet brought up the Grcer incident to de Gaulle to organise the island have been a case of mistaken fon which alone will give the in the discussion of specific mat- open the conference, üfter whis-defonces dni Tahiti, the Hebrides Identityar
Administration impetus to furters with the British Cabirict. “
The visit will be of short dura- pering for a moment to his naval and New Caledonia groups, HaOne man declared it was high ther action against the Axis. aide, Captain John Beardall, would receive Lease and Lend: timeli4here" was "arr incident to British attention was yesterday tion, it is understood, and Sir He and the comments by equipment from Great Britain, he got the US into war as it should focussed on news from America of Euric, Page will retain Cabinet
thơ hitachi, "Washington "*"re-suid,
havo bechong age-Reuter.
ank Reuter,
Tunter W