The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-04

of the United states, wiIlfuliy tt cause or permit the destruction ol injury of such Q vessel or to tampel with It's motive power or instru- mentalities of navigation; anc which authorize the authorities oi this government to take possession and control of any vessel and [, remove. therefrom from the officer and crew when such action t deemed to be necessary to protect the vessel from damage or injury or to prevent damage or injury tt any harbor or waters of the Unitet States.
 T know of no principle of inter- national law which permits the masters or crews of vessels of a country which has sought refuge in or entered the ports of another country to commit acts of destruc- ton in disregard of local law and of the hospitality which they have been permitted to enjoy; nor Is there any provision in the treaty be- tween our two countries which lends even color of support to any such argument.
 Tt would indeed be unthinkable that any civilized nation would be. come party to a treaty containing any such provision or that 1t would subscribe to any so-called principle of international law which would permit foreign vessels to be brought to its harbors and roadsteads and there wilfully damaged and wrecked in violation of law and to the detri. ment of navigation and even the safety of its harbors without re- straint or hindrance by the local sovereign"
 Rejection of the German and Italian protests, a foregone conclu. sion, followed an American demand that Italy withdraw her naval at- tache, Admiral Alberto Lais, on charges that he ordered the sabo. tage of 28 Italian vessels seized by this government.
 The Lais incident was expected to be followed by requests for the withdrawal of more Axis diplomats.
 "The Italian ambassador must have overlooked the gravity of the situation," the note continued, "wher1 in his communication of March 31 he registered a protest against the action on the part of the federal authorities with respect to Italian properties and nationals
 "With respect to the ambassador specific inquiry as to the views and intentions of the government of the United States regarding the ships and their crews, the ambassador is informed that this matter Is now receiving the attention of the ap- propriate authorities of the govern rnent and will be determined in the light of the law and the pertinent facts"
 Hull promised c further commit nication to Prince Colonna when he has received further advice from the authorities involved.
 Hull referred to the damage in- flicted on the Pauline F'riederich, seized ct Boston, and added that If the scuttling and burning of ships in other harbors of this con- tinent may be regarded as indicative of what might be expected in our ports, 1t is difficult to see how your government could expect this gov- ernment to be obvious to the sit- uation presented.
 German Protest Studied
 Hull's note said that further in- quiry Is being made into other parts of the German protest and e fur- ther answer might be expected.
 Government Investigators are try- ing to learn whether any German of- flcial or agent in this country trans- initted orders for sabotage of the Pauline Friederich, one of the two German ships seized, and the only one of the two to have been sabo- tagged. Ten of the ships officers and men have been indicted in Boston for sabotage and held in s450,0oo bail.