MONARCHIST MOVEMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 October 1939, Page 7

MONARCHIST MOVEMENT

GAINING GROUND IN GERMANY ARREST OF HIGH ARMY OFFICERS [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Recd. October 24, 10.15 a.m.) PARIS, October 23. The Zurich correspondent of “Le Journal’’ reports that a number of high German Army officers have been removed from their commands and arrested, on the ground of supporting the restoration of the Monarchy. The restoration movement has gained momentum in recent months. Those arrested include General von Kammerstein, Chief of the General Staff before General von Fritsch, and General von Stulpnagel. General Kammerstein, who was appointed commander of the army of occupation in Poland, was removed before taking up the post. •

REVOLUTION PREDICTED NE WYORK, October 22. Mr. A. Duff Cooper, a former First Lord of the Admiralty, who has arrived for a private lecture tour, ipredicted that a Conservative revolution in Germany would end the war, resulting possibly in a monarchical revival, aimed at enthroning the Archduke Otto of Habsburg, the present pretender to the Austrian and Hungarian thrones. NEW GOVERNMENT PLAN PROPOSED MINISTERS NAMED NEW YORK, October 23. The Washington correspondent of the Associated Press of America says the Secretary of State (Mr. Cordell Hull) denies knowledge of a reported British plan to recognise a,fie jure German Government seated in London. The denial refers to a . copyright story published by the New York “Daily News,” which says that British recognition would accompany the promulgation of peace proposals acceptable to the de jure Government, the object being to emphasise that the German people and the Allies do not desire war and to answer Mr. Lloyd George’s peace group proposals. Proposed appointments, the story adds, are: — Chancellor, Dr. Hermann Rauschning, former Nazi President of the Danzig Senate. Foreign Minister, Dr. Rudolf Breitscheid. ’ Finance Minister, Dr. Joseph V irth. England and France, it is stated, would grant a credit of £2,000,000 to facilitate the of the de jure Government.

OFFER TO FRANCE DENIED LONDON, October 20. The official German news agency denies the suggestion of a peace offer to France. It states: “The situation needs no further clarification. _ England and France rejected Herr Hitler’s peace offer and threw down the gauntlet, which Germany has taken up. The Paris radio, commenting on a report that Germany is still seeking to divide France and Britain, declared that Germany was making as great a mistake as in her earlier propaganda. NO BELGIAN MEDIATION NEW YORK, October 21. Dr. Van Zeeland, the Belgian statesman, denies a London report that he is discussing mediation with Mr. Roosevelt, and he reiterates that, the purpose of his visit is to attend the refugee Committee meetings. - MR. LLOYD GEORGE’S VIEWS “VICIOUSLY MISREPRESENTED” | LONDON, October 22. Mr. Lloyd George, addressing his constituents, declared that his support for peace was viciously misrepresented. He said he would not retreat a step from his policy of standing up to dictators, but. a nation could be as firm in conference as on the battlefield. "If we entered a conference, today,” he said, “it no longer would be a Munich with the British and French forces unready. On the contrary, if the discussion showed Herr Hitler not, to be accommodating, we could quit, it with a clear conscience.” He added: The British cause, in essence, is a just cause, and we cannot surrender without covering Britain and her Empire with dishonour and incurring the contempt of the world. We are not the beaten nation—for from it —and I am .far from recommending that we should beg for peace at any price, as if we were vanquished. We must aim at a peace that will be enduring. It is difficult to accept Herr Hitler’s unsupported signature to any agreement.

With curious persistence, Nazi propagandists continue their efforts to represent that the British Government turned down the Italian proposals for a conference on the eve of the war when the French Government was ready to accept them. That this is inherently improbable, in view of the intimate contact, maintained between

the Governments of Paris and London throughout the crisis provoked by Hitler, has been shown on several occasions. There is nothing to support it but a confusion of dates in the Havas News Agency communique. Drawn on September 1, before the re- i ceipt of the Italian proposals on September 2, this communique had reference to the earlier suggestion of the Italian Government, made on August 31, before the German.invasion of Po- ; land, and the communique recorded an affirmative French reply. > The second Italian initiative was of ‘ course, doomed to failure by the Nazi action. It is interesting to note, how- i ever, that this was at the time that * the British Ambassador in Berlin was •.* in receipt of instructions from his Government, although the Nazis still pretended not to understand. In his final report, made public on Tuesday, Sir N. Henderson records how the Italian Government was making one more effort to save the situation. The Italian ' Ambassador called on him, and he mentioned, in the course of conversa- * tion, that he understood that the Italian Government had put forward a suggestion for a cessation of hostilities and a conference. In this connec- '' tion, I said I felt bound to express the opinion that such a proposal would never be entertained unless at the same time all German troops were ' withdrawn from Polish territory.

NAZI CONFERENCE. HITLER SUMMONS LEADERS. LONDON, October 22. Herr Hitler’s conference of v State governors and gauleiters, and the summoning of the German Ambassadors from Moscow, Rome, and Ankara to Berlin, are Germany’s immediate reaction to the British-French-Turkish Pact. - ■■ The Rotterdam correspondent of “The Times” says it is presumed that decisions of very great importance are being made, and party ,-leaders have been summoned to hear the results. Germany’s previous plans, in which she obviously countdl’ on strong diplomatic and possibly military support from the Soviet and Italy, have riot materialised, and she is now left to carry on the war alone, while the Allies are in an even more favourable position.. It is essential that Herr Hitler should do something effective to counter this set-back. The weather renders an offensive on the Western Front unfeasible, and for this reason it seems likely that Germany’s whole war effort will he concentrated on the sea and in the air, particularly against Britain. Furious attacks on the. British coasts and shipping may be expected, with the primary object .of convincing the German people that they command the means to subdue their hated enemy and encourage any sacrifices they may be called on. to make. The Paris radio stated that Herr von Papen, the German Ambassador to Turkey, has been ordered to return to Turkey immediately to point out the grave consequences of the pact with Britain and France. Another suggestion is that Herr Hitler called the conference to get information at first hand about popular feeling throughout the country, instead of relying-on what he is told by ; Herr Himmler, chief of the Secret 1 Police.

i This is the first time Herr Hitler has preferred not to accept information given him by Herr Himmler. ■ The Berlin correspondent of the ‘ Dutch paper “De Telegraaf” states 'that, although specific reasons are not 'given, Herr Hitler’s summoning of the State governors and district leaders 3 'T. conference indicated that he is confronting them with war decisions of utmost importance. The conference was held all yesterday and continued to-day. It is recalled that a somewhat similar gathering was held a few days before" the Polish campaign. Official circles in Berlin declare that there is no further possibility of anothei peace campaign after the last offer was- rejected so abruptly. If Herr Hitler receives an assurance that the German people will net react unfavourably to the prospect of the terrific sacrifices involved in an offensive on the Western front, then a large-scale attack may be expected in the immediate future.