Evening star., 1940-04-16
Germany Presses
Her 'Pacification'
OF Norway
British Cruiser Sunk,
Nozis Soy, Implying
Nurvik Still Held
By LOUIS P. LOCHNER,


Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
BERLIN, April 16.-Germany
pushed her specification" of Nor
way today and hinted it was pro-
crossing with negligible British
hindrance.
The high command reported that
German bombers yesterday had sunk
a British cruiser off the Norwegian
coast and also had destroyed a Brit
ish amphibian war plane.
DNB, official German news agen-
cy, reported "desultory fire" by Brit
ish destroyers yesterday at Narvik-
| implying that Germans still hold the
Arctic ore port.
In the German view, Narvik is only
of secondary importance, anyway.
Any British forces in that region
have been decoyed away from the
more strategic ports of Bergen,
Trondheim and Stavanger, Nazi
sources say. DNB said German anti
aircraft defenses at those cities have
been strengthened because of re-
peated British air attacks.
In an air attack on the Stavanger
airfield last night, it said, British
bombs destroyed a number of houses
and killed an undisclosed number of
Norwegian civilians. The only mill
tary damage, DNB reported, was de-
struction of two outdated Norwegian
airplanes and quickly-repaired bomb
craters on runways.
Haakon Called "Captive."
Authorized German sources init
mated that King Haakon VII OF
Norway, whom they described as the
captive" of his advisers, has one
more chance to save his throne-by
recognizing the interim government
| established at Oslo with Berlin's ap-
proval.
This government, it was said, de-
rived its authority from the presi-
dent of the Norwegian Supreme
Court. who set up the new regime
through powers regarded as devolv-
ing upon him under the Norwegian
constitution when the regular gov
ernment is unable to function.
Such condition, authorized
sources said, now exists in Norway
The explanation of the German
position followed an announcement
by the German high command re-
porting further strengthening of the
Nazi position in Norway and deny.
ing that British troops had gained
8 fOOthOld in German-OccupieC
areas.
No Landings Reported.
The communique said thai
strong" British naval forces, &C.
companied by troop transports, hac
been observed yesterday off Narvil
and Harsted, IS miles to the north
but said there had been no attempts
at a landing there.
Two British planes were reported
shot down in raids on Narvik anc
Stavanger and "pacification" o1
Southern Norway was said to be
proceeding on schedule" North o1
Kristiansand, on the southwest
coast, 2,150 officers and men of the
Sd Norwegian Division were said tt
have surrendered after a short at.
tack" by Nazi troops.
| Amplifying the situation with re.
spect to the interim government ir
Oslo, authorized sources said that
the German Minister, Kurt Breuer
was not regularly in contact with
the Norwegian representatives.
The government, headed by Ingol
Elster Christensen, former Nor.
wegian army captain and one-time
cabinet minister, was said to bt
composed of representatives OF Nor.
wegian businessmen and scientists.
In the German view the new
regime was formed ION the assump-
ton that the King will respect the
Norwegian Constitution and give hi.
sanction" but it was intimated thai
the government would be recognized
even If the King withheld his ap.
| y,rovo1