PEACE SOUNDINGS STILL IN PROGRESS?

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 194, 18 August 1939, Page 7

PEACE SOUNDINGS STILL IN PROGRESS?

ROME REPORTS.

Diplomatic Activity With Holy See.

FURTHER TENSION REPORTED. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 1.30 p.m.) * LONDON, August 17. "The Times" Rome correspondent states that Sir Percy Loraine, British Ambassador, called on Count Ciano. The impression that peace soundings continue is reinforced by a conversation between Cardinal Maglione, Vatican Secretary of State, and the Polish Ambassador to the Holy See, and simultaneous conversations between other prelates and members of ! the Italian and German Embassies.

Meanwhile a. message from Warsaw says that tension is increasing there as the (ierman atrocity campaign is getting into its stride. Clashes between frontier guards and the Herman minorities attempting to cross the frontier are reported hourly, but nobody was injured. President Moscieki has issued a decree that large estates near the frontier will be broken up to facilitate frontier defence works. In Danzig signs of military activity are increasing. Heavy gun practice was heard all night long for the first time since the recent increase in Danzig's forces. A military parade will be held, at which Heir Foerster, Nazi leader, will hand the troojus a flag specially dedicated by Herr Hitler.

The Minister of Propaganda at Bratislava announced that Slovakia is "ready to fight to recover her territory from Poland. He added: "We demand our brothers' return to the Fatherland."

It is reliably reported from Budapest that Herr Hitler and Count Czaky, Rumanian Foreign Minister, met secretly at Berclitesgaden.

Suggested Four-Power Parley. Suggestions for a four-Power conference over Danzig, savs a British official wireless message, which have been canvassed in the foreign Press in the past few days, and currency to which is reported to have been given, among others, by Mr. Hamilton Fish, U.S. Senator, who met Herr von Ribbcntrop in Germany, continue to be the subject of unfavourable comment in the newspapers.

It can be stated that no plan for such a conference as is recommended ill these reports has been officially brought to the notice of London, where the inclination is to regard the reports as incidents in a campaign of rumour designed to maintain tension and divert attention from the incontrovertible facts of the situation.

German pressure on Poland, mobilisation of the German Army and German encouragement of the Danzig Senate in its demands, figure no less prominently among these factors than do reciprocal undertakings among peace front Powers.

Yesterday's preliminary conversations in Danzig between M. C'hodaeki, Polish Commissioner, and Herr G reiser, President of the Danzig Nazi Senate, also take a place in the events of which, as distinct from rumours, note is taken here.

"The Times" comments that it would, of course, lie bovond the province of these officials, who hold posts within the framework of the present Danzig system, to discuss officially any suggestions for modification of the status of the Free f'itv.

That larger issue, it remarks, raised bv Herr Hitler, could only be usefully discussed by plenipotentiaries of the countries concerned—in the first instance. Poland and Germany. In no circumstances can useful discussions l>e imagined at which Poland is.not fully and formally represented.

After discussing recent history of the Danzig question. "The Times" emphasises the desirability of having the whole position regularised, and adds: Nothing whatever can be done without Poland's full agreement. That is the fundamental condition which concerns this country, and on which it is irrevocably united.

"There must be an end of intimidation and intimidatory propaganda, which can only be met by increased preparations for self-defence on the other side."