1941-09-06 — Page 3

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