ANTI-COMINTERN PACT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 20 January 1939, Page 5

ANTI-COMINTERN PACT

NAZI INFLUENCE IN EUROPE POLISH RELATIONS WITH GERMANY GROYVING [1 I* A —Hv Electric Telegraph-Cop?richf> LONDON, 18th January. Emphasising Germany’s and Hungary’s common foreign policy, a Berlin report issued after the visit of the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Csaky, draws attention to the growing strength of the Anti-Comintern Pact and the possibility of its extension shortly to include Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. Both are regarded by Berlin as members of the bloc and lacking only in formal adherence.

In this connection tt.-e Warsaw correspondent of the ‘Daily Telegraph” points out that Polish relations w.ih Germany are growing more and more favourable, and, though there is no iikelihood of Poland adhering to the Anti-Comintern Pact, it must be assumed that she has decided morally and diplomatically to support Germany’s and Italy’s colonial claims against France and Britain. The correspondent adds that the impression that Polish opinion is being prepared for a deeper interpretation of the existing pact between Poland and Germany finds a measure of confirmation in an official announcement of a visit by the German Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, on 24th January, coinciding with the anniversary of the pact. The Warsaw correspondent of “The Times” points out that Poland’s long common frontier with Russia makes her position different from other members of the bloc and her joining the bloc might precipitate events for which Germany is not prepared. Germany, therefore, is not pressing for Poland’s formal entry, but some open reaffirmation of Poland’s anti-Communistic attitude may be required for next week’s programme.