GERMAN DEFENCE COUNCIL

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22804, 1 September 1939, Page 12

GERMAN DEFENCE COUNCIL

Establishment By Herr Hitler AIM TO UNIFY LEADERSHIP (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT .V (Received August 31, 10.15 p.m.) BERLIN, August 31. Herr Hitler has issued a decree forming a Ministerial Council of Defence, of which Field-Marshal Goering is the head. The council is designed to assure unified leadership of the administration and economy of the Reich for the duration of the present foreign political tension. The council is empowered to issue decrees with the power of the law.

“The establishment of the Defence Council emphasises the Fuehrer’s determination not to retreat a hairbreadth from what Germany considers her just claims,” declares the “Voelkischer Beobachter,” the chief organ of the Nazi Party. The formation of the council is also apparently intended as Germany’s answer to the Polish mobil-

isation, which Qeiynan political circles describe as a “political manoeuvre,” sabotaging the negotiations between London and Berlin, and proving that Poland does not want the negotiations. The Chief ,of .the General Staff (General von Brauchitsch) - has issued' a proclamation empowering the anny i commanders to take over ■civil authority rule by decree in tho frontier districts. ‘ ’ • .. A spokesman, explained that this was a'twilight regime, Similar to that in Sudetenland last year,’and was midway between normal and '“‘l'-thl law. / It is officially stated, that the obit of the decree’ ,is to - concentrate fe forces of the nation in a few yands' in order to attain the great-' Ist "possible efficiency. / The council consists of Herr Hess, /Dr, Lammers, General Keitel, Dr. Frick, Dr. Funk; and Field-Marshal Coering. The council,will obviate the conflict 6f political and military leadership which was frequent during the Great War. . . t NEUTRALITY OF DENMARK BRITAIN’S ASSURANCE S '* I (Bxmsa email wroxusss.) I • . RUGBY, August 30. I - The ! British MMisters in, Copen.hagen (Sir Patrick Ramsey), having been *. informed! -by -the Danish Foreign Minister- (Dr. P. R. Munch) of the statement made by the German Government regarding the observance of i Danish • neutrality,, has conveyed an assurance to the Danish Government that, so long as Danish neutrality is respected by Germany it will, of course, be respected by the British. Government, which will have no desire that Denmark should be involved in a-war. . , This intimation to the Danish Government Is in conformity with the traditional British policy, which would apply also to Belgium, as the Belgian Government Was informed by the British Ambassador a few days ago. It Would, apply mo less to Holland, blit no official demarche at The Hague is required or would be appropriate in that case in view of the well-known; attitude of the Netherlands Gover^ept SLOVAK ENMITY TO HUNGARY RETURN SOUGHT r .OF GEDEI/ DISTRICTS '

. (Received August 31, T p.m;) s ' LONDON, August 30.' The Bratislava correspondent of “The Times", states that the-Slovaks are very bitter against Hun^afy, • from where thousands of Slovaks have illegally raturned to demand; the return of the districts .ceded to Hungaty in the autunim Shots are often exchanged. Theauthorities, however,:dre making an; effort 1 to prevent Sloyak-Hungarlan relations from becoming worse. ■ - •; RUMANIAN OIL TO ■; GERMANY 1 BUCHAREST, August 30. . Rumania has • resumed oil deliv-' cries to Germany, which have been ■ suspended since the middle of Au- ; gust. - ■, HEAD OF SWISS ARMY : f., , bernß, August so. :-. > iSfe- Colonel Guisan has 1 been appointed-: iliaCommander'-ih-Chief of the national] ' : •"