Paris, Mar. 3.
The press here today voiced indignation at the serious violation of Belgium's neutrality by a German plane yesterday, in which a Belgian air force officer met his death. The German action is considered equivalent to the torpedoing of neutral ships by the Reich.
Sympathy was expressed in French quarters today, for J.ieutenant Henrad, the Belgian airman who was shot down by a German pilot who had violated the Belgian frontier, The German airman, guilty of breaking the law, went still further and attacked three Belgian patrol planes which, in the legal exercise of their policing duties, merely grouped themselves round him without firing a single shot, In this case, French quarters added, it is ironical to recall German arguments put forward when a British warship entered Norwegian territorial waters to take 209 Britons illegitimately held aboard the German vessel Altmark. At that time, Berlin talked of "unheard-of violation of neutrality," bitterly attacked neutral countries for alleged ce-operation with the Allies and flayed the Allies themselves.
Since the beginning of the war the German viewpoint towards neutral states has changed, it is stressed. At first, the Reich only asked them to observe international law. Now Germany demands that they should suppress all trade with the Allies, that neutral vessels should refuse to take part in Allied convoys, and even refrain from accepting "navicerts."
The semi-official German organ, "Politische und Diplomatische Kor-respondent," writes as follows: "Any nation maintaining commercial relations with Great Britain will be considered as ce-operating in the war against Germany." Any neutral ship on her way'to a neutral port will be considered an enemy warship by the German fleet and sunk if she is in possession of a British "navicert."—Havas.
Polish Envoy, Bucharest, Meets Foreign Minister Paris, Mar. 2.
Count Koger Raczynski, Polish Ambassador to Rumania, met and conferred at length with the Rumanian Foreign Minister, M. Gregor Gafencu, yesterday, official P.A.T. (Polish) news agency reported today. Count Raczynski then had luncheon with the Premier, M. George Tatarescu.—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.