Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-12
Germans Worried
As Liner Rex
nears Gibraltar
Hide in Darkest Corner
Of Bar as Steamer
Enters Port for Search
(Fourth of a series.)
BY WILLIAM L. WHITE.

BY WILLIAM L. WHITE.
ABOARD S. S. REX (By AirmaiD
We are nearing the Rock of Glib
raltar, where, so goes the ships ru-
NOR, we may be stopped and
searched by a British cruiser, so
all of us-the other Europeans and
I, the sole American--watch our
German fellow-passengers. Mostly
the Germans are women. Only five
are men of seemingly military age.
In the early morning we get our
first sight of Europe, Cape Vincente,
which juts far out into the placid
sea from Portugal.
Yesterday the German men paced
the deck with strained faces, talk
ing only to each other, as they have
done all during the voyage. Now
they cluster in the darkest corner
Of the bar.
A few miles away a ship appears,
going in our direction, at about our
speed. A destroyer? One by one
the Germans leave their dark ia
BILE. step to the ships rail, take turns
with field glasses. She is still too
distant. Then, rounding a cape,
she turns suddenly in, toward a lit
tie Spanish town. Not destroyer.
Two more dots appear on the hori-
zon-grow-turn out to be fishing
boats. On the right, Africa, rising
from shining sea, Is very beautiful
little white-washed towns dotting
the blue shoulders of the Atlas
Mountains like ropes of pearls.
Sight French Ship.
From the other side of the boat
there is shout, and the Germans
all come tumbling out of the bar.
A ship approaches us diagonally,
suddenly coming out from the Afri-
can shore. Might be a war boat.
There are her guns-no doubt of 1t
now. Headed almost right for u.s.
Now we can see the tricolor of
France painted on her tunnels.
The Germans suddenly leave the
rail, 60 back to the bar. Another
round of white wine and seltzer-
down in big gulps. But the Rex does
not hesitate or change her course.
Neither does the little French gun
boat which passes just astern, cut
ting through our wake. dropping
back into the bright western haze.
The Germans come on deck again.
Ahead, but well to the left, the
big Rock of Gibraltar looms. The
Rex is steaming we'll out to sea.
majestically down the middle of the
straits. At the table the Germans
are laughing, the tension relieved.
Another round of wine and seltzer.
Their eyes are friendly now. But
then a movement of the ship which
we all notice. Looking back at her
white wake we see that she is turn
Ing out of mid-channel-her prov
now pointing straight for the Rock.
Ordered Into Port.
On deck an Italian officer ex-
plains From the Rock has just come
a wireless that the Rex must come
into Gibraltar Harbor to be searched
by the British. The German men of
military age are huddled over their
table in the bar The German wom-
en- on deck are frightened. Will
they take off the women. too? And
then what becomes of them? The
children?
We try to reassure them. Under
International law the British have
only the right to take from this ship
men of military age. Perhaps they
will not even do that
But they are still frightened. In
ternational law, they say, who cares
for that today? This is war. And
in war the British will do anything
We know! We have been told! They
nod their heads grimly.
4 \ X 4
Slowly the big boat slides into
Gibraltar Harbor as the last rays o.
sun touch the big Rock. The light!
OF the little town come on along thu
shore. Beside us are three othel
great italian liners, seven italian
cargo boats, held up for search BY
the British at the Rock. Our anchor
rumbles to the bottom of the bay
At that moment little British mill.
tary patrol boat puts out from shore
In her bow are group of British
naval uniforms. From her stern the
British flag flaps. The youngest