HITLER’S SPEECH

Grey River Argus, 21 September 1939, Page 8

HITLER’S SPEECH

NOTHING NEW CARVING OF POLAND Along with Soviet NO WAR AIMS LEFT!

I Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] DANZIG, September 19. In a speech at Danzig, Herr Hitler warned Britain and France that Lor every bomb dropped on a German city, the Nazis would drop five on British and French cities. A grey army car carried Herr Hitler through tremendous crowds to the market-place, where he began speaking at 5.16 p.m.. after Herr 1 oerster had spoken briefly and extended a welcome. . •> ••This soil will remain German, Herr Hitler said. “The fate of this city has been the fate of Germany He attacked the Versailles repeated his assertions that it would never happen again. He added that a solution of the problem could have been reached at the end of August. I waited and waited, but nothing happened. excep, the Polish mobilisation. Patience should not lie confused with weakness. The Poles were told that they would be able to resist Germany and were told they could rely on the he p ol other Powers. To-day it >s said the real problem is not Poland, but the German regime. We have no i ■ aims against Britain p rance Hitler referred scornfully to th is fool ish propaganda,’’ and saidl that. if the destruction ol his regime i. jective of Britain, he was proud to be the object of their attack. He declared that Russia and Germany would settle the Polish situation ‘ resulting in the removal of tension. However, he was determined -0 continue the war as long as he was forced to do so. The s “"r s S would not be uttered, even after six nr seven vears. Herr Hitler hinted that the restoration of Greater Germany was completed “AH parts of the Reich are now " The'spe«b a onded at 6.23 p.nt. with cries of “Sieg Heil!’’

VERSAILLES TREATY BLAMED. Herr Hitler, referring to the Versailles Treaty, said that the nrc at that time did not solxe a gle problem. but created number ■ « * problems. It was only a question of time before downtrodden Germany itself would rise once more, and solve tnem “Eighty-two million people want to live, and will live. even if d doe» not suit the warmongers. last | had no ultimate winner. Eveiyboty lias the loser, but this is lorgoUen by the warmongers. The world did know whnt Germany had to saUIE for Poland. All the territory then incorporated in Poland was exclusive y the product of German industry and activity. Poland was incapable ot maintaining this culture." Nevertheless, he said, he had alwajs attempted to find a tolerable solution, which might lead to an acceptable a raniiement. He had striven to shape definite frontiers in the west and south to safeguaid the future of peace, and had made Ine same attempt in the east. He had tried to reconcile the economic demands of Poland with the German character of Danzig. He nad been all too modest in his claims. Herr Hitler repeated the German version of the last proposals to Poland, adding it was clear that Poland intended to incorporate East Prussia and to annex Pomerania. The only question was whether the Elbe would be a better frontier than the Oder. Negotiations with Poland in August would have been possible, nad the Poles been prepared to negotiate. ’'Atl last, I decided to speak to Poland in a way she could not misunderstand. Yet,’ even then, peace could have been saved. Britain refused plans that II Duce worked out with France and mvself, and sent an ultimatum instead. ‘ Now the Poles have bee n defeated, we hope to arrange a situation wherein a tolerable solution will be found by reasonable means for the future, but those in the West need not imagine that it must always be so. If they want it otherwise they can have it. Germany’s political aims are limited. We will reach an

understanding with Russia

as she is our nearest neighbour. Such an agreement should set at rest England’s fears of unlimited German expansion.” Germany and Russia had guaranteed that

Poland would never again rise

in the form that the Versailles Treaty laid down. The democracies, he said, would find out for themselves that the ultimate aim of the German-Rus-sian understanding was that Russia rema'ned Bolshevik, and Germany Nazi. “Let no one think that they would quarrel.” Germany did not intend to annex the Ukraine.

Britain had already started a war against women and children “Let. no one remind us of humanitarianism, or the fact that war should not be waged against women and children. It. is Britain's business to see that the blockade is carried out humanely. Our ways of lighting will depend on that.” In a typical passage to-day Herr Hitler dated from the death of Marshal Pilsudski the deterioration in GermanPo’ish relations and said: "It was pos-< sible for us only with difficulty to look on while the German minority was barbarously ill-treated. The world, which is always shaken to the depths when a Polish-Jew who has recently emigrated to Germany is deported, remained dumb in the face of this illtreatment.”

British Criticism

ON HITLER’S SPEECH

RECENT HISTORY RECALED

IBrifi® 1 ' Official Wirelessl. RUGBY, September 19. Herr Hitler's speech followed the now-familiar lines of the speeches he has delivered on each succeeding day of “libelation.” achieved by the enslavement of another people, in de-

; fiance of treaty obligations and his own earlier pledges. Once more it has I been “the greatest day of his life. I Commentators in London can find little of interest in the speech, so true does it run to type. By his contemptous estimate of others’ intelligence m “Mein Kampf,” Herr Hitler had already prepared the world for what would otherwise excite some surprise his complete indifference to the observance of any' kind of consistency. It is again clear that words have no meaning or value to him, beyond the immediate transitory purpose they serve in the game ol political chicanery. In a typical passage to-day. he dated from the death of Marshal Pilsudski the deterioration in GermanPolish relations, and said: “It was possible for us only with difficulty to 100k 1 on while the German minority was barbarously ill-treated. The world, which is always shaken to the depths when a Polish-Jew* who has recently emigrated to Germany is deported, remained dumb in the face of this illtreatment.” The obvious retort which occurs to many here, is that the world remained dumb in the face of this illtreatment, for the very good reason that, from the time of Marshal Pilsudski’s death in May. 1935. until this spring, Herr Hitler represented his relations with Poland as being excellent. No word was said by Germany o. the maltreatment, of Germans in Poland. This is how Herr Hitler himself described his friendship for Poland, in the Reichstag, on May' 21, 3935: “We recognise the Polish State as the home of a great patroitic nation, with understanding and cordial friendship of candid nationalists.” After three years, in the Reichstag 911 February 20, 1938, he could still, say: “In the fifth year which follows the coming into force of the first great international convention concluded by the Reich, we state with genuine ad--miration that our relations with that State, with which we had perhaps the greatest antagonism, are not only characterised by an entente but that in the course of the past years these relations resulted in a more and more friendly drawing together. The value of this was questioned by many at the time, but it has now passed the test, and I may well say that since the League of Nations ceased its continuous efforts al disturbances in Danzig, and appointed a new Commissioner. a man of personality, this most-dangerous place tor the peace of Europe has entirely lost its menacing significance. The Polish State respects national conditions in this country, and Germany respects Polish rights. It was possible to find a way to understanding which, emanating from Danzig in spite of the assertions of many mischief-makers, has succeeded in removing all friction between Germany and Poland, and has made it possible to work together in true amity.” Six months later, and only a year ago, at a sports rally in September, 1938, there was still no word of maltreatment —“We realise there are two nations which must live side by side, and neither of which is in a position to eliminate the other. A State with 33,000,000 inhabitants will always [strive t 0 have an outlet, to the sea. It I was therefore necessary to find a way Ito an understanding. This has been found, and will be consolidated. This was really a peaceful action, which was or more worth than the whole of the babbling at the palace of the League of Nations at Geneva."

Herr Hitler also affected surprise at the unwillingness of Polish statesmen to walk into the trap they had seen baited too often. Referring to the proposals he made in the spring to the Polish Government, Herr Hitler declared: “I do not know in what state of mind the Polish Government, could have been, to reject such proposals.” It is not difficult to enlighten Herr Hitler’s perlexity. because the answer is that the Polish Government had before their eyes the shameful betrayal of the solemn assurances given by the German Chancellor at Munich. They knew that these demands were only a preliminary to further exactions. If Herr Hitler had wished to inspire confidence in his word, he should have been less reckless with nis earner promises. “Germany has no further territorial ambitions in Europe,” was an undertaking which has been broken too flagrantly and too often. Just as the Polish Government, which had done its best for six years t o reach and to maintain an understanding with Nazi Germany, on the basis of good faith, was faced at last with the realisation that it had no choice but to capitulae or to fight, so neither Great Britain nor France, nor any other country, is to be deceived by a fresh assurance, or fresh promises, or .fresh renunciations, which the fore-1 sworn Nazi Chancellor may make.

Italians Disappointed

THE SOVIET’S REWARD,

(Received Sept. 21, 1 a.m.) ROME, September 20.

Fascist circles have received Herr Hitler’s speech with the utmost reserve. The absence of any definite peace move and the chance of an early end to the war, which had been cherished by the Italian public, have disappointed the whole country.

The Italian translation of the speech omits Herr Hitler’s reference to a German renunciation of the Ukraine.

This renunciation Italy regards as Germany’s payment, for the Soviet Pact.

Dutch Parliament

QUEEN WILHELMINA’S SPEECH.

HOPES FOR PEACEFUL RELATIONS.

THE HAGUE, September 19. Queen Wilhelmina, in opening Parliament of Holland, stressed Holland’s friendly relations with all the Powers, and her close co-operation with other neutral countries. She added: The welcome accorded to the offices of myself and King Leopold confirms my conviction that, despite a disappointment, many still hope for better international relations through peaceful deliberation. GERMANS IN HOLLAND. LONDON, September 19. Germans who refuged in Holland have been interned. SCANDINAVIAN POLICY. COPENHAGEN, September 19. The Scandinavian Ministers’ Conference has issued a communique, confirming the intention t 0 observe strict neutrality. j