This truthful tale shows that, though sometimes dazed by the fearsome drumming of Nazi propaganda, Portugal remains impervious to its blandishments and enjoys an occasional tilt at minds made torpid by the continual study of "Mein Kampf," says the "Manchester Guardian" A recent dawn disclosed five merchant ships slowly moving up the Douro River at Oporto. A facetious Portuguese immediately telephoned the German Consul at Oporto reporting the arrival of a Nazi convoy.
The Consul replied such could not be the case as he had no prior advice. However, when at least three more people left the same message he—perhaps with hope in his breast—trained binoculars on to the ships. The good German lenses would not lie and the Red Ensign flaunted him at each yardarm.
"I know they fly the British flag." replied the innocent observer, "but as your radio insists that the British have been swept from the seas I thought. just in case one crippled warship be still afloat, the colours were camouflage."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.