TROOP ACTIVITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 209, 5 September 1938, Page 9

TROOP ACTIVITY.

EUROPE'S FRONTIERS. "No Justification for Scare Stories. ,, RUSSIA WILL AID TRANCE. United Press Association. —Copyright. .. J (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, September 4. Cadres holding the Maginot Line in the Metz and Strasbourg areas, have been recalled for frontier mobilisation exercises in order to test the practicability of the arrangements, says "The Times" Metz correspondent. The "Daily Telegraph" Berlin representative says nothing occurred in the week-end to visibly change the situation. There is no justification for scare stories regarding movements of German troops, i Jt is essential to remember that it is | part of the German plan to allow them to be seen. Further batches of reservists will be called up in the next 10 days. Until after the Nuremberg conference there will be 1,500,000 under arms. "The Times" Nancy correspondent says that all French frontier garrisons from Luxembourg to Switzerland are confined to barracks except officers and Tiiarried non-coms., who must not leave the towns. All men have been recalled from extended leave. Nancy is the headquarters of the 20th Army Corps.

Both Renter's agency and the British United Press correspondent in Berlin report that the German War Ministry admits troop movements in the Kehl and Offenburg areas on the Rhine, near Strasbourg, but declares they are due to the manoeuvres, and "have no special significance." Ijt is understood, says the Paris correspondent of the "Sunday Times," that M. Litvinoff, the Soviet Foreign Minister, again assured the French Charge d'Affaires at Moscow of Russia's support with her full resources if France is obliged to act in fulfilment of her obligations with the Czechs. From Warsaw it is reported that Poland and Rumania are consulting regarding the transport of Russian aeroplanes and munitions to Czechoslovakia. The Berlin correspondent of the "Sunday Times" says it ie believed Germany has assured Britain that she will take no precipitate action against the Czechs, although Herr Hitler has suggested a time limit for a decision. Mr. Hugh Wilson, the American Ambassador in Berlin, conferred with Sir Nevile Henderson, the British Ambassador, regarding the situation. Authoritative Czech opinion believes, says the Prague correspondent of the "Sunday Times," that a meeting between Viscount Runciman and Herr Hitler is inevitable in view of the growing international character of the problem, which the Czechs feel is beyond their control, especially as it is presumed Herr Hitler has assured Herr Henlein that Germany would support his demand for the realisation of the Sudetens' claims.