HITLER VIRTUALLY ISSUED ULTIMATUM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 11

HITLER VIRTUALLY ISSUED ULTIMATUM.

SUDETENS' RIGHTS.

Absolute Secession of Important Areas.

CHAMBERLAIN'S STAND

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 3.30 p.m.)

LONDON, September 16.

The British United Press representative at Berchtesgaden says wellinformed circles say that the lines of Mr. Chamberlain's report to the Cabinet will be Herr Hitler's uncompromising insistence of the Sudetens' right of self-determination. He reiterated his refusal to tolerate continued "Czech oppression." Mr. Chamberlain insisted that Herr Hitler left it to Britain and France to find a means of compelling the Czechs to agree on a solution acceptable to Germany, and he also left no doubt that he might be compelled to resort to drastic measures. The "Daily Telegraph" diplomatic correspondent says tiiat the meeting of Cabinet was momentously important. Again Ministers were obliged to con- ' sidcr the imminent threat of war and , whether power still lie*i in their hands to avert a calamity. I

It can be stated confidently that Herr Hitler advanced the demand of terms so unequivocal that It was virtually an ultimatum. He demanded the right of absolute secession of important areas in Sudetenland and left no doubt that if he was not satisfied by a date not far ahead he would be forced to adjust the position himself.

It is not denied that Mr. Chamberlain replied with an equally stiff warning that if an attempt was made to resolve the position forcefully France and Britain would resist forcefully. It was conceded in London that no proposals show now a chance of acceptance in Prague unless accompanied by a joint guarantee of integrity. Czechoslovakia Cabinet will be aware that France who showed signs of internal weakness during Mr. Chamberlain's visit to Herr Hitler now has united ranks and presents a solid front of determination to resist the use of force by Germany.

The "Daily Telegraph" Paris correspondent expects that the Premier, M. Daladier, and M. Bonnet, Foreign Minister, will go to London 011 Sunday.

"RATHER DIE."

OPINION OF CZECHS. Refusal to Give Sudetenland To Germany. NEW PACT PROPOSED. United Press Association. —Copyright. (Received 3.30 p.m.) LONDON", September 16. "The Times" Prague correspondent says the strength of Czech feeling was shown in a statement to the deputy Premier, "A plebiscite would be the shortest way to war. No Government would accept it, for if it did the whole nation would sweep them away within an hour, the nation would rather die than have its homeland crippled."

A message from Prague says that Dr. Krofta, Minister for Foreign Affairs, told B.U.P. that a regional pact of nonaggression and mutual assistance, compiising Czechoslovakia, Germany, Russia and Poland and perhaps the BalticStates, guaranteed by France, might solve the crisis.

The difficulty of a plebiscite was that in the event of Sudetenland becoming German there was the possibility that German Social Democrats, Communists and Jews would go to Czechoslovakia from the Sudeten areas forming still another island of Germans. INFLUENTIAL CZECHS. ARRESTED IN AUSTRIA. (Received 10 a.m.) VIENNA, September 15. Several influential Czechs have been arrested, including the editor of a Czech newspaper and the secretary of the Czech Traders' Association. Four were released after the Consul-General's intervention.