WHITEHALL'S VIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 40, 16 August 1939, Page 11

WHITEHALL'S VIEW

VERY GRAVE

NO EXPECTATION OF EARLY

CLIMAX

LONDON, August 15,

The "Manchester Guardian" says:—----"No confirmation ib available in London of the suggested compromise between Germany and Poland, though the reports are readily credited because of the belief that appeasements are in the air. The possibility of them, however, seems to be more remote

than ever.

"There is complete agreement between Italy and Germany, who apparently have accepted a genera] plan of action designed to eliminate Poland and subjugate Rumania. No attempt i made to conceal these objectives.

"The German military experts who were maintainng that a campaign against Poland would be long and arduous have been overruled, as the iv. 7; leaders believe it would be a short war, and that assistance from the Western Powers, L it came at all. would come too late. Hungary is also marked down. There is uc reason to suppose that the Hungarians- can do anything whatever to avoid their fate.

"Whitehall takes a very grave view oi the situation, but does not believe the European crisis will necessarily come to a climax in the immediate future."

The French Press today received the suggestions for negotiations on Danzig icily, expressing the opinion that the

German and Italian demands are not likely to be acceptable to the democracies. The publicist M. de Kerillis, writing in "L'Epoque," says: "It is improbable that any German solution will satisfy Poland. This is what Germany wants, in order to say that her generous proposals have been rejected, thereby obtaining excuse for action, but if the conference eventuates it is in Germany's interest to put forward the largest number of claims." j "L'Oeuvre" says: "We will not die in Danzig, neither will the Germans. ilf we both die it will be because Herr Hitler, after criticising the ex-Kaiser, has adopted his policy in most unfavourable conditions. If ho plunges into a war it will mean death to all Europe."

Other newspapers exhort the public to keep cool, and declare that France is resolved to block aggression.