Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1939 ONE OF EUROPE’S PROBLEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 5 July 1939, Page 6

Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1939 ONE OF EUROPE’S PROBLEMS

IN ord cr to satisfy public opinion, i the British Prime Minister has | made a statement which bears upon the situation at Danzig, j After saying that the British GovJ ernment desires that international differences should be settled by ! discussion and co-operation, Mr • Chamberlain went on to say: : “Wc are resolutely opposed to ; attempts to impose settlements |by force, and, if need be, we would meet such attempts by ■ force.” To a Welsh constituent, j ihe British Premier wrote, con-! jeerning Britain’s re-armament! j programme, that the sole purpose ! j is “to strengthen and consolidate; : the forces of those who are dej termined to resist, any attempt at ! aggression or domination.” If resort were made to earnest negotiation there should be no serious trouble over the Danzig affair. The situation there has been occasioned by provocative Nazis, who may have taken action with the intention of forcing the German Government s hand, but at the time of writing the Fuhrer, since his statement that Danzig should belong to Germany, seems to have done nothing openly ; which can associate those directing the nation’s affairs with the J section which is creating the trouble in Danzig. It is even sug- | gested in a Danzig semi-official paper that Herr Hitler may be personally unaware of the real j facts of the situation. That may or may not be the case, but the German Dictator might well pause, for by acting with the recalcitrant elements in the troubled city he would be not only chal-, lenging the League’s Covenant, but defying the great Western nations which are chiefly responsible for the status of Danzig. It is reported that from France comes the suggestion that “Britain, France and Poland should jointly warn the Senate” (of Danzig) “against a move to transfer the city to the Reich.” In any case all that at present would seem judicious or wise would be for these Powers which are interested in the status of! Danzig to continue to represent to the German Government their apprehension lest anything which German subjects might do should alter the position of that city in relation to Poland. There are many who think it unlikely that Danzig car. for ever be prevented from joining the Reich, but the manner in which the reunion should be effected is not that which the Nazis have adopted. Rather should those responsible for the government of Germany approach the Governments of Britain, France and Poland with a view to arranging a settlement, w.thout upsetting Poland’s access to the sea by wav of the Corridor, or interfering with her port of Gdynia. Only by means of a comprehensive agreement, embodying all the nations which are interested, can the vexed problem of Danzig be solved and settled amicably and conclusively. The possibility of such an agreement being arrived at would he increased were the peace bloc to be strengthened by the inclusion of Russia. Reports from London are optimistic regarding the early and satisfactory conclusion of the Anglo-French negotiations with the Soviet and one report states that the three Baltic States are expected to be included in the pledges made. These reports, however, are discounted in Moscow although it is admitted that considerable progress has been made. Apparently new difficulties have been met and a London message states that these will prevent the expectation of an easy or

rapid conclusion to the negotiations. Meanwhile the Nazi militarisation of Danzig continues and it is suggested that the Polish Commissioner in the free city may warn the Danzig Senate that the fortifications in the city contravene the Statutes. According to the Warsaw press, more than five thousand Polish families residing in th** frontier districts of East Prussia have been ordered to move inland by- 15th July. Whether that order is significant of any aggressive intention by Germany after that date it is impossible to say, but the situation continues to cause anxiety.