BERLIN ACCLAIMS HITLER

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 150, 21 March 1939, Page 9

BERLIN ACCLAIMS HITLER

Triumphant Return From Prague By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. BERLIN, March 19. Herr Hitler arrived at 6.30 p.m. today at .the lavishly-decorated Goerlitzer station, where a galaxy of Ministers, diplomats, officials, and officers was assembled to welcome the Fuehrer back from Prague. Trumpet calls marked Herr Hitlers descent from the railway carriage. Field-Marshal Goering, in welcoming him, triumphantly outlined his exploits. Guns boomed a salute, after which thousands witnessed the Fuehrer’s 3j miles’ slow drive through the city to the accompaniment of church bells, band music, illumination by arc lights, and fireworks. Behind the troops who lined the route Berliners stood four-deep in driving sleet and bitter wind. Black Guards had distributed gratis paper flags which the rain speedily reduced to pulp. Herr Hitler reached the Chancellery at 8.12 p.m. One hundred and fifty cars constituted the procession. Two of them, packed with armed police, immediately followed the Fuehrer, with men watching from the running-boards. Herr Hitler stood up in his car, saluting the vociferous crowds, which were estimated at a million. Later he appeared on the balcony of the Chancellery and was wildly cheered three times. He reappeared at intervals of five minutes and walked backward and forward with the Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, Field-Marshal Goering, General Keitel, and others. The crowds were then ordered by loudspeakers to return to their homes. It was stated that Herr Hitler had urgent conversations pending and would not reappear.

WIDE PRECAUTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Leave Cancelled; Naval Force Concentrated (Independent Cable Service.) (Received March 20, 9.30 p.m.) CAPE TOWN, March 20. The precautions taken by the Union Government, following the German protest against the restrictions on immigration, included the cancelling of all defence force leave and the issuing of a warning to all reservists to be available within 24 hours. The African Squadron was also concentrated at Simonstown (naval base near Cape Town). It is revealed that the German Note stated that if permission for migrants to land were withheld, the Germans would not be responsible for the consequences. A guard is mounted at Pretoria steelworks, which employs a numbaosgnftS'fkwnwrnsa. - •