Evening star., 1939-11-05
Flint, Still al Bergen,
Faced With Dilemma
OF Future Course
Question Is Whether to
Try to Get Home or
Make British Port
BY the Associated Press.

BY tne Associated Press.
OSLO, Norway, Nov. 4.-The
question of how to get home or
whether to try for a British port
tonight confronted the freighter
City of Flint, anchored in Bergen
Harbor and again under her Ameri-
can command after q 3,0O0-mile
trek through Arctic waters in charge
of German prize crew.
The question also was raised by
one foreign observer whether the
newly enacted United States neu-
trality legislation would permit an
effort to deliver to Britain the ves-
sells cargo Of tractors, oil, grain,
leather, fruit and wax. which the
Nazis labeled as contraband.
(The new law forbids commerce
with states at war, but exempts
vessels which sailed before in
vocation of the law and issuance
of presidential proclamations
naming belligerent states.
president Roosevelt in q proc
lamation tonight banned Ameri-
can ships from dangerous areas
in Europe. In an accompany
ing statement. he referred spe-
cifically to ships which had
cleared for combat areas" before
the act and proclamation be-
came effective and said they
would be allowed Ito complete
their voyages.")
Flint Steamed to Bergen.
The Norwegian Navy early today
freed the City of Flint at Hau-
gesund and interned the German
prize crew placed aboard when she
was seized by the pocket battle
ship Deutschland October 8. Shortly
after the release order the vessel
steamed to Bergen, IS miles up the
coast.
Usually reliable informants said
it was likely Norway would reject
German protest presented to the
foreign Office during the day.
The German consul at Bergen
visited the 18 interned German
crewmen, interned aboard the Nor
wegian destroyer Olav Trygvasson,
and said he hoped to reach some
settlement soon.
The American crew of II remained
aboard the City Of Flint tonight and
kept the decks brightly lighted.
May Sail to Glasgow.
| Speculation on what the shin
might do revolved about the posi-
bility that she might sail for Glas-
gov, presumably under a British
convoy. The crew members said they
knew the freighter was "a marked
ship" and expressed doubt what
she would do.
Capt. Joseph Gainard made no
statement but agreed upon a gen.
eral press conference tomorrow.
In the event the ship should try
to reach Glasgow 1t was likely she
would remain in Bergen several
days, since a number of other ships
were awaiting convoy there.
The City of Flint was given free"
by the Norwegian government on
the ground the German crew vio-
lated international law by entering
a neutral port without sufIlcient
cause.
The German reason for putting in
at Haugesund was the reported ILL
ness of an American crewman, who
was said to be In need of medical
attention. A Norwegian surgeon
who examined the man, identified as
Allison Sellars, an engineroom
wiper of Wilmington, N. c., said
he did not require such aid.
Seaman Suffered Bruise.
Information obtained at Bergen
was to the effect that Sellars suf-
fered q bruised leg when he stum-
bled over some machinery in the
dark.
Norway's action in the case was
based on chapter IS, article 81 Of
The Hague convention rules stat
ing that a prize ship can be taken
into q neutral port only when she
is unseaworthy or because Of wealth.
er or lack of fuel or provisions.
| Article "a says the neutral gov
ernment shall free the ship If those
conditions do not exist.
Germany and Norway
EmbroiIed Over Flint
BERLIN, Nov. 4. R-Germany
and Norway found themselves to-
day in the midst Of q sudden con-
fiict over release Of the freighter
City Of Flint to her American crew
Csc FLINT r. 40