Evening star., 1941-06-14
We||es Asserts
Germans Can't
Intimidate u. 5.
lndicotes Protest
Note Will Churqe
Pact Violation
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Robin Moor lUdS sunk II months
after present lDar broke out, In
World War first American ship,
William P. Frye, UdS destroyed
by German surface raider Prince
Eitel Frederick less than sir
months after beginning OF con-
fict This incident also hap
pened in South Atlantic, not Jar
from Where Robin Moor 1Uent
dotOn, but no liues 1Oere lost.
The American people will not be
impressed by German "bluster or
threats" concerning United States
shipping in the Atlantic, Undersec-
-retary of State Sumner Welles de-
clared today.
He made this comment at press
conference when asked for reac-
ton to assertions by German spokes-
men in Berlin to the effect that the
Nazis would continue to sink ships
such as the American freighter
Robin Moor, which was sent to the
bottom of the South Atlantic by a
Nazi submarine on May 81.
= Mr.. Welles said he believed all it
was necessary to say was that
throughout the history Of the peo-
pie of the United States they never
have been impressed by what they
regarded as busters or threats"
He emphasized that he believed
Americans now should devote their
attention quietly and dispassion-
stely to looking at the issues pre-
sented by the sinking of the Robin
Moor.
Facts Reviewed.
The facts are, Mr. Welles said,
that an American merchant vessel
carrying nothing which the United
States considers contraband was
sunk far from any recognized COM
bat zone and American citizens
forced into its lifeboats and left
without any assurance of Safey, in
violation of international agreement
and every law of humanity.
Adding that it seems tragically
probable that three -fourths of the
Robin Moor's crew and passengers,
including three women and a child,
were lost, Mr.. Welles said those are
the real issues for this country to
consider.
He reported the facts which he
said already are very clear after
telling reporters he did not wish to
make any final statement concern
ing the Robin Moor incident until
dispositions of the II survivors reach
here Monday from Brazil and are
studied in detail
Mr.. Welles' comment was in
spired by assertions of Nazi spokes-
men, quoted in news dispatches
from Berlin. that Germany won't
be buffaloed by American or English
discussions concerning the Robin
Moor and that whenever any
ship with contraband sails for Eng
land we'll shoot at it,"
Basis of Expected Protest.
His recital of the facts of the
case indicated that an expected
strong protest to Germany would
be based on Nazi violation of the
traditional American policy of free
dom of the seas and specific inter-
national agreements that merchant
ships should not be sunk by bel
llgerents without assuring safety
OF passengers and crew.
In the Robin Moor case, Mr.. Welles
pointed out, an American merchant
vessel, in accordance with the his
toric policy of this country, was on
the high seas engaged in peaceful
commerce far from any combat area
which the United States has volun-
tarily forbidden to its shipping.
Furthermore, he added, the Robin
Moor was not destined for any port
in a combat zone and it did not
carry any cargo considered as con-
traband by this country.
Tersely adding that that ship was
sunk, Mr.. Welles pointed out that
American citizens, including women
and children, were aboard.
In the space of half an hour, he
continued, those American Cltlzens
were forced into lifeboats, contrary
to the terms of an international
agreement to which Germany and
the United States are parties.
He went on that, contrary to this
agreement and every law of human
ity, those Americans were left in
a position where they could not be
assured of any safety.
The 1880 agreement to which he
referred specifically provides that a
ships lfeboats shall not be con-
sidered a place of safety unless made
so by the proximity of land or
another vessel which could pick
them up. The Nazi submarine
which sank the Robin Moor pre-
vented 1t from sending an SOS and
failed to carry out a promise to
summon help by its own radio.
Mr.. Welles recalled that a report
(see ROBIN MOOR, Page A-3D