VISITED HITLER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 191, 15 August 1939, Page 9

VISITED HITLER.

INVITED BY FUEHRER. League Commissioner At Danzig Has Interview. REPORTED SECRET MISSION. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, August 14. It is officially announced in Berlin that Dr. Burekhardt, League of Nations Commissioner in Danzig, saw Herr Hitler at Berchtesgaden on Friday. It transpires that Dr. Burekhardt informed Viscount Halifax of the invitation to Berchtesgaden, but up to the present has not revealed the result. The Berlin correspondent of the Associated Press of America says that a Nazi source, with access to high quarters, hints that Dr. Burekhardt will shortly visit London on a secret mission. This is assumed to be in connection with a plan to settle the Danzig problem, which is regarded by Colonel Beck, Polish Foreign Minister, and Herr Foerstcr, N'azi leader, as a possible basis for discussion. Dr. Burekhardt later returned to Danzig. The British Government expects.shortly to learn the outcome of his interview with Herr Hitler. Meanwhile Lord Halifax is interestedly awaiting his report. Official circles in Warsaw deny knowledge of any Axis compromise plan. The only certainty emerging from Berchtesgaden is that the talk between Herr Hitler and the Italian Foreign Minister, Count Ciano, covered more than the Danzig question, says a message from Paris. Field-Marshal Ooering's newspaper, the "National Zeitung," concludes a bitter attack upon the Poles with the words: "Poland is a standing danger to European peace and a misfortune for its inhabitants." Sensational Rumours. The most sensational of all the many rumours current is that Herr Hitler will speak to the nation to-morrow and that the German Army will march immediately after. But the plain truth is that nobody has the slightest inkling of Herr Hitler's immediate intentions. The London morning newspapers similarly contain a fine crop of rumours and counter-rumours. The "Daily Mail" publishes a story that Signor Mussolini submitted a European peace plan to Herr Hitler, embracing treaty revision bv international agreement, covering economic and colonial problems, with plebiscites for the areas affected. The "Manchester Guardian" refers to a "six-point plan" emanating from German sources:—(l) Liquidation of the League's authority in Daiizig; (2) Poland to retain only Consulate representation in Danzig to deal with economic interests; (3) the Nazification of the Danzig Government; (4) liquidation of tlie German-Danzig Customs frontier within five years; (5) an agreement to demilitarise Danzig on condition that Poland liquidates her munitions depot at Westerplatte, and (G) a mixed body of German, Polish and Danzig members to administer the harbour board.

Poland's Proposals. The Polish Government's counterproposals are alleged to be:—(1) The permanent cession to Poland of all West Danzig, including Zoppot; (2) the cession to Germany of East Danzig, including Westerplatte; (3) a special harbour board with supreme authority to administer a Polish-German condominium, and (4) regulation of the southern frontier on ethnographic principles. The German Foreign Office journal, "Diplomatische Korrespondenz," declares: "Attempts to sabotage the Berehtesgaden talks by alleging that plans were discussed to divide Europe will not succeed in diverting Germany from the need to settle the Danzig problem, which is not only a demand of peace but a test of the willingness of others for peace." The Independent Cable Service says there is widespread speculation in Paris regarding the Italo-German talks, which are called "the Salzburg mystery." Rumours of a "six-point plan" for Danzig are treated with reserve, and regarded as in the nature of a German trial balloon. It is generally thought Italo-German solidarity is not so cemented as the Press makes out.