THOUSANDS PRAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 221, 19 September 1938, Page 10

THOUSANDS PRAY.

Weatminuter Abbey to be Open Day and Night. CHURCH LEADERS' CALLS. (Received 3 p.m.) LONDON, September 18. Thousands of people daily throng Westminster Abbey to offer prayers for peace. A striking incident yesterday was the entry of two American sailors, accompanied by British marines. So many are praying at the Unknown Warrior's tomb that it has been decided to keep Westminster Abbey open day and night Indefinitely. The Pope, says a message from Vatican City, has ordered world-wide prayers for peace. In Athens, prayers were offered yesterday in all churches. The national heads of the 23 Protestant churches in the United States issued a nations de call to the churches to pray for Divine guidance, says a Washington dispatch. In New York, Rabbis all ' preached anti-German sermons on Saturday, and some expressed fear that Mr. Chumberlain will "sell the Czechs down the street." The Art)i»)ishop of Canterbury's call to prayer has been supported by representatives of the Free Cnurches, and the Chief Rabbi proclaimed a public fast for Sunday, states a British official wireless message.

PARTING APPEAL. Lord Runcimsm Advocates Calmness. AGGRAVATE SITUATION. British Official Wireless. (Received 3 p.m.) RUGBY, September 18. "The Times" says: "It is indeed much to be hoped thai all parties in Bohemia and outside it, In spite of inflamed tempers, will heed Lord Runciman's parting appeal to them to refrain from . action which will further aggravate the situation. "The Sudeten Germans have certainly done, quite enough with their demonstrations, their songs, their smashing of windows and attacks on policemen, to show that a very large section of them —at the moment no doubt the vast majority of them—desire union with Germany. "Further Indulgence in lawlessness and violence can only damage their case in the eyes of the world—and this is a matter in which, whatever the solution, the opinion of the world must count for very much. "Nor will any unbiased observer pay too much heed to tales of ruthlessness by the Caech police. The Czech Government cannot, and obviously will not, abdicate its function of maintaining order. "The double purpose of the British Government remains in any case unmistakable—to find a Just solution, while throwing its whole weight against a violent attempt at settlement and thus seeking to preclude that appeal to force which all Europe might be compelled to answer. 'What the British Ministers are attempting is to work in the spirit of the Covenant, whether it be conciliation or revision. When the British Government, first by encouraging Lord Hnnciman's mediatory mission in Prague and now by direct intervention of the Prime Minister, has set itself deliberately and energetically to find a peaceful way out of the dnriKcrous iin|>nHse. it has a clear right to expert and demand co-operation most of all from those who base themselves mion the weight and reality of their grievances." HUNGARIAN TROOPS. LARGE AUGMENTATION. LONDON", September 18. A message from Budapest says that Hungarian frontier troops have been largely augmented, small towns "hlneked out" en route to ensure secrecy.