Britain’s Attitude To Danzig Outlined By Mr Chamberlain

Northern Advocate, 12 July 1939, Page 7

Britain’s Attitude To Danzig Outlined By Mr Chamberlain

(Received 1.30 p.m.)

RUGBY, July 10. gLEMENTS OF THE DANZIG QUESTION AS THEY APPEAR TO BRITAIN WERE FULLY BEVSEWEI? IN A STATEMENT WHICH* MR % CHAMBERLAIN MADE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, IN THE COURSE OF WHICH HE EMPHASISED BRITAIN’S RESOLUTE INTENTION TO|| CARRY OUT THE GUARANTEE GIVEN TO POLAND, AND ALSO DIS- •'? POSED OF THE CONTENTION, WHICH HAS RECENTLY FIGURED PROMINENTLY IN GERMAN PROPAGANDA, THAT WHAT IS REPRESENTED AS POLISH INTRANSIGIENCE ON'THE DANZIG QUESTION, DATES | FROM THE BRITISH GUARANTEE AND IS ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE r GUARANTEE. i'.'*

Mr Chamberlain began by reiterating that Britain was keeping in close' contact on Danzig with Poland and France. He had no new information 'to || impart on the local situation.

Importance of Danzig

Proceeding, Mr Chamberlain said: “Racially, Danzig is almost wholly a German city, but the prosperity of the inhabitants depends to a very largo extent upon Polish trade. The Vistula is Poland’s only waterway to the Baltic, and the port at its mouth could, therefore, inflict a vital strategic, economic and military stranglehold upon her. ’ “Those who were responsible for the framing of the present Statute of the Free City were fully conscious of these facts, and did their best to make provision accordingly. No Question of Oppression.

“Moreover, there is no question of any oppression of the German population in Danzig. On the contrary, the administration of the Free City is in German hands, and the only restrictions imposed upon it are not of a kind to curtail the liberties of its citizens. “The present settlement, though it may be capable of improvement, cannot in itself bo regarded as basically unjust or illogical. Maintenance of the status quo had in fact been guaranteed by the German Chancellor himself up to 1944, by a ten years’ treaty which he concluded with the late Marshal Pilsudski. “Up till last March, Germany seems to have felt that, while the position at Danzig might ultimately require revision,. the question was neither urgent nor likely to lead to a serious dispute.

Poland Alarmed.

“But in March, when Germany put forward an offer in the form of certain desidera, accompanied by a press campaign, the Polish Government realised that -it might presently be faced with a unilateral solution, which it would have to resist with all its sources. Poland had before her events which had taken place in Austria and Czechoslovakia and Memel. Significant Dates.

“Accordingly, Poland refused to accept the German point of view, and herself made suggestions for a possible solution of the problem in which Germany was interested. Certain defensive measures were taken by Poland on March 23, and a reply sent to, Berlin on March 26. I ask the House to note carefully these dates.

“It has been freely stated in Germany that it was Britain’s guarantee which encouraged Poland to take the action which I described, but it will be observed that our guarantee was not given until March 31. By March 26 no mention of it had ever been made to Poland.

. “Recent occurrences in Danzig were inevitable, and had given rise to fears that it was intended to settle her future status by unilateral action organised by surreptitious methods, thus presenting Poland and other Powers with a fait accompli. “In such circumstances, any action taken by Poland to restore the situation would, it is suggested, be represented as an act of aggression on her part, and if her action were supported by other Powers they would be accused of aiding and abetting her in the use of force.”

A Pledge to be Kept.

Continuing, Mr Chamberlain said: “As the sequence of events should in fact be such as is contemplated on this hypothesis, hon. members will realise from what I said earlier that the issue could not be considered as a purely local matter involving the rights and liberties of Danzigers, which, incidentally, are in no way threatened, but would at once raise graver issues affecting Polish national

existence and independence. “We have guaranteed to give our assistance to Poland in case of a clear threat to her independence, which she considers it is vital to resist with her national forces, and we are firmly resolved to carry out this undertaking.

Conference Desirable

“I have said that while at present a settlement is neither basically unjust nor illogical, it may be capable of improvement. It may be that in a clearer atmosphere, possible improvements could be discussed. Indeed, Colonel Beck himself said in a speech on May 5 that if the Reich Government is guided by two conditions, namely, peaceful intention and peaceful methods of procedure, all conversations are possible.

“In his speech before the Reichstag on April 28, Herr Hitler said that if Poland wished to come to fresh contractral arrangements governing its relations with Germany, he would but welcome such an idea. He added that any such future arrangements would

have to be based on absolutely clear > obligations equally binding on botll* | parties. Confidence Disturbed. “Britain realises that recent velopments in the Free City have dis- ‘ | turbed confidence and rendered it ■! difficult at present to find an atmo~ ->& sphere in which reasonable counsels can prevail. ' “In the face of this situation, • the v.| Polish Government has remained and Britain hopes the Free City, withal her ancient traditions, may prove, as she has done before in his-'|i tory, that different nationalities can, 'd| work together when their real ests coincide. ffm “Meanwhile, I trust all concerned will declare and show their determih-||| ation not to allow any incidents in || connection with Danzig to assumesuch a character as might constitute r a menace to the peace of Europe.” ,

NO MARGIN FOR iVIISUNDER- > STANDING.

Leaders in Britain unanimously dedare that Mr Chamberlain’s speech, || in which every word counts, leaves no gj margin for misunderstanding. M