THE FINAL NOTE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 276, 4 September 1939, Page 6

THE FINAL NOTE

HANDING IN TO BERLIN. EARLY ON SATURDAY MORNING, MR CHAMBERLAIN’S STATEMENT. MR CHAMBERLAIN’S STATEMENT. (United Press Association —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 9.5 n.m.) LONDON, September 3. The terms of the last communication sent to Germany were revealed in the House of Commons when Mr Chamberlain addressed a crowded House at noon. The Prime Minister referred at the outset to the doubts and some bewilderment in parts of the House last night as to whether there had been hesitation or vacillation on the part of the Government. The statement he had now to make would show there was no ground for doubt. Mr Chamberlain proceeded: “We Were in close consultation with France yesterday and we felt that the intensified action which the Germans were making in Poland allowed of no delay in making our position clear. Accordingly we decided to send Sir Nevile Henderson instructions which he was to hand in at 9 o’clock this morning, to the German Foreign Secretary. The instructions read as follows: “Sir, —In the' communication which I had the honour to make to you on September 1 I informed you, on the instructions of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs that unt less Germany was prepared to give Britain a satisfactory assurance that Germany had suspended all" aggressive action against Poland and was prepared to promptly withdraw her forces from Polish territory, Britain would without hesitation fulfil her obligations to Boland. Although this communication was made more than 24 hours ago no reply! has been received, but the German attacks on Poland have been continued and intensified. I have the honour, accordingly, to inform you that unless not later than 11 a.m. ; (British summer time) to-day, September 3, satisfactory assurances have been given by Germany and reached Britain, a state of war will exist as ) between the two countries as from that hour.”

Mr Chamberlain said: “No such undertaking was received by the time stipulated and consequently this country is at war with Germany. I am in a position to inform the House that arrangements have been made between the British and French Governments. The French Ambassador in Berlin at this moment is making a similar demarche, accompanied also by a definite time-limit. As I said the other day, we are ready. This is a sad day for all of us, and to none is it sadder than to me. Everything I worked for, everything that I hoped for, everything that I believed through my public life has crashed in ruins. There is out one thing left for me, and that is I hope with what strength and power I have to forward the cause for which we have all sacrificed so much. I cannot tell what part I may be allowed to play myself, but I hope*! may live to see the day when Hitlerism has been destroyed and a restored and liberated Europe re - established.— British Official Wireless. -FORMAL DECLARATION OF WAR. HANDED TO GERMAN DIPLOMAT. ((Received This Day, 1.40 p.m.) LONDON, September 3. At 11.15 this morning Mr Dunbar (head of the Treaty Department of the Foreign Office) went to the German Embassy, where he was received by Dr. Kordt (Charge ID’Affaires). Mr,Dunbar handed to Dr. Kordt notification . that a. state of war existed between Britain and Germany as from 11 o’clock this morning. This notification constituted the formal declaration of war.