The Reich Government makes the following official
announcement:
I. The President of the United States of America made
the following statements in a speech Oct. 28:
"The Government of the United States is in possession
of a secret map which was prepared in Germany by the Reich Government.
It is a map of Middle South America as the Fuehrer wants to reorganize
it in that he wants to make five subject states out of fourteen countries
in this area and thereby bring the entire South American continent under
his control. One of these five states allegedly should include the Republic
of Panama as well as the Panama Canal.
"The American Government is in possession of
a second document which was composed by the Reich government. This document
contains a plan eliminating all existing religions in the world after
the war is won by Germany. Catholic, Protestant, Mohammedan, Hindu,
Buddhist and Jewish religions are to be removed in the same way, church
property confiscated, the crucifix and all other religious symbols forbidden,
the clergy brought to silence under the penalty of the concentration
camp.
"In place of the churches an international National
Socialist church is to be established in which the speakers sent out
by the National Socialist Government would perform offices. In place
of the Bible, words out of the Fuehrer's book, "Mein
Kampf," would be imposed by force and enforced as Holy Writ.
The crucifix is to be replaced by the swastika and the naked sword and
finally the Fuehrer is to take the place of God."
In answer the Reich Government declares:
1. There exists neither map prepared in Germany by
the Reich Government regarding the dividing up of Central South America
nor document pronounced by the Reich Government regarding the dissolution
of religions in the world. Therefore both are forgeries of the clumsiest,
grossest type.
2. Assertions of the conquest of South America by
Germany and elimination of the religions of the churches in the world
and their replacement by the National Socialist church are so nonsensical
and absurd that it is superfluous for the Reich Government to discuss
them.
The Reich Government has notified through diplomatic
channels all neutral governments, including the Central South American
governments, of the above.
II. The President of the United States of America
declared in his speech of Oct. 28 that an American destroyer was attacked
by German naval forces on Sept. 4 and another American destroyer on
Oct. 17. The American Government was willing to avoid shooting. But
the shooting has begun and history has established who fired the first
shot. America has been attacked.
Reports of German U-boat commanders and published
official declaration of the American Navy authorities actually show
the following circumstances:
The American destroyer Greer was involved in
an incident Sept. 4, the American destroyer Kearney in an incident
Oct. 17. The destroyer Greer pursued a German U-boat for hours in close
military cooperation with English naval forces. In the course of this
pursuit this German U-boat, which was under water, was attacked with
depth bombs.
Only after this attack did the German U-boat use its
weapons. The destroyer continued its pursuit with depth bombs for a
number of hours.
The destroyer Kearny was sailing as protector
of one convoy as it received a call for help from a second convoy which
was in battle action with German naval forces in another part of the
Atlantic Ocean. The Kearny thereupon changed courses, went to
the scene of the battle and attacked the German U-boat with depth bombs.
The American Secretary for the Navy, Knox, himself
has confirmed that the Kearny has dropped depth charges and that
not until some time after were three torpedoes fired at her, one of
which struck the destroyer.
The Reich Government, therefore, declares that, first,
the version given by President Roosevelt in his speech, that American
destroyers had been attacked by German naval forces and that therefore
Germany had attacked America, is not in accordance with the facts, and
is, indeed, contradicted by the official statements of the American
naval authorities themselves.
Secondly, that quite on the contrary, the two American
destroyers had attacked German submarines and that therefore the United
States had attacked Germany, a fact which has also been confirmed by
the American naval authorities.