1939-09-05 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 5, 1939.

ATHENIA

Page

TORPEDO

Germany Seeks To Deny Responsibility

MINE SUGGESTION

REPUDIATED BY

ADMIRALTY

London, To-day.

BERLIN HAS DENIED that a Nazi submarine sank the "Athenia,” and suggest a mine was respon- sible.

In London, the Admiralty says that no British-mines

had been laid in the area of the disaster. Mr. Winston Churchill was warmly cheered when he rose in the House of Commons this morning to make his first announcement as First Lord of the Admiralty since the Great War.

Mr. Churchill, after recounting the; many within the scope of the Lon- facts of the wanton torpedoing of don Naval Treaty of 1936,

the signa- the "Athenia" by a Nazi submarine, tories to which were Britain, the said: "It is certain that the act was Dominions, the United States and committed without the slightest warn- France.. ing in circumstances which all tions, including the German, stigmatised as inhuman.

na-

had

"The Athenla was not an auxi- liary cruiser."

CONVOY PLANS

Mr. Churchill said that convoy ar- rangements would speedily be put into operation, though it might na- turally take some time.

He announced that on one shipping route the convoy system had come into force immediately following the declaration of war.-Reuter.

Part four of the Treaty sought to humanize submarine warfare, and under its rules a submarine captain was obliged to see that passengers, crew and ship's pa- pers were put in a place of safety before any attack was made the ship.

on

JAPAN'S

POSITION CLEARER

Tokyo, To-day. Commenting on Japan's decl- sion to remain neutral in the European conflict the "Japan Times" says: Japan will not view with indifference the pact between Berlin and Moscow. Should the pact extend Its influence to East Asia, Japan would be com- pelled to take full notice, if such an alliance, even in the most re- mote manner, proved encourage- ment for Moscow to attempt in- trigues against Japan.✨

"If it prompted aggressive ac- tion against Japan, the world al- tuation would be bound to under- go radical alteration.”—Reuter,

NAZI PLANES DESTROY A VILLAGE

London, To-day.

An official Polish Embassy state- ment says that Nazi planes yesterday afternoon destroyed a village near

A "place of safety" meant that Tarnow with incendiary bombs. passengers and crew must not be

The

Havas agency reports that put into boats on open sea unless Warsaw was bombed at 5 o'clock yes- land was very near or another ship terday afternoon. Several fires were was standing by.-Reuter.

started. Reuter.

ATROCITY DENIED

London, To-day. The official Nazi news agency, in a statement referring to the torpedo- ing of the "Athenia," says:

SUCCESSFUL COUNTER-ATTACK

London, To-day.,

The Polish Embassy reports that the Polish army has counter-attacked against the Nazi invaders successful-

ly.

AMERICAN ATTITUDE

New York, To-day. Official circles do not expect the "We can only say that in accord- United States to make a formal pro-ance with instructions Issued by ed. test to the German Government con- cerning the torpedoing of the Athenia, according to the Washington cor- respondent of the Dow Jones Agency.

The officials doubted whether the United States had ground for a protest, in view of the fact that the Athenla was of British re- glatry.-Reuter.

GERMANS ON BOARD.

Glasgow, To-day.

}

It is learned here that 34 persons on board the liner Athenia, torpedoed by a German submarine off the He-

brides, were of German nationality:

Hitler, the German armed forces are doing nothing contrary to the rules of international law!"-Reuter.

The position, generally, is unchang-

The small Polish garrison at Wes- terplatte is still holding out.—Reuter.

DR. BENES"

NEW CABINET TELEGRAM

MINISTERS

London, To-day.

TO PREMIER

London, To-day.

The appointments of Min- Dr. Edouard Benes, former

น

SUDDEN NAZI ORDER TO ENVOYS

LONDON, TO-DAY: AT THE LAST MINUTE, THE NAZI AUTHORITIES REFUBED TO ALLOW THE BRITISH AMBASSA- DOR TO GERMANY, SIR NEVILE HENDERBON, AND THE - FRENCH AMBASSADOR, ̈ ̈M. COULDONDRE, TO LEAVE GERMANY AND CROSS INTO BELGIUM, AND THE TWO ENVOYS, WITH THEIR STAFFS, ARE NOW PROCEEDING TO THE NETHERLANDS.

The German Ambassador to France, with the Nazi Embassy staff, has been held up on the French side of the Franco-Belgian frontier, and will not be allowed through until the French Ambassador to Germany arrives safe- ly in Belgium.--Reuter.

CHARGE D'AFFAIRES LEAVES GRAVESEND

London, To-day. The Nazi charge d'affaires Gravesend to-day for Rotterdam.

left

He was among 120, Nazis leaving England to-day.-Reuter.

LEAVE TOGETHER

Brussels, To-day. The British. and French Ambas- sadors to Berlin, Sir Nevile Hender- son and M. Coulondre, left Berlin at 9a.m. yesterday for Holland.

According to the Belgian agency, the German authorities at the

news

last moment refused to allow them to travel via Beiglum.-Reuter.

AMERICA ISSUES A WARNING

Washington, To-day. Officials admit that although Ameri- ca's determination to remain out of war is at present very strong, with- thousands of Americans waiting to cross the Atlantic, if further torpedo- ings occur, a mood of “belligerent un- neutrality" will inevitably arise.-- Reuter.

isters not in the War Cabinet | President of Czecho-Slovakia, HEAVY NAZI

It is also understood that 75 per announced last night show has sent a telegram to Mr SENTENCES

cent of the passengers were women and children.-Reuter.

LANDING AT GALWAY.

London, To-day.

The Ministry of Information an- nounces that information has been received from the Government of

Eire that 430 survivors of the Athenia are proceeding in the Norwegian ship Knute Nelson to Galway, where they are due to-day (Tuesday).—Reuter.

GERMAN OBLIGATIONS

London, To-day.

the following changes:-

Mr. W. S. Morrison remains Chan- cellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, but also becomes Minister of Food;

Lord MacMillan, Minister of In- formation (a. new ministry); and

Mr. Ronald Hibbert Cross, Minister of Economic Welfare (a new minis-

try).

i..

sist the Minister for the Co-Ordina

Mr. Morrison will continue to as-

tion of Defence and will answer for him in Commons.-Reuter,

Lord MacMillan, the head of the new Ministry of Information, was It is pointed out that the naval

Assistant Director agreement signed between Britain

of Intelligence, and Germany in 1937 brought Ger- has been a Lord of Appeal in Ordin- Ministry of Information, in 1918. He

INTERMENT

IN BRITAIN

London, To-day. All Germans and Austrians still in England have now been interned

All allens over 10 years of age are regarded as enemies. **

Gorman and Austriari women mar- ried to Englishmen have been order- 'ed to report to the police.-Reuter, ›

ary since 1930. His title is that of a Life Peer.

Mr. Ronald Hibbert Cross is a merchant banker and M.P. for Rosen- dale; and has been Parliamentary Secretary, to the Board of Trade since last year.

MESSAGES OF LOYALTY

London, To-day, of loyalty

The latest messages

from Uganda and the colony Granada-have been sent to the King-Reuter

Neville Chamberlain.

Dr. Benes says: "Our country has FORSABOTAGE

been invaded and is occupied, and is suffering the inhuman terror and oppression of Naziism, but our forces, physical and moral, remain intact.

"We Czechs are also at war with the Nazis and will march with your people to final victory and the libera- tion of the Fatherland."-Reuter.

2

London, To-day.

A decree issued by Field-Marshal Goering, the Nazi Air Minister, in Berlin yesterday announces heavy prison sentences for the sabotage of goods or equipment of national neces- sity. Reuter.....

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