Show i 7 Ii r rg ntina a rea Breaks Brea b 5 Off Axis Relations e ons Enemy Espionage Periled Nation Natio Government Says Investigation Shows Embassies Guided h. h Vast Organization of Spies German Jap Envoys Prepare to Leave BUENOS AIRES Jan 26 UP UP The The Argentine government govern ment broke off diplomatic relations with Germany and Japan Wednesday charging that hat the axis had committed a deliberate act of f aggression against Argentina Argent ma by oy fostering a vast v vas network ma by oy fostering a vast v vas network of spies throughout the nation The Argentine foreign office immediately immediately immediately im im- im- im mediately informed the German and Japanese amb ambassadors adors that th their passports were being prepared prepared pre pre- pared and police guards were placed about the axis embassies Foreign Minister Brigadier r General Gen Gen- eral Cral Alberto Gilbert announced the break in a dramatic broadcast Wednesday morning declaring that the government had been compelled to take this step in the interest of its national security and defense Gilbert said an official investigation investigation invest invest- gation had revealed the existence of a widespread spy ring directed through the German and Japanese embassies Deliberate Plan All AU this activity shows clearly a deliberate plan by the axis axis' governments gov gov- to use the territory of the republic as a center of th their ir il n illegal II legal activities es with th comp complete ete di dis disregard disregard dis- dis regard for their obligations toward the Argentine republic and for forthe forthe forthe the dangers such uch ac activity could cause to to the n neutral ral country in which they which carried on n such activities official announcement an said 7 The statement said the German GermanI and Japanese ap nese diplomatic representatives representatives s In Argentina would be beheld beheld held personally responsible for foz harboring and directing enemy agents gents in J ho Americas These envoys it charged used their diplomatic privileges and immunities immunities im im- hn- hn to shield shiel and cover up acts of aggression against the ve very y country that so respects them Makes Solid SoUd Bloc The Thc dramatic move move moe brought Argentina Argentina Ar Ar- gentina into a a. now solid bloc of American nations that have broken brok brok- en with the axis or Joined the united nations in war with Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many and Japan At the same time government leaders indicated that drastic steps were being taken to smash the far- far flung lung spy spy network whose activities activities over the last two years have cost the allied powers heavily in lives shipping and war material The government statement nt re revealed revealed revealed re- re that a number numbe of axis Continued on P Page Pace rt Seven Column Two I I Argentina Argentin Ends Axis Relations To Halt Espionage Activity Continued from Page One agents already have been arrested and that through their confessions the Germ German n and Japanese diplomatic diplomatic diplomatic diplo diplo- matic missions were involved Axis ls Sponsored Acts The repetition of the same acts espionage by other persons banded together In organization resorting to the protection se secured secured secured se- se cured by agents of the Germ German n government shows that such acts cannot be treated as spontaneous acts by spies alone it charged President Pedro Ramirez delivered delivered delivered ered a brief radio address to the nation after Gilberts Gilbert's announcement announcement announcement announce announce- ment and declared angrily that axis espionage was an affront to the Argentine people Argentine people Ramirez emphasized Argen Argentinas Argentina's inas ina's desire to cooperate with the rest of the American nations and reiterated reiterated re re- re- re iterated Gilberts Gilbert's statement that the government would no longer tolerate the presence of axis spies The united unite nations had charged repeatedly that axis agents us used d the German embassy and consular offices in Argentina to gather in information information in- in formation on allied military plans and shipping movements Gilbert brought the situation to toa toa toa a head ead late Tuesday night with the announcement that his government government government gov gov- was ready to take the final step to end these espionage espionage age activities which he said had harmed the national prestige and I compromised Argentinas Argentina's honor He indicated that the move was taken in line with the Pan Amer ican convention under which all the American states pledged themselves s t to a policy of hemispheric hemispheric hemi solidarity News of the Argentina break came soon after a stern warning from Britain and the United States that the continued presence presence presence pres pres- ence of axis agents in the Americas Americas Americas Amer Amer- would no longer be tolerated Broad Hints The U. U S. S state department and British Foreign Secretary Anthony Anthony Anthony An An- j thony Eden hinted strongly in fn separate statements that economic econom econom- I ic sanctions would be invoked If necessary to choke off enemy activity activity activity ac ac- ac- ac in the western hemisphere Both statements were issued in fn connection with the British and American refusal to recognize the new revolutionary government of Bolivia which they charged was linked with subversive elements in the Americas Eden and the U. U S. S state department department department depart depart- ment charged that the subversive subversive subversive sub movement was being di directed directed directed di- di by axis agents in Argen Argen- tina Una The urgency of the situation was indicated by feverish activity in government circles and by the fact that high foreign office officials officials officials of of- and military leaders still were in emergency conference at atthe atthe atthe the palace at 2 a. a m m. m Wednesday Announcement Postponed At that time Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Ibarra Garcia emerged and told correspondents I an expected announcement would be withheld temporarily on the outcome of the governments government's in investigation investigation in- in into the case of Osmar Alberto Hellmuth Argentine consular consular consular con con- sular official arrested by British authorities at Trinidad recently as asan asan asan an an axis agent Garcia said however that Foreign Foreign For For- eign Minister Alberto Gilbert would make an important declaration declaration declaration decla decla- ration Wednesday He declined to reveal the n nature ture of the declaration declaration declaration declara declara- tion but Informed quarters here were convinced it would be in connection connection connection con con- with the Argentine Argentine Ger German Ger- Ger man relations The The early early morning meeting apparently apparently apparently ap ap- ap- ap was an extension of a conference of government leaders at the government office from 6 I p. p m. m to shortly before midnight I Tuesday night At the conclusion of the earlier meeting it was announced announced announced an an- officially that no change had occurred as yet in the status of Argentinas Argentina's s relations with Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many apparently indicating that such a change was in the balance Reported Earlier At Montevideo Uruguayan government go circles reported that President Pedro Ramirez of Argentina Argentina Argentina Ar Ar- gentina signed a a. decree decre breaking relations with the axis Tuesday morning The newspaper El Plata said the Argentine government had handed axis representatives a note b breaking relations at p p. m m. A government announcement on foreign policy had been e expected hourly by the Argentine public Tuesday y |