NO KNOWLEDGE.

CONFERENCE PLAN.

Germany Hopes For Another

Munich.

PREPARING FOR SHOWDOWN.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 12.30 p.m.)

LONDON, August 17,

A Foreign Office spokesman declared that his Department had no knowledge of any conference plan regarding Danzig. He added that if Mich a conference were held Poland and Russia must attend, says an Independent Cable Service message.

'■einianv is daily increasing tier efforts to drive Europe to the extremity of nervous ten-ion as a preliminary to a final showdown over Danzig. Poland is to have a repetition of last year's tactics over Sudetenland, hut in a more extreme form. (■einiany expects that the democracies will he reduced to such a state of bewilderment in the next few weeks that they will be prepared for another •Munich.

Herr Hitlers newspaper, the "Volkiselier Beobachtcr gives the basis upon winch negotiations between Poland and Ocrmany can be opened as follows: —

(1) Recognition of Dan/ig's desire to return to the Reich, and of the injustice of its separation.

(2) Recognition of the artificiality of the Polish Corridor because of its centuries-long connection with Germany, and admission of the justice of its incorporation in the Reich.

(:i) Recognition of these claims will not hamper Poland's access to the Baltic Sea, which Germany is fully pi epared to ensure, conditionally upon the granting of the above.

I lie independent Cable Service savs the Home Press urges Poland to negotiate directly with Germany. Jt contends that although the Axis Powers want peace with justice, 110 conference can be held until the Danzig question is settled. "II Giornale d'ltalia" savs:

"Poland has nothing to lose by dealing with Germany. If, instead of negotiating. she prefers war, let her remember that Italy will do her duty. The Avis is as unbreakable as steel."

FRIGID REACTION.

Armistice Plan A Nazi Move To Divide Democracies.

CANNOT ISOLATE POLAND

PARIS. August 17

France has given the armistice and conference suggestion a frigid reception, characterising it as Germany's supreme move, to divide the democracies.

It is unanimously declared absurd to suggest that Poland can be isolated from her allies at this late stage. The newspaper "Figaro" says: "Poland is the sole judge of her interests, and she knows she can count on our full strength to defend them if necessary."

In an interview at Belfort, Air. Winston Churchill said: "It is my impression that the Maginot Line will provide absolute security against the horrors of invasion."

GERMANY'S CASE.

Reported Basis Of Hitler's

Claims.

PROPOSED CONFERENCE

LONDON, August 17.

The Berlin correspondent of the "Daily Mail'' says the Reich legal experts are drawing up Germany's case to support Herr Hitler's terms for joining in a European peace conference. These will be announced either on August 27 or at Nuremberg on September 2. Herr Hitler insists on the surrender of Danzig to which the Poles will be granted free harbour facilities.

The Germans' case is based on the Lansing Note of November 3, 1!H8, in which the allied Powers expressed their willingness to make terms on the basis of President Wilson's 14 points. Other Italian and German claims, notably the Corridor, will come up for,review at the proposed conference.

NATIONAL REGISTER

Census Of Entire Population

Of Britain.

ISSUE OP IDENTITY CARDS

RUGBY, August 17,

Preparations arc now fully completed for the compilation of a national register for operation in the event of war, states the Registrar-General. The plan provides for the national register to include all members of the population — men, women and children. It is planned on census lines to serve the dual pose of the compilation of a national register if emergency arises, or, if no emergency arises, the taking of the 1941 census.

A total of fi">,ooo enumeration districts in Britain has been arranged, compared with 49,000 for the last census. The recruitment of 65,000 enumerators is almost completed. These enumerators, when collecting a return from each household, will issue at once an identity card for each member of the household. The identity cards must be produced for all purposes relevant to the maintenance of the register or otherwise on demand by authorised persons. All schedules, forms, books and instructions necessary for the initial compilation have been printed and either stored or distributed. The scheme provides for a comprehensive system of identity registration framed to meet as far as possible all the needs or contingencies of war conditions. Identity tfirds may also be brought into use as vouchers of identity in support of individual claims to any payments or allowances ipceivable under ! war schemes.