United States demanded Washington, Oct. 27. that Russia release the American steamship City of Flint and crew brought into the Russian fits cargo, which a German prize port at Murmansk, the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, disclosed yesterday.
He indicated that similar strong representations would be made to Berlin, Mr, Hull disclosed that Mr, Lawrence Steinhardt, the United States Ambassador to Moscow, or more United States officials had been authorized to send one to Murmansk to determine at first hand exactly what was transpiring.
Mr. Hull said that if the ship and cargo were returned to the crew, they would be "foot loose and free" to proceed in whatever manner they should see fit, The Seoretary of State said that Mr. Steinhardt had been advised in making representations to the Soviet Government to state the American conception of maritime law and demand that under International law the vessel be freed, Mr. Hull reiter-fated that undoubledly more than half of the cargo was not contraband 'oF was conditional contraband, He disclosed that Mr. Steinhardt has been instructed to draw the Soviet Government's attention to the 3917 ease of a British ship which was Seized by a German raider and conducted to port at Norfolk, Virginia. The original owners of the vessel filed suit and the case resulted in a Supreme Court decision freeing the vessel, despite the fact that the two vations were at war—United Press,
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