BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Grey River Argus, 4 September 1939, Page 8

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

[British Official Wireless]. (Received September 3, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, September 2. Both Houses of Parliament resumed to-night, after a brief adjournment, to hear Ministerial statements of the’ crisis. Mr. Chamberlian, in the Commons, and Lord Halifax in the Lords said: “Sir N. Henderson was received by JJerr Von Ribbentrop at 9.30 last night, when he delivered the joint Anglo-French warning message, which was read in the Commons yesterday. Herr Von Ribbentrop replied that he must submit (he communication to Herr Hitler. Sir N. Henderson declared his readiness to receive the Chancellor’s reply, but, up to the present no reply has been received. The delay has possinly been due to proposals that have meanwhile been put forward by Italy. These are that the hostilities should cease, and that there should be a conference between the five Powers, Britain, France, Poland, Germany, and Italy.

“While appreciating Italy’s efforts, Britain, for her part, would not find it. possible to take part, in a conference while Poland haa been subject to invasion. Her towns are under bombardment, and Danzig has been made subject, to a unilateral settlement by force. “Britain is in communication with France as to the limit of time necessary for Britain and France to know 1 whether Germany is prepared to efI feet such a withdrawal. If Germany 7 (Should agree to withdraw its forces, then Britain would be willing to regal’d the position as being the same as it was before the German forces crossed the Polish frontier that is to say, the way would be open to discussion between Germany and Poland on the matters at issue between them, on the understanding that any settlement arrived at was one that safeguarded the vital interests of Poland, and was secured by an international guarantee. If Germany and Poland wished that other Powers should be associated with them in the discussion, then Brtiain, for her part, would be willing to agree. “The international status of Danzig as a Free State was established by a treaty of which Britain is a signatory, and the Free State was placed under the League of Nations’ protection. Rights given Poland in Danzig by the treaty are defined ami confirmed by an agreement, concluded between Danzig and Poland. The action taken by the Danzig authorities and the Reichstag yesterday 7 is the final step in a unilateral repudiation of this international instrument,! which could only be modified by ne-j gotiations. Britain, therefore, did not recognise either the validity of the] grounds on wihch the action of the 1 Danzig authorities was’ based, or of the validity of this action itself or of the effect given it by 7 Germany.” j Mr. Greenwood (Deputy-Leader of; the Labour Party) in a speech which, 1 obviously, was inspired by 7 an anxiety i lest, the absence of an immediate decision in Mr. Chamberlain’s speech might, he said, create a false im-j 'pression abroad of vacillation at a time when Britain, and all that Brit- ( ain stands for in human civilisation, is in peril,” said he hoped that the Prime Minister might be able to tell! the Blouse when it meets to-morrow-what, the final decision is, and whether our promises are in the process' of fulfilment,' for, to his mind, there' could be no escape from the dilemma 1 in which we had been placed. | Sir A. Sinclair (Leader of the Liberal Party) said that to-day’s session' would not’have been held in vain if it demonstrated that the British Parliament “would not tolerate delay in ■ the fulfilment, of our obligations to Poland.” He was sure Parliament 'felt that a reply must be demanded from Germany, unless the advance of the German armies was promptlystopped. It was, of course, vital that we should march in step with our I French allies. Let not confidence we feel in our French allies waver, if, I indeed, they wish to awail the decis-j ion of the.r Chamber. | Mr. Chamberlain, replying, said he thought that if the House recovised 1 that the Government was in a somewhat difficult position. “I suppose it must always ue difficult for allies who 1 have to communicate with one another by 7 telephone lo synchronise their thought and actions quicKiy, and I should be horrified if the House thought, for one moment, mat the statement I made to-night betrayed the slightest weakening in the attitude either of this Government or of France upon the attitude wnich we have taken up. I would have been very glad if it had been possible for me to say to the House, now, that France and ourselves had agreed io t make the shortest possible limit to 1 the time when fiction should be taken by both of us. It is very possime I that communications which we have' had with France will receive a reply! from them in the course of the next few hours. I understand that France is in session at this moment. I feel certain that I can make a statement of a definite character to the House when it meets again, to-morrow. 1 am the last man to neglect any opportunity whirh I consider of the. slightest chance of avoiding the great catastrophe, even at the last moment.”

EUROPEAN CENSORSHIPS. LONDON’S THE MOST SEVERE. (Received September 3, 7.30 p.m.) / NEW YORK, September 2. An undated despatch to the Associated Press of America says: “The European censorship is delaying the news, but apparently there has not been any suppression of the truth as journalists see it. The chief difficulties are in London, where, on Thursday evening, censors walked unannounced into the communication offices. Many of the despatches were held as long as five hours, and none came through with their formei' speed. “Berlin has a mild censorship, but the transmission of news there is more rapid than at the other capitals. The Paris censorship is functioning fairly fast. (Received September 4, 12.5 a.m.) ’ LONDON, September 3. The Ministry of Transport has assumed control of all of the railways, which are operating under any executive committee.