HOPEFUL SIGN?

PARLEY AT DANZIG

Conversations On Certain Local

Issues.

NO FEAR OF ANOTHER MUNICH. British Official Wireless. (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, August 16. The message received by Britain from Dr. Burckhardt has been passed on to the Governments of the two other members of the League committee dealing with Danzig, namely, France and Sweden.

Press speculation concerning the purport of Dr. Burckhardt's message should treated with the utmost reserve. In the best informed quarters of London his visit to Berchtesgaden is regarded as no more than an item in the general development of events which are engaging constant study. Britain awaits the outcome of*, developments in calm confidence.

Mr. Chamberlain, who is on holiday in the North of England, lias been informed of the contents of Dr. Burckhardt's message. In diplomatic circles in London the hope is expressed that to-day's short conversation in Danzig between Heir Greiser and M. Chodacki may mark the opening of conversations on certain local issues between the Free City and Poland, such as Customs questions, the settlement of which on a common sense basis would go a considerable way to relieve tension.

The tendency to postpone, for considerations of prestige, negotiations to secure practical accommodation on day to day problems can benefit none. The fewer questions of secondary importance which are left outstanding between the Free City and Poland the fewer are the chances of incidents such as might place events beyond the control of responsible men.

It is felt here that there is now a general understanding that an attempt —which would come only from the German side —to alter the position at Danzig by force means war in which Britain and Fiance would immediately be involved in support of Poland. In these circumstances it would appear to be in the interests of all—and supremely in the interests of the Free City itself and of Poland—that stability and confidence should be restored by agreement, but agreement will hardly be reached in an atmosphere of local friction, incidents and Press heroics. Four-Power Meeting Unlikely. Hence importance is attached here in Press comment on recent contacts over Danzig to the need of keeping from getting rusty the ordinary machinery of discussion between Danzig Senate and the Polish Government.

If that machinery were working smoothly again it would be held as a substantial gain here, where there is little disposition at the moment in official quarters to look beyond the immediate phase. Political and diplomatic correspondents of newspapers move more quickly, and speculation has given rise to a number of rumours and suggestions in the last 24 hours, of which one— originating in dispatches from the Continent—is a four-Power meeting to discuss the Danzig question.

It can safely be predicted that the latter is an Idea which would not commend itself to British opinion. In this matter the "Daily Herald" (Labour) probably expresses the unanimous British view, official and unofficial, when it says: "The lesson of Munich is decisive. There cannot be another."

According to agency reports from Danzig it is expected that M. Chodacki, who after his talk with Herr Greiser, flew to Warsaw, to confer with his Government, will have another talk with Herr Greiser on his return to Danzig, probably in the presence of Dr. Burckhardt.