DANZIG SITUATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 16, 19 July 1939, Page 11

DANZIG SITUATION

MOVE TO PEACEFUL SOLUTION

THE CITY QUIET

POLICE ARRESTS BY GESTAPO

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.)

(Received July 19, 9.30 a.m.)

LONDON, July 18.

Officials at the Foreign Office in Berlin show marked optimism ■concerning the Danzig situation. The spokesman said: "We believe the question is being steered in the direction of a peaceful solution." He denied that negotiations were proceeding with Poland, and added that German intentions in regard to the Free City were so well known as to make restatement unnecessary.

He emphatically contradicted the impression that there was relaxation of the tension in Danzig, and declared that nothing had happened to justify such a conclusion. Danzig is quiet, although an increasing number of Nazi youths is entering. The Gestapo (secret police) have arrested at least 60 members of the Danzig police.

REPORTS OF SETTLEMENT.

Reports of a settlement at Danzig are current in Rome, where well-in-formed circles believe that agreement between Poland and Germany was reached in principle when Herr Hitler met Herr Forster. It is understood that the Pope and Signor Mussolini were actively engaged in the negotiations. The Vatican is reported to be favouring the view that the status quo of the Free City should remain unaltered till 1944, when, it is hoped, the present tension will have ended.

It is also stated that the Minister of Propaganda, Signor Alfieri, went to Munich bearing Signor Mussolini's views regarding a settlement in Danzig.

Reports from Berlin, however, say that a settlement is officially denied.

Other sources in Rome claim that the Italian people are reluctant to fight for Danzig. The Italians are not sympathising with the German expansionist aims, and anti-German feeling is specially evident in Trieste, where Italian trade has been severely hit by the German occupation of Austria.

NAZI PROPAGANDA SUSPECTED

Statements that negotiations have begun for a settlement of the Danzig dispute are described in Warsaw as a move by German official propagandists aimed at dividing Britain and Poland. It is pointed out that the Poles will not negotiate on any terms till Herr Hitler withdraws his demand for the inclusion of Danzig in the Reich.

;!, Ail official Polish communique states that apart from the manner in which Germany may desire to incorporate Danzig within the Reich, Polish political quarters declare that its incorporation would constitute an inadmissible violation of the present political and juridical state of affairs and evoke an appropriate response. The communique followed a suggestion that Herr Hitler was being elected President of the Danzig Senate.

GERMANY MUST MOVE.

It is firmly denied in London that there lias been any discussion of the possibility of negotiations between Germany and Poland, and rumours of Anglo-German negotiations are equally foundatsonless. Both London and Paris are satisfied with Poland's attitude. Poland insists that any gesture to discuss the position must come from Germany, and newspapers continue to stress that the visit cf General Sir Edmund Ironside aims at preparing a force capable cf victoriously resisting any aggression.

"No Polish compromise over Danzig and the Corridor has any chance of succeeding/ declares the Danzig "Vorposten "' the editor of which accompanied the Nazi leader. Herv Forster. to Bcrchtesgaden. The newspaper adds, in reply to rumours from War=avr "We say that the Fuhrer's generous proposals which Poland rejected cannot be repeated. It must be clear that Poland's impudent attitude is not calculated to establish a basis for negotiation." ' . , . An authoritative statement issued in Danzig declares that the Fuhrer's address in the Reichstag on April 28 made the situation sufficiently clear, and that there is no reason to attempt new interpretations.