GERMANY’S OBJECTIVE UNCHANGED

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 207, 30 May 1938, Page 9

GERMANY’S OBJECTIVE UNCHANGED

Absorption If Annexation Fails BRITISH ATTITUDE FOUND IRRITATING (Received May 29, 7.30 p.m.) London, May 28. The question uppermost in the minds of the Dominions’ representatives during the recent conversations with the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, and the Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, has been whether there will be peace or war, states the diplomatic correspondent of the Associated Press.

The Australian delegation, Jed by Sir Earle Page, is especially concerned to ascertain the bearing of the European situation on the prospects of the Commonwealth negotiating foreign trade treaties as an increased outlet for expanding the production of foodstuffs. . It is gathered that the South Africans reiterated their Imperial Conference attitude of pressing Britain to attempt a settlement without delay of all outstanding grievances with Germany, without waiting for two years, when armaments acquisitions will be at their maximum and when the Powers will be unwilling to settle the differences except by war. It is also gathered that Lord Halifax outlined Britain’s representations to Prague, Paris, and Berlin, especially the attitude to Central Europe, which constituted not.a syllable more or less than Mr. Chamberlain’s pronouncement in the House of Commons on March 24. But the real significance was the fact that this was reaffirmed and underlined at the critical week-end.

Nobody knows for certain Germany’s real intentions concerning Czechoslovakia. It is hinted that the problem has undoubtedly caused conflict in Herr Hitler’s hierarchy, but it is thought that, if Germany has changed her tactics, she has not changed her objective. The belief is widely held that, if immediate annexation fails, her aim will be the slower but surer process of economic and financial absorption.

The fact that Britain’s policy as between intervention and isolation remains indeterminate is extremely irritating to Germany, which evidently continues to regard Britain as the real obstacle to the attainment of European domination.