NEWS OF THE WEEK
OUTSIDE Norway and Germany the legitimacy of the rescue of the 299 British prisoners from the ' Alt- mark ' in Norwegian territorial waters is nowhere seriously challenged. Even if it had been questioned on technical grounds admiration for the clean efficiency of H.M.S. ' Cossack's' action would have gone far to silence criticism. On the actual question of international law—and the im- portance of basing British action on accepted law is con- siderable—various disputable points arise, as articles on later pages of this issue indicate. But it seems clear that, whether the Altmark ' is regarded as a warship or not, Norway failed in her duty as a neutral, and the British action which followed was therefore abundantly justified. There will be no disposition here to censure Norway. The neutrals are in a position of almost desperate difficulty in the face of Germany's undisguised terrorism. The Swedish Foreign Minister stated on Wednesday that since the beginning of the war 32 Swedish merchant-vessels aggregating 64,000 tons, and of total value of nearly £1,5oo,000, have been mined or torpedoed, some 240 seamen being lost. Norway has lost 49 ships of 163,527 tons, and 327 Norwegians have been killed. No Swedish ship, it is significant to note, has been lost in convoy. The three Scandinavian Foreign Ministers, who are meeting this week-end to consider the situation, may be expected to concert some joint action.
