ABSOLUTE TRUST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20031, 1 September 1939, Page 6

ABSOLUTE TRUST

COMMON VIEWS

BRITAIN, FRANCE, POLAND

ACTIVITIES IN LONDON. EVACUATION EXPERIMENT PR EC AUTTONAR Y ME ASUR E (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 1.15 p.m. RUGBY, Aug. 31. The situation in the European crisis remains unchanged and there has been no relief of the tension. When the British Ambassador, Sir Nevile Henderson, saw the German Foreign Minister, Herr von ytibbentrop, in Berlin last night, the latter intimated that he would desire to -lay Britain’s communications before Herr Hitler. Herr von Ribbentrop confined himself to personal comment. In Warsaw the British Ambassador informed Poland as to the exchanges between Berlin and London and it may be that Poland too will, wish to address observations of her own to Britain.

In any case it is emphasised in official circles in. London that the confidence established between Britain, France -abd Poland is now absolute.

Tile Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, was early in conference -with the 'Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax to-day and callers at Number 10 Downing street included Sir Samuel Hoare and Lord Ckatfield. A meeting of the Defence Ministers was -also hold. Contact by Dominions Lord Halifax reported to the King on to-day’s developments. The High Commissioners for tire Dominions saw the Dominions Secretary, Sir Thomas Inskip, and were given the latest information for transmission to the Dominion Governments. Callers at the Foreign Office included the Spanish and Portuguese Ambassadors, the Rumanian Minister •and the French Ambassador. A Downing Street communique stated that in, continuation -of the measures already adopted it had been decided to complete the naval mobilisation and call up the remainder of the regular army reserves and the supplementary .reserves. A further number of Royal Air Force volunteers will also be called up. The scale of the preparations in the fighting services are, in the view of experts, such that, if the efforts to keep the open door for negotiations should fail, Britain can face with quiet confidence the outcome of an armed conflict. The advanced stage of the preparations f-or civil defence is another factor of importance in sustaining this attitude on the part of the public. Four Days For Evacuation The latest precautionary measures are claiming public attention in Britain almost to the exclusion of news from Europe. The evacuation of schoolchildren, younger children, expectant mothers and blind and crippled persons will be spread over four days, beginning to-morrow with children from London. The railways companies and transport lu'ndertakings, have suspended the normal services and in order to reduce the demands upon them the Stock Exchange and a number of the commodity markets, as well as many private businesses, (are closing for a part or whole of the evacuation period. Road traffic will be strictly controlled as from 9 a.m. The main routes out of London have been scheduled for one-way working as from .7 a.m. Certain hospitals in London and other towns will transfer patients to the outer areas to-morrow. Precaution" Only

The Government’s decision to begin evacuation, it is officially Emphasised today, does not mean that the view is taken that war is inevitable. The priority categories are being evacuated now as a precautionary measure only. Mr. Herbert Morrison, the chairman, of the air raid precautions committee of the London County Council, sent out a message to all Londoners to-day with special appeals to the 'children, themselves, _ their mothers and teachers. He enjoined calmness, cheerfulness and discipline. Mr. Morrison stressed the solely precautionary character of the movement and wished all a safe return to dear old London.