The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-19
BRITAIN ASKS
'''' EXPLANATION
FROM NORWAY
Continued from Page One)

, Precisely why did Norway ap-
.,..rtlr consider the Altmark as an
i.rocent merchantmen when she had
. used as a prison ship for some
IF she we're considered a mer-
,bon+man, why were Norwegian war
ships with her?
Given Big Welcome
The British, jubilant over the spec
..c,,lar release of the Atlmarks
n%risoners, gave those of them able
IN return to their homes a hero's
reIcome. In Liverpool, where sew
oral lived. the seamen were escorted
IA thir bunting-draped homes by
cheering throngs.
In the station awaiting their ar
rival, the crowd sang sea chantles
and when the train pulled in roared
This Welcome: "There'll always be an
England"
Three hundred and fourteen of the
seanen were admitted to two Edin-
burgh hospitals yesterday after the
landing at Leith and about half of
them we're released later.
They we're said to be in pretty
fair shape"
Britain's complaint to Norway,
lodged yesterday but only disclosed
today, added that the British gov
eminent felt justified in pressing"
for the Norwegian internment of the
Altmrak, boarded Friday night in
the shelter of losing ford (Gjessingf-
jrd. near stavanger, by officers and
men of the destroyer Cossack.
Hand To- Hand Battle
Found imprisoned below the Alt
marks decks, the rescued British
merchant seamen were freed during
dd-fashioned, grappling-iron and
hand-to-hand naval action.
During weekend discussions with
the Norwegian authorities in London,
the British government stressed its
point Of view that it was "complete-
ly justified in taking the law into
its own hands," according to a diplo-
matte source close to the govern
ment.
The official attitude was said to
be that Britain had acted like a po-
ICenlan in entering a house without
a warrant whe nhe knows a crime
Is being committed"
With the British protest, the in
leFnatlonal tumult over the Altmark
case developed a new front. Ger
MANY yesterday protested to Norway,
Nazls calling the raid " a clean case
u piracy" and "gangsterism." The
german minister at Oslo demanded
lul feparation. In turn, Norway
protested vigorously to Britain over
'e disregard of her sovereignty
slu asked that the freed seamen be
returned.
Inc disclosure of Britain's official
''uluoe was in line with the more
Ou'spoken views of the British press
%lcn termed the governments de-
Ol 10 rescue the Altmark's pris-
oners historic"
one dispatch, striking the tenor
nosl press comment, hailed the
aVl0n as showing that Britain would
nv longer tolerate the favoring of
aNAlany by neutrals who are afraid
Of --azi attack"
Governments Attitude
in. Ae governments attitude, accord.
w. 70 informed sources, was that
.so 'ler stress of weather nor short
dsr proVlslons-two conditions un-
And sllch a belligerent may enter
ono, .ease a neutral harbor with pris.
~ s-nad been claimed by Norway
asilnany as an excuse for the
ona taking refuge in the ford.
ne emf informant said the govern
An a'ttude was that Altmark was
fIsst armed auxiliary of the German
sana. spotted by British reconnais.
S Ssnse p planes Friday, the -, ooo.ton
n a, snip had served as an auxiliary
Adm ns now scuttled German raider
N4 unl Graf Spec. i''l
The s'ss Prisoners we're seamen from
PED Wv sVen British merchantmen ba p.
foray " me pocket battleship during
lsntic. i'orth and south At.
so rv W on the failure of the
prjsore slan authorities to discover the
Altma lsts when they inspected the
reliable s ss BERGEN early Friday, a
about ina mad been talking for weeks ells
Who 9' s the large number of % pris mners
saiu." We're held on the p( Gspman