Evening star., 1937-01-03
German freighter Palos by the Bilbao

q
German freighter Palos by the Bilbao
regime.
The pocket battleship Graf Spec had
seized the Spanish freighter Aragon
and forced it into an undisclosed
Spanish insurgent port. it was an
nounced. The cruiser Koenigsburg
with shellfire had driven the freighter
Soton aground on the Basque coast.
Nazis further were irritated tonight
by a Salamanca report Of the shooting
of German, Lothar Guedde, who was
sentenced to death by Bilbao court
December 80, allegedly for Fascist &C
tivity.
The German News Agency said
Guedde gave the Nazi salute. shouted
Long live Germany. long live Spain. "
as he faced the firing squad at Bilbao.
Reich Demands Satisfaction.
Whatever action the Basque gov
ernment has taken will not hinder us
from taking whatever steps we con-
slider necessary" said an official of
the propaganda ministry.
He said the Basque order to fire
on foreign ships attempting to molest
Basque shipping would not alter Ber-
Inns policy of stopping Spanish ships
until satisfaction has been given Ger
many with regard to the steamer Palos
The direct statement from the
propaganda ministry was taken here
to indicate that the German naval
commander in Spanish waters has his
orders, which Reichsfuehrer Hitler
gave him some days ago.
These orders, it was indicated, will
not be changed until the Fuehrer does
it in person.
With German-Spanish incidents
multiplying along the coasts Of Spain,
immediate decisions in these troubles
were in the hands of the naval COM
manders With the exception of Baron
Konstantin Won Neurath, foreign min
lister, all leaders of the government
we're still observing New Year holidays
Really Quite Simple"
Germany's justification for its policy
Of trough treatment" of Spanish ship
ping was set forth by a foreign office
spokesman, who asserted, 1T is really
quite simple" =.
THE German freighter Palos was
seized on the high seas, % miles from
the Spanish Coast. Therefore, she
clearly was a victim of an act OF
piracy.
"Our action toward the Spanish
steamer (Soton) yesterday merely en-
pllasized the governments determina-
ton to get genuine restitution for the
Palos incident: We want the Palos
just as it was seized-her cargo intact
and all her passengers"
The Basque authorities released the
Palos last week, but held part Of the
cargo branded as "war material" and
one Spanish passenger.
Further authoritative presentation
Of the German case came from the
organ of the foreign Office, Diplomat
ische Politische Korrespondenz. 1t
said:
mo one had any right to expect
relations between Germany and red
(Socialist) Spain would be allowed to
develop into one-sided arrangement
by which German ships on the high
seas could be coolly regarded as free
plunder.
IF Red Spain wishes to introduce
such practices it must also realize
that its measures will not remain
without retaliation"
Soton Affairs Explained.
Socialist Spain's disregard for for
eign life and property has reached
such a stage, Korrespondenz contin-
ued, that it is time for all states
with any interest in the restoration
of civilized conditions" in Spain to
give the situation their most earn
est attention"
The German account of the Soton
affair was given by an oficial spokes-
man as follows:
In pursuance of retaliatory meas
ures instituted by German warships
Gas q result Of the Palos seizure)
tine German cruiser on January l
signaled the Spanish steamer Soton
to stop.
"Inasmuch as the steamer failed
to obey this demand the cruiser first
fred two blank shots and then, when
these produced no results, fired sew
eral shells close to the steamer.
The steamer, still attempting to
escape, ran aground outside Santona
Har5or and was voluntarily deserted
by her crew. The crew was taken to
land in a Spanish fishing smack.
THE Koenigsburg then resumed
her course. No members of the
Soton's crew are aboard the Koenigs-
burg"
Foreign Minister Won Neurath con-
ferred today with the Italian Ambas-
sador, and 1t was presumed they dis
cussed harmonization of Berlin,s and
Rome's replies to the joint Franco
British plea for halting the flow OF
volunteers" to Spain. These replies,
1t was indicated, will be delivered
probably next week."
PARIS IS AROUSED.
Ship Smelling Arouses Grave Concern
For Peace of Europe.