Evening star., 1941-11-02

By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Nov. 1.-The German
government formally declared
today that the United States
"attacked Germany in incidents
involving the American destroy
ers Greer and Kearny.
The official statement was Issued
from Adolf Hitler's headquarters TO
counter President Roosevelts asser-
ton that Germany had started the
shooting.
Berlin sources did not indicate
whether an attempt would be MADE
to invoke the tri-pOWer Axis pact,
under which Germany, Italy and
Japan agreed to help each other IN
case of an attack on any of the
partners by a power not engaged
in the European or Chinese war.
1t was said that nothing is known
of any attempt to invoke the pact.
Kearny Attack Admitted.
For the first time. it was admitted
that German submarines fired tor
pedoes at the Kearny, which the
Navy Department in Washington
has announced was ripped open. but
not sunk, with a loss of II lives
and 10 injured on the night of Oc-
tober 1917 southwest of Iceland
previously German spokesmen
had sought to cast doubt on the
Navy Department announce
ment of the torpedoing of the
kearny, indicating their belief
it was a trumped-up story to
boost the Presidents Neutrality
Act revislons through Congress.
(The Navy Departments ver-
sion October % said the Kearny
went to the aid of another con-
voy which was under attack and
dropped depth bombs. Three tor
pedoes then were fired. the Navy
said, and the third struck the
KearnyJ
The German statement said the
Kearny was protecting one convoy
when it received a call for help
from another which was engaged in
battle with German naval forces.
The Keany then attacked a
German U-boat with depth charges,
the statement said. before the
U-boats acted in their own defense.
This report, the statement said.
was based both on published state
ments of the United States Navy
and reports of German U-boat
commanders.
Greer Attack Charged.
In the Greer incident. the state
ment continued, the United States
destroyer pursued for several hours,
"in close military cooperation with
English naval forces" German
submarine, and in the pursuit the
submarine was attacked by several
depth bombs while it was under
water.
only after this attack did the
German U-boat use its weapons.
The destroyer continued its pursuit
with depth bombs a number of
hours
The Navy Departments &C
count said the Greer, shot at by
torpedoes but not hit on October
4. was informed of the sub
marines position by a British
plane which then dropped four
depth charges in the U-boatS
vicinity and flew away While
the destroyer was following the
submarine. the latter turned and
fired its torpedoes.
Map and Document Assailed.
Another statement. also released
from Hitler's headquarters, assailed
as "forgeries of the clumsiest,
erossest type" the map and docu-
ment referred to by President
Roosevelt in his Navy Day speech.
There exists neither a map pre-
pared in Germany by the Reich's
government regarding the dividing
up of Central South America, nor a
document pronounced by the
Reich's government regarding the
dissolution of the religions of the
world" the statement declared.
Despite the strong wording of
these statements. however. it was
said by spokesmen that they did
not intimate any change in rela-
tons with the United States.
No Mention of Reuben James.
The statement made no mention
Of the United States destroyer
Reuben James. third United
States destroyer which the Navy
Department has announced was
sunk October 81 with only A of its
120 officers and men so far reported
saved
Authorized quarters, however,
referred to President Roosevelt's S
statement yesterday that the in
cident had not changed United
States-Germany relations, and said
he was suffering from an upset
political stomach
1T is noteworthy how cautious he
has become these quarters added.
Apparently ne has the feeling that
he bit off more in recent days than
he could digest"
They said they had no confrma-
tion of the Reuben James sinking.
AS if to emphasize the implaca-
bility of Germany's determination
to press the war in the Atlantic, a
German resume of operations in the
past week said Isl 900 tons of
British shipping had been destroyed
In the Atlantic, with planes and
submarines sinking 35 vessels.
Attack on Roosevelt.
After reading the statements to
q conference of foreign cores
pondents, an authorized spokesman
went on to make a more direct at
tack on President Roosevelt, declar-
ing:
He has started plowing under
American boys. He is mobilizing
prejudice. He is organizing war for
Jewry. But he cannot prevent the
(See BERLIN, Page A-5D
Radio Programs Poee E-5
Complete Index Poee Az