"I feel bound to say that the account makes the action, or rather inaction, of the Norwegian Government even more difficult to understand than I had previously supposed (cheers). We had imagined that the Norwegian authorities had conducted some examination of the Altmark, and our complaint was that this examination had been so perfunctory that it did not reveal the presence of the British prisoners aboard. It now appears, however, that the Norwegian authorities conducted no examination of the ship at all." many violated Norwegian neutrality.
The Republican "Boston Herald' states: "The attitude of Americans is probably identical with that of the British Government.
The strongly nationalistic Turkish paper "Ulus" asserts: "The British action of freeing prisoners wandering for months under oppressive conditions was not only legally right but a humane duty."
The conservative Danish "Nationaltidende" points out: "It would be hypocritical if we here in Denmark pretended that we cannot sympathize with the British Navy's motives in taking action."
The non-partisan "Dutch Telegraaf" writes: "Norway herself is to blame in the first instance. Norway's is the heaviest responsibility. Her slae! ness only increases dangers for neutrols."
The radical democratic "Swiss Bund" avers: "Germany recently boasted that she dominated the North Sea. The British Navy has taken action and given an answer that will ring throughout the world."—Reuter, The Prime Minister then outlined M. Koht's statement and said it ap peared, in the Norwegian view, that as the Altmark was regarded as a warship, and carried the German State flag, no request to search could be made. The Chief Naval Officer at Bergen was not quite satisfied and the Altmerk was later stopped, but refused to submit to inspection. Even though the Altmark had used her wireless in Norwegian territorial waters, violating Norwegian regulotions, this did not lead the Norwegian authorities to take any action beyond complaining and accepting an apology.
Mr. Chamberlain recalled that a joint Norwegian and British guard was proposed so that a proper investigation might be made at Bergen (cheers). This offer was refused. The Norwegian officer declined to accompany the British boarding party aboard the Altmark.
"Tt will be seen; therefore, that not on one occ"sion, but on three of four, the Norwegian authorities failed to (Continued on page 8, col. 3)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.