Evening Star Newspaper, May 10, 1940, Page 3

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. ¢, FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1940. Britain Takes Custody of Iceland to.Bar Nazi Base Trade Agreement Declared Under Negotiation English Believed to Have Met No Resistance From Nazis in Nation By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 10.—In a lightning- like move to bar Germany from a strategic base in the Far North, Great Britain today took protective custody of tiny Iceland. The island which is linked to German-occupied Denmark by its allegiance to King Christian X, will be under British protection only until the “conclusion of hostilities,” it was announced. It was not believed that the British force—of an undetermined size— encountered any opposition from German civilians whose members are known to have been swollen since the outbreak of the European war. England, in explaining the move, stressed it had no intention of in- terfering with the existing admin- istration and shortly after the oc- cupation the Foreign Office an- nounced it already was negotiating @ trade agreement. Small Defense Force. The Foreign Office, in explaining the move, said “it is clear that in the face of an attack even on a very small scale, the Icelandic gov- ernment would be unable to prevent their country from falling completely into German hands.” The island has a defense force of only about 70 police. The little Northern kingdom is especially important in the allied scheme of things as an excellent submarine base—as well as an air- plane and seaplane base. Although the move was dramati- cally timed and enforced, it was not entirely unexpected by observers, who recalled that on April 10 the allies announced they would pre- vent any German landing on Ice- land, Greenland or Denmark’s Fa- roe Islands. With that announce- ment, Iceland’s Parliament took full control of the nation’s affairs. About Size of Kentucky. A day later, First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill told the House of Commons that Britain was occupying the Faroe Islands and that “no’ German will be al- lowed to set his foot there with impunity.” Iceland, about the size of Ken- tucky, has been a sovereign state since the signing of the Danish- Icelandic Union pact of 1918. It lies in the North Atlantic about 200 miles off the coast of Greenland and its main industries are fishing and sheep farming. Its principal exports are fish, frozen mutton and Wwool. Only about one-fourth of its 40,000 square miles is habitable, and its population of 118,000 is concentrated in the coastal lowlands. The cap- ital, Reykjavik, has a population of 36,100. Before the war, experts recalled, Germany sent frequent expeditions into Iceland, nominally for scien- tific purposes and in connection with projected air routes. When the war broke out there was in Iceland a considerably larger number of Germans than was justi- fied, the British felt, and since the outbreak the number has been aug- mented by the crews of several ship- wrecked German vessels. Berlin (Continued From First Page.) ing planes roared over Central and Eastern France and over Belgium and Holland, striking at airports and other military objectives, sup- porting the army’s advance into the Low Countries, and sharing in the capture of a Belgian seaport. As the first result of the raids on England, the high command an- nounced the shooting down of an English chaser (pursuit plane) of| the Spitfire type north of the Thames River. ‘The French airports of Saint Omer, near the English Channel; Vitry-le-Francois, 100 miles due east of Paris, and Metz, 25 miles west of the German border, were “effectively destroyed,” said the high command. ‘The Belgian airports at Brussels and Antwerp were among the Low Coun- try objectives “bombed successfully.” Demanded Protection Be Accepted. Duplicating his tactics with Nor- ‘way and Denmark, Hitler demanded that Holland, Belgium and Luxem- bourg accept his ‘“protection” of their neutrality without resistance. Germany’s Ruhr Valley was threatened by an allied attack, he informed the. three governmenis through his Foreign Minister, and the Dutch and Belgian governments were conniving at ib. Wherefore, Germany was declared compelled to act to anticipate the blow. The German government solemnly assured Holland and Belgium thad their territorial sovereignty would be restored to them unchanged and that their overseas possessions would gp untouched. To Luxembourg likewise was assured territorial and political integrity. The pre-condition to these as- surances was that these countries accept Germany’s “protection”’ wilh- out resistance. Any resistance, Ger- many warned, will be broken resc- lutely. { The guilt for any bloodshed will fall on Britain and France, as well as the Belgian and Dutch gove:n- ments. Calls Press Representatives. Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop summoned foreign press representatives to the foreign office for a 7 am. conference, but ap- parently his talks with the Belgian Ambassador, Vicomte Jacques Dav- ignon, and the Netherlands Min- ister, Jonkheer H. M. van Haersma, and the Luxembourg Chadge d’Af- faires, Dr. Albert Wehrer—to whom the situation was imparted—took longer than the mere handing over of the memoranda. Not until 8:25 am. di trop, pale, sleepless and wi husky and deep in bitterness, ad- dress the foreign correspondents. “England and France at last BERLITZ ll‘ hu—lnnh Inlhi llllhl Ihr. H‘llol lll.h 1 sCHOGL. oF e R I’"ADn'nurz !%IDOL f“'rv?i' Ribben; A a vplce B A BERLIN.—RIBBENTROP DISCLOSES FATE OF LOW COUN- TRIES—Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop (seated, center) is shown, according to German caption, “reading the German memorandum to Holland, Luxembourg and Belgium” early today. At the same time the Low Countries were being invaded by land, sea and air by German forces. This photo transmitted by radio from Berlin to New York. LONDON.—CHAMBERLAIN SMILES ON WAY TO RESIGN—Smiling broadly, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, accompanied by his wife, acknowledges soldiers’ salutes during a morning stroll today. He arranged for an early audience with King George amid reports that leaders of the Labor party virtually had decided to join the government under him in the wake of the latest German “blitzkrieg,” but later resigned. Photo radioed from London. —A. P. Wirephoto. dropped the mask,” he declared. “The attack on the Ruhr Valley was definitely planned. It was to come via Belgium and Holland. “This attack was planned with the knowledge and connivance of the Belgian and Dutch governments. Our Fuehrer was not willing to have this important region submitted to new aggression. “The Fuehrer therefore has de- | cided to take the neutrality of Bel- gium and Holland under his pro- tection.” “Germany now will talk only the language which the English and French governments seem to under- stand, and settle scores once and for all with them,” Von Ribbentrop de- clared. Reads Text of Memorandum, The Foreign Minister then read the text of the memorandum to the three governments, which began with a reiteration of the German standpoint that “the main object of the British and French is to ex- tend the war to other countries.” The rews disu. ..d by Britain and France of impending action in the Balkans was a blind, the memo- randum said, to mislead Germany. “In reality, the ostensible shifting of the Anglo-French war policy to the Mediterranean was only a large- scale maneuver to divert attention to deceive Germany as to the actual scene of the next Anglo-French at- tack.” The real point of attack, said the memorandum, was the west, with the Ruhr district, with its vital coal and iron and its war industries as the objective. “Germany recognized and re- spected the integrity of Belgium and Holland on the natural supposition the two countries would preserve the strictest neutrality. * * * Belgium and Holland have not complied with this condition.” Although maintaining the “ap= pearance” of neutrality, the memo- randum then charged, Belgium and Holland in reality “have supported them (the allies) in their inten- tions.” Eight Facts Offered as Proof. Eight facts, which were declared incontrovertible, were presented as proof of these assertions. ‘These may be summarized by the following excertps: 1. Since the outbreak of the war, the Belgian and Dutch press has shown an anti-German attitude in excess even of that taken by the British and French newspapers. “s * » In addition the leading per- sonalities in the public life of both countries to an increasing extent expressed the view that Belgium and Holland were at the side of Britain and France. 2. “Holland, in conjunction with certain Belgian circles, has lent sup- | 1118 8 St AW, 1348 6 81 LW, Open Sundays, 10 to § P.M. CAMERAS GN EASY CREDIT port to attempts of the British secret service to bring about revolution in Germany. 3. “Measures taken in the mili- tary sphere * * * provide incon- trovertible proof of the true inten- tions of the policy of Belgium and Holland. 4. “Belgium, to give an example, exclusively fortified her eastern frontier against Germany, whereas on other frontiers no forts of any kind have been built. Coast Held Unguarded. 5. “The Dutch coast likewise is an open and unguarded means of entry for the British air force. One hundred and twenty-seven cases in which British military aircraft crossed the Dutch territory were proved indisputably in every detail and the Dutch government was duly notified. In reality the number of violations was far greater. 6. “Still more® striking proof of the real attitude of Belgium and Holland, however, is the concentra- tion of mobilized Belgian and Dutch troops directed solely against Ger- manv 7. “This massing of Belgian and Dun:h troops on the German fron- tier took place at a time when Ger- many had concentrated no troops on the Belgian and Dutch frontiers, but when Britain and France, to the contrary, had assembled a strong mechanical attacking force on the Franco-Belgian frontier. 8. “Documents in the possession of the German government proved that preparations made by Britain and France in Belgian and Dutch territory for an attack on Germany already have reached an advanced stage. * * * We havg undeniable proof that Anglo-! ch attacks upon Germany were imminent and that this attack on the Ruhr will occur through Belgium and Hol= land.” Connivance Charged. Charging Belgium - Netherlands connivance with this plan of attack, the memorandum then declared the German government “can no longer count Belgium and Holland neutral” and said agreements between the general staffs of the two countries and those of Britaic- and France could only serve the purpose to sup- port aggression on Germany. “In a struggle of life and dubh L said the memorandum, “the Ger- man government does not intend to await attack by the British and French inactively. * * * It has there- fore issued orders for its troops to safeguard the neutrality of the two countries with all the military meas- ures at the disposal of the Reich. Von Ribbentrop’s note then sol- CASH Investigate the possibilities of buying diamonds for cash. Save 10% to 40% on solitaires and diamond bends. ARTHUR MARKEL 918 F St. N.W,, Suite 3013 emnly announced—and the foreign minister impressively underscored every word by thumping his fingers on the long green table—‘German soldiers are not entering Holland and Belgium as enemies, for the German government neither desires nor brought about these develop- ments.” Von Ribbentrop declared the “German government does not in- tend by these measures to attack the integrity of the kingdom of Bel- gium or the kingdom of Holland or their possessions, their property in Europe or their colonies either now or in the future.” Ultimatum in Note. The note closed with an ultima- tum and threat to the Belgian and Dutch governments. “The Belgian and Dutch govern- ments - today still have it in their power to safeguard the welfare of their people at the last moment by insuring no resistance is offered to the German troops,” it said. “The German government here- with requests the two governments WILLIAMS ILOMATI( HEATING Now you can easily afford the great comforts of an Oil-O- Matic. Find out about the “Thrift Meter” and how it gives money-saving “Meas- ured Heat.” COLONIAL FUEL OIL 1709 De Sales St. N.W, MEtro. 1814 EVENING PARKING CAPITAL GARAGE 25 ] P.l. DAY RATES, 25¢ 1ST HOUR Sc EACH ADDITIONAL HOUR 1320 N . AVE. Medical Bills or Dental Bills Paid by unu—mzm-rmnm Albee Building, 15th and G Sts. NW. The Biggest ‘tohnwthenm-rymm'ma- “The Belgian and ' Dutch m ments alone will bear “the m sibility for the bloodshed which then will be m- avoidable.” The note to Luxembourg was s brm-documt advising that “the n government is reliably in- lormed that Britain and Prance, ln pursuance of their ing the war, have attack, but on the contrary favor it. ¢ ¢ ¢ The offensive decided upon by France and Britain will include the territory of Luxembourg. “The German government, there- fore, is obliged also to extend the military operations undertaken to ward off the attack through the ter- ritory of Luxembourg.” ‘The note then asked the Luxem- bourg government to take the nec- essary measures so the population of Luxembourg will put no obstacle in the way of the German action. 1t closed by assuring that Germany in the future will safeguard the duchy’s political independence and integrity. Germans Not Unprepared. The news of the invasion of Bel- gium, Holland and Luxembourg failed to catch the Germans as un- prepared as the Sqindinavian coup a month ago yesterday. For days the Reich has been call- ing reserves in an unprecedented manner, From every side evidence poured (Continued on Page A-14.) See the Dogwood in SPRING VALLEY and the Silver Star Home W. C. & A. N. MILLER DEVELOPMENT CO. 1119 17th St. N.W. DI 4464 HDMV! 1!’0 Coal Bargain of the year, we believe, is right now in Marlow’s Famous Reading Anthracite This low ash hard coal, laundered free of impurities, is always a bargain in heat. it's a double-barreled bar; NOW. Marlow 811 E Street N.W. At our new low prices for 1940, gain—save by filling your bin Coal Co. National 0311 In Business 82 Years Our Coal and Service Must Be Good AT YOUR VENETIAN BLINDS DO THEY NEED CLEANING NEW PAINT NEW TAPES THE SHA 830 13th ST. N.W. Have ABOU Coal This little chap delivers your next winter’s coal right now! 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