BRITISH PREMIER

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1938, Page 9

BRITISH PREMIER

CHEEREUAS'HELEFT

"A TERRIFIC FIGURE"

(Received October 1, 11 a.m.)

MUNICH, September 30.

Cheering crowds waited outside Mr. Chamberlain's hotel for more than an hour. The Premier finally' appeared on the bajcony, smiling and waving, and holding a great bouquet of flowers. He withdrew after a few minutes in order to leave to pay a farewell visit to Herr Hitler.

Mr. Chamberlain left Herr Hitler at 12.40 p.m. and departed for London by air at 2.15 p.m.

M. Daladier left Munich at 1.40 p.m., and Signor Mussolini departed at. 1.40 a.m., warmly shaking hands with Herr Hitler and Field-Marshal Goering at the station.

M. Daladier, before leaving, made the statement:—"lt is a historic Mate in the life of Europe. War has been avoided and an honourable peace ensured to all peoples. I had pleasure in seeing for my Self that there are no feelings of hatred and hostility in Germany towards France, and Germany can rest assured that the French people, have no hostility towards Germany."

Mr. Chamberlain told Pressmen before leaving that the German occupation of Czechoslovakia would start on Saturday afternoon and evening. Mr. Chamberlain said: "I talked with the Fuhrer from 11.30 a.m. until 1 pjn. and as a result we both signed a declaration. We' had a general and very full discussion on the European situation." He added: "There will be a meeting In Berlin in the afternoon of the International Commission which is to go to the Sudetenland on October 1. If occasion arises, the Fuhrer and I will certainly meet again, because we have decided our relations by consultation." Tremendous cheers and cries of "Heil, Herr Chamberlain," accompanied by ah array of outthrust arms in the Nazi salute, followed. Mr. Chamberlain was accompanied by the German Foreign Minister, Herr Ribbentrop, from the hotel to the airport, where there was wave after wave of cheering by hundreds of school child-, ren who had been given -a holiday. Mr. Chamberlain shook hands in saying farewell to Herr Ribbentrop, and Herr Ribbentrop replied: "Give my regards to Lord Halifax and Mrs. Chamberlain." Mr. Chamberlain said: "Well, good-bye, Herr Ribbentrop. We have all had our share, of it." AFTER THE CONFERENCE. Messages from Munich state that the large crowd which had been waiting for hours frantically cheered Mr. Chamberlain, who was looking strained and exhausted at the conclusion of the conference. To the excited newspapermen he said: "I return tomorrow. Yes, the agreement is signed." Sir Horace Wilson echoed Mr. Chamberlain's Downing Street cry of Wednesday: "Everything is all right now." Mr. Chamberlain fought his way to his rooms amid scenes of the wildest excitement in the hotel lobby and on the staircase. Within a few minutes Sir Horace Wilson ran down with copies of the communique, which was. snatched from his hands by eager correspondents. \ The Munich correspondent of the "News Chronicle" says that bMr. Chamberlain has become a terrific figure in German eyes. Mr. Chamberlain said: "I explained to the Czech delegates the terms Of the agreement and went thoroughly into the reasons why we had reached it I assure you I have done my best" M. Daladier said that the agreement substantially approximated to the London accord. "Had there been any question of threatening the sovereignty of Czechoslovakia, I would resolutely have refused to consider further negotiations," he said. "The map drawn today differs from the Godesberg map. For a long time I wrestled with the Fuhrer regarding certain methods, such as the plebiscite touching the Bratislava region. Finally Herr Hitler said: 'You have been so earnest that I agree with your view."'