TIME OF SUSPENSE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 284, 12 September 1938, Page 5

TIME OF SUSPENSE

ANXIETY IN BRITIAN. HITLER’S SPEECH AWAITED. SOME FAVOURABLE ASPECTS. WORK OF RUNCIMAN MISSION. STRENGTH OF WORLD OPINION. (United Pres 9 Association —Copyright.) (Received This Day. 11.20 a.m.) LONDON. September 11. Close contact which Mr Chamberlain is maintaining with Lord Halifax and other leading Ministers, is the measure of the deep preoccupation which the situation of danger and suspense in Central Europe is causing Britain, as well as of the Ministers’ recognition of the growing feeling of anxiety in the country at the situation out of which war might arise. While thus recognising the seriousness of the position, the view taken in official quarters is not unduly pessimistic. Herr Hitler’s speech to-morrow night is awaited in London with a certain amount of anxiety in view of how much is believed to turn upon it, but it is not forgotten that Herr Hitler has repeatedly expressed a desire for peace, 'and in responsible quarters here there is every disposition to assume his sincerity. As far as the matters at issue between the Prague Government and Herr Henlein’s Party are concerned, Britain has never varied in its opinion that, difficult as the problems might be, they ought to be capable of solution by peaceful negotiation. On more than one occasion Lord Runciman’s mission has succeeded in bringing together the representatives of the two sides when negotiations appeared to have come to an end, and in recent days it contributed to bringing about the offer by Czechoslovakia of fresh proposals. - As a result of these new proposals the gap between the two sides has been narrowed to a point at which, although a good deal more negotiation may be necessary for the elucidation and modb fication to some extent of these proposals, no justification any longer exists for abandonment of the method of negotiation or recourse to violence. There is no doubt in Britain’s mind that any attempt to use force to solve the problem after the measure of conciliation shown by Czechoslovakia would incur universal condemnation throughout tho world. Even now further setbacks may be met and an apparent deadlock reached again, but while Lord Runciman’s mission remains at Prague the possibility of mediation is not exhausted, and in Britain’s opinion there is no reason why search for an agreed settlement should be abandoned. Britain has not failed, in a matter which is the concern not only of Britain, but also to the Commonwealth, to keep in closest touch with the Dominions. —British Official Wireless. BRITISH MINISTERS CONFER. MR EDEN AT FOREIGN OFFICE. (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, September 11. Mr Chamberlain, Viscount Halifax, Sir John Simon and Sir Samuel Hoare met at No. 10 Downing Street at noon while hundreds thronged the street outside. The Ministers’ conference continued through luncheon till Sir Samuel Hoare left at 3 p.m. Lord Halifax received Mr R. A. Eden at the Foreign Office, where they had a conference that lasted 95 minutes. The United States Ambassador (Mr Kennedy) also arrived at the Foreign Office. HITLER REVIEWS TROOPS. HAPPY MOOD AT BREAKFAST. (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) BERLIN, September 11. Hitler had breakfast at Nuremberg with 20 foreign journalists. He appeared very happy, laughing and joking. He did not refer to the crisis. Afterwards Herr Hitler reviewed 120,000 troops, who goose-stepped past him. BRITISH NEUTRALITY. “UNTHINKABLE'IN EVENT OF WAR.” (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) - LONDON, Sept. 11. Mr J. 'L. Garvin, writing in the “Observer,” says that war on Czechoslovakia will make British neutrality unthinkable. Ho expresses the opinion that Britain and Germany are more seriously face to face than at any time since 1914. AFRICANS LOYAL TO FRANCE. PARIS, September 10. The Arab leader of the North African chieftains has telegraphed the Govei-nor-General of Algiers, stating: e are loyal to France and ready to answer the call and fulfil our duty as we did in 1914.”