Evening star., 1940-02-15

sels would be minimized II tho
British ceased hauling vessels into
British ports for search.
But the fear attributed to Pittman
that American vessels were In danger
OF being sunk without notice" is
based on Misrepresentation, they said.
They described the German atti-
tude as being that the German
naval forces have the right to pre-
vent the entry Of neutral ships into
British ports and that right exists
even II the neutral ships are forced
into such harbors by warships.
American vessels are prevented
by American law from touching
English ports" one said, 80 the
greatest danger is obviated at the
outset by wise American legislation.
Merely Hypothetical"
I'm connection with the reported
sinking of the Netherlands liner
Burgerdijk when it was entering the
Downs, it is stated that legally the
same rule would apply If an Amer
ican ship willingly or in custody Of
the enemy were to enter Gibraltar
Harbor.
But that is merely a hypothetical
discussion and in no event was there
suggestion that an American ship
might be sunk without notice-which
raises altogether different rules Of
sea warfare"
These sources insisted Germany
conducted her sea warfare on an
entirely legal basis.
The 6.853-ton Holland America
liner Burgerdijk was torpedoed and
sunk last Saturday of the south
western tip of England.
The high commands communique
devoted a paragraph each to land
and sea warfare
"As result of patrol activity
south Of Saarbruecken," it said,
numerous prisoners were taken.
February IA was a particularly
successful day for German sea war,
especially submarines. On this day
alone ships of gross tonnage Of
$4,000 were sunk"
Seeks 70 Involve NeutralS.
British acknowledged yesterday
the loss Of 30,998 tons of their
own shipping, the l2,3O6-ton
freighter Sultan Star, the 8,5O1-
ton tanker British Triumph and
the l0,19l-ton tanker Gretafield,
but the admiralty said two sub
marines involved were sunk. An
other victim of submarine was
the 5,l77-ton Danish freighter
Chastine Maersk. A French COM
munique reported the capture Of
an unidentified German freighter)
In the charges that Britain was
attempting to involve neutrals in
war the accusation uttered on all
sides was that Britain las usual is
trying to line up others to fight her
battles"
Diplomatisch Politische Korre-
spondenz, a semi official commen-
tary usually rejecting the Foreign
Office attitude. took a particularly
dour view of the arrival Monday of
Australian and and New Zealand
troops in Egypt and the welcome
extended to them by British Domin-
ions Secretary Anthony Eden. eden
reached Palestine today on an in
spection of empire troops).
"The assignment to be given these
troops has not been stated by Eden
or otherwise made public" said the
Korrespondenz, but the use made of
New Zealand troops in the World
War betrays the direction of their
contemplated thrusts-it is in the
southeast"
The commentary charged that the
plan to be carried out ii circum-
stances become opportune is to make
the British-French allies mutual de-
tense guarantees to Rumania and
Greece and the alliance with Tur-
key a pretext for attacks and so
create an eastern front which, 1t
said, British tactics urgently need.