GERMANY’S PLANS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 18 February 1939, Page 7

GERMANY’S PLANS

AGREEMENT WITH POLES.

NO EASTERN DRIVE YET.

LONDON, Feb. 2. Yvell-informed observers believe that as a result of a Polish-German understanding there will be no eastern drive this spring. The AYarsaw correspondent of the Times supports this view by stating that nothing like a full account of-what was decided at the discussions between the Polish and German Governments has yet been given, but it is fairly certain “that an understanding was reached on three points—the question of a Great Ukraine, relations with Russia and the status of tho Free City of Danzig. The correspondent says that on those three points at least the Foreign Alinisters harmonised their policies for the immediate future.

“There is to he no eastern drive this spring for the creation of an independent Ukraine,” the correspondent adds “Agreement on this point is not difficult to reach, for a glance at the map and consideration of conditions in the Soviet Ukraine —now al-

most terra Incognita, without even consulates by which a foreign State might keep in touch w’ith local events and conditions —show plainly that a venture in this direction could not be achieved without careful preparation for several years unless Germany had the full support of Poland or Rumania, or both. “The second point also is not difficult, for if there were no Ukrainian question in the spring there could scarcely he any active operations against the Soviet Union. “Notwithstanding appearances and the clashing of wills in Danzig itself, relations between Warsaw and Berlin in respect of the Free City are better to-day than they had been for a long time before Colonel Beck's meeting with Herr Hitler. Poland has agreed to make a virtue of necessity by not obstructing the Nazification of Danzig. which she recognises as pre-emi-nently a German town, but Polish rights and privileges in Danzig, particularly in the port, are to remain intact.”