German Commandant Refused To Surrender Freighter—Spain Must First Return Nazi Cargo

Warships of Many Nations Are on Watery Stage of Drama; Europe Is Watching Anxiously

GERMAN WARSHIPS ORDERED TO CONTINUE SEIZURES

BY FRANCISCO FERNANDEZ

Santander, Spain, Jan. 4—(UP)—A Spanish coastal freighter and its captor, a grim German cruiser steamed together off the Bay of Biscay coast today, making history. Spanish loyalist authorities flashed a series of angry messages to the cruiser, demanding the little ship’s return.

Same Reply to Each Wireless

To each message, the German commandant wirelessed back imperturably that he would release the ship when Spanish authorities released the cargo and a passenger seized from a German ship, the Palos, during the Christmas holidays.

Europe Is Anxiously Watching

There seemed obvious danger of an incident that would necessitate all the coolness and resource of European chancelleries, now watching this situation anxiously, to prevent a spread of what is now only a Spanish civil war.