November 23, 1939; Netherlands Halts All Shipping:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1939:

War Situation at a Glance

(By the Associated Press)
LONDON—
Destroyer Gipsy, seventh acknowledged naval loss- of war,
beached after hitting mine Tuesday, 40 crewmen missing, 21 injured; Nazis
repulsed in raids on east coast and Shetland Islands but British seaplane
set afire; 6,660-ton Italian freighter Fionana hits mine but stays afloat;
British intercept 4,110-ton German freighter Bertha Fisser off Iceland;
Sir John Simon says war costing Britain $23,580,000 a day.
PARIS—
French announce same torpedo boat sinks two Nazi submarines
in three days; British-French planes reported downed eight German
planes on western front, losing only two French craft.
BERLIN—
Nazis serve notice of swift retaliation against Britain's unrestricted
blockade of Nazi exports; declare 11 merchantmen, including
eight British, failed to reach Britain since Churchill proclaimed Nazi submarine
menace overcome; two captured British agents accused of direct
connection with Munich bomb plot.
AMSTERDAM—
Netherlands shippers cancel all sailings on government's
advice.
NEW YORK—
Private information received by Associated Press indicate
new 10,000-ton British cruiser Belfast damaged slightly by mine.
HONGKONG—Japanese report advance units within 10 miles of
Nanning, immediate objective in drive to severe Chinese "lifelines."

 

Action Follows British

Threat to Seize All
German Exports
HAZARDS STUDIED

Fact Noted Dutch Ships

Have Been Carrying
Nazi Goods Abroad

(By the Associated Press)

Amsterdam, Nov. 22—Sailings of all Netherlands ships from Netherlands ports were cancelled today by their owners acting upon the advice of the government. The step followed by one day Great Britain's announcement that all goods of German origin on the high seas would be subject to seizure, regardless of the nationality of vessels carrying them.

There was no explanation for the cancellations, but it was noted the Netherlands ships have been taking German goods abroad. A total of 10,000,000 tons of German exports were transshiped from Rotterdam and Amsterdam in the first nine months of this year

German Planes Reported

to Have Hit, Ignited
English Seaplanes

SUCCESS IS CLAIMED

British, French Assert
8 Nazi Planes Downed
on Western Front
(By the Associated Press)
London, Nov. 22.—German bombers were reported to have hit and set afire a British seaplane in a raid on the Shetland Islands today, while the British and French asserted they had downed eight German aircraft on the western front.

Mine warfare off Britain's east coast added to its toll the 6,660-ton Italian freighter Fianona, 16th vessel to run afoul of mines or torpedoes off the British Isles in the past five days. The ship was badly holed as she struck a mine last night but | still was afloat today, her crew of | 33 reported safe.

Openly Declare Captives

Among the Important
Catches of War
MEN ARE IDENTIFIED

(By the Associated Press)

Berlin, Nov. 22.—German authorities today accused two captured British secret service agents, of direct connection with the M u n i c h bomb plot which Adolf Hitler escaped by 11 minutes November 8. Making no secret of their belief that the captives were one of the most important catches of the war,

Nazi officials said the two agents were responsible jointly with two other men for the bombing. The explosion killed eight persons shortly after Hitler left the Munich beer hall.

Otto Strasser, a German longtime enemy of Hitler who lives in France, and Georg Elser of Munich were blamed with the two Britons, who were captured at the Netherlands frontier the day after the explosion.

Elser Confession Claimed
They were identified by the Gestapo as Captain Richard Henry Stevens, 42, chief of the European division of the British secret service, and Sigismund Payne Best, 54, an intelligence officer for the British general staff during the World war.

Previously the secret police had blamed British instigators for the explosion, but had not mentioned Stevens and Best as connected directly.