The German story, concerning the alleged atrocities said to have been committed upon German parachutists in Crete, having completely misfired, Dr. Goebbels is trying a new tale. According to the enemy news agency British soldiers are said to have been guilty of infringing international law by pretending desire to surrender and then killing the 4wouldbe German captors when they had come near enough. The despatch from Berlin reads:—
Berlin, June 9.—(Transocean).—During investigations by the German occupation authorities in Crete pertaining to British violations of international law in the island, one wounded German parachutist, Walter Gutter, made the following worn statement before me German military "We were being used as advance formation in rote and had been marching towards Rethymne on in order to rescue a unit of German soldiers re who had been surrounded by the enemy.
"Suddenly we ran into a British party of men belonging to an anti-aircraft battery. The British permitted us to approach them up to 10 meters; they were standing erect and showed a white flag. There could be no doubt that they wanted to surrender.
"We moved towards them completely unprotected when they suddenly disappeared into their position and showered on us a hail of rifle fire.
I was hurt together with seven other comrades as a result of this cowardly action."—Transocean, It is not to be expected that many people will be impressed by this story which is delightfully naive, even though it is purported io have been given under oath by one Walter Gutter. In view of the teachings of Hitler himself, and the determined attempt of the Nazis to wipe out religion in Germany. it is difficult to see what possible oath could be considered binding upon the deponent. It is not easy to understand the mentality of the Nazis. Not content with gaining their success in Crete they endeavour to magnify it by suggesting that not only had they to overcome the stiff resistance of the defenders, but that they had fo meet all manner of guile and unfair tactics in doing so. They seem to be entirely incapable of accepting a success and leaving it at that. The story of the mutilation of parachutists, first by the British. then by Cretan men and lastly by Cretan women is much too recent to have been forgotten, and this latest change of ground suggests that the imagination of the German fiction writers is being hard put to it to grind out some story which the world may possibly believe. What is more astonishing is that in neglect of Hitler's famous dictum on the credibility of the big lie, Goebbels and his henchmen are resorting to the invention of petty tarradiddies. They are designed apparently fo excuse the reprisals which the Germans may be expected to make because of the very heavy losses which are inflicted upon them in dedence of Crete. Even before the capture of the island had been completed, the Nazis were already talking about atrocities and threatening tenfold vengeance. and there is a grave likelihood that trumped up charges such as the sworn deposition of Walter Gutter will be availed of to justify brutal treatment of those unfortunate enough to have fallen into German hands as prisoners. The Nazis ratel miss an opportunity to gratify their brutal instincts, and Crete situated as it is. with no neutrals to keep watch over what is going on there, may. yet be the scene of more of those objectionable practices with which the Nazis are so well acquainted.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.