POSSIBLE GERMAN PLEA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 2, 3 July 1939, Page 9

POSSIBLE GERMAN PLEA

POLISH PROVOCATION

FRENCH PRESS PESSIMISTIC

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 1. Danzig is the main subject in this morning's newspapers. It is known, too. that the situation is being watched with more than usual attention in offii cial quarters. Press reports describe the Nazi activity in the Free City and the prevalence of rumours of an early crisis which, it is suggested, would be brought about by an ostensibly spon-

taneous movement for union with the Reich. The calculation is understood to be that such a development would necessitate action by Poland which, in the Nazi propaganda, would be given an appearance of being provocative or! aggressive in character with the double object of persuading the German people that the trouble has been originated by the Poles, and of creating, it is hoped, confusion in the public mind in the States comprising the antiaggression front, particularly in Britain. British Press comment shows that a movement of this kind, if it were intended, is defensive in advance. There is unanimous recognition that any attempt to change the status of Danzig except by consultation and agreement with the appropriate authorities would be a breach of treaties and would immediately raise the question of the British and French guarantees to Poland. It is stated, moreover,. that the position of Britain and France was made very clear last week by the speeches of Lord Halifax and M. j Daladier. The French Press is pessimistic, agreeing that only a spark is needed to blow up the powder-keg that Herr Hitler has planted.in Danzig. It is also felt that Lord Halifax's speech has come too late to make a decisive impression on Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini, who, it is feared, are committed too deeply to go back now.