GERMAN DEMANDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23152, 26 September 1938, Page 11

GERMAN DEMANDS

CEDING OF TERRITORY OCTOBER 1 TIME LIMIT SET NO WAR IF CZECHS ACCEPT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September 2JS. 5.30 p.m.) LONDON. Sept, 24 It is reliably stated that the memorandum which Herr Hitler delivered to Mr. Chamberlain at Godesberg demands that the Czech Government must indicate by October 1 its intention immediately to withdraw the Czech troops and police from the Sudeten area and permit the immediate occupation of the territory by German troops and police. The memorandum contains a clearly-detailed, plan for the evacuation of the Czech troops, similar to that used for the evacuation of German troops from France. Dates are fixed for the: holding of a plebiscite. All Sudeten areas in which more than 70 per cent of the population ares Germans are to be occupied immediately after the expiry of the time limit. Other districts, in which there is a lesser percentage of Germans, are to hold a plebiscite, after which the exchange of Czech and German populations is to be carried out. Conditional Guarantee of Frontier Germany agrees to guarantee the new Czech frontier if Poland and Hungary also guarantee it. Semi-officially, it is stated that the memorandum contains nothing more than proposals how to secure and accomplish the things already conceded to Germany. Nobody should deceive himself that the German proposals for the peaceful realisation of a condition already created by right are not final, and must be considered as the last German bid for peace. If the Czechs decline the proposals they will thereby assume responsibility for all further consequences; if they agree, peace will be maintained. "Herr Hitler undertakes in his memorandum not to use force for a few days," Herr Dietrich, the Reich press chief, told the Daily Mail representative. "The memorandum lays down his scheme for the evacuation bf the Sudeten territory by the Czechs, and its occupation by German troops by a series of progressive movements in much the same way as the German troops evacuated Alsace-Lorraine. Czechs Must be "Reasonable" " British and German differences are not on matters of principle, but on methods. If the Czechs are reasonable and consent to evacuate the Sudeten territory already allotted to Germany by the Anglo-French plan, there will be no conflict." It is stated from Paris that the French Foreign Office and Mr. Chamberlain sent Herr Hitler's memorandum, to the Czech Government without comment. It is understood no pressure is being exerted on the Czechs at the moment. The British Minister to Prague, Mr. B. Cochrane-Newton, handed a compromise plan to the Czech Foreign Minister, Dr. Krofta, 10 minutes after general mobilisation had been ordered in Czechoslovakia, says the Prague correspondent of the News Chronicle. It consisted of a request to the Czechs to allow the German Army "symbolically" to occupy a 10-mile wide strip of Sudeten territory pending arrangements for tho transfer of the territory. Prague Studying New Terms The Paris correspondent of the Times says it is understood that when Sir Eric Phipps, British Ambassador, saw M. Bonnet, French Foreign Minister, late last night, he announced that the British Government had submitted the new compromise plan to Prague. A broadcast in English from Prague announced that the Czech Government is studying the German terms. Dr. Benes is receiving numerous telegrams from all parts of the world sympathising with Czechoslovakia. The Czech Legation in London has received many offers of enlistment in the Czech 'forces.