POLAND CALMLY STANDING TO ARMS.

CRUCIAL DAYS.

Britons Urged To Leave By Poles And Germans.

NAZI OFFICIALS FOR DANZIG,

United Press Association.—Copyright,

(Received l.:! 0 p.m.)

LOXDOX. August 21

"The Times" emphasises the calm with which the Poles arc standing to arms in the lace of 2,000,000 Germans on the frontier, and adds that most capitals consider there are crucial days ahead, and that a major crisis is about to develop. This, however, can only happen in defiance of the clearest, warnings.

'The Times" Warsaw correspondent says the week of decision has arrived. Each day the German propaganda machine hammers out its claims, and makes it harder for Herr Hitler to change his course, but there are glimmers of hope that Italian diplomacy may render conflict avoidable, though the possibility of intervention by the Vatican is fullv excluded.

Ihe Polish pulilh' considers war inevitable. Housewives are quietly accumulating food stocks, and citizens are attending first-aid courses. Britons who have 110 special reason to remain are advised to leave within 48 hours. . The British United Press Berlin correspondent says that though no official advice has been given, it has been hinted to Britons that they should not remain in Germany except on urgent business. A few families, including those of three journalists, therefore, are departing.

A Danzig message states that 200 German jurists arrived with the Minister, Herr Frank Stattlialter, and Herr Seyss Inquart, who took over from Dr. Schuschnigz in Austria, in order to hold meetings to emphasise why Danzig should legally return to Germany.

An Independent Cable Service message says the "Evening Standard" states that a fairly optimistic view prevails in British Government circles, despite the increase in international tension. Official circles do not believe Germany is anxious to risk a war while Britain and France have made every effort to leave 110 doubt that an attack on Poland would mean a general conflict.

At Paris, M. Daladier and Mr. HoreBelisha, British Secretary for War, conferred at the War Ministry and discussed the international situation in great detail.