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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23218, 12 December 1938, Page 11

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GERMANS IN MEMEL FORMAL DEMAND MADE • FUTURE OF BALTIC PORT PLEBISCITE BEING HELD By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received Dcccmbor 12, *1.45 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 11 The deputy-leader o£ the Memcl Germans, Herr Bertuliet, made the first formal demand for the return of Memel to the Reich, says the Memel correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. During a speech Herr Bertuliet declared Memel was separated from Germany against its will and tiow desired reunion. The elections to-day would be in the nature of a plebiscite, added Herr Bertuliet. He said a legal demand for reunion would be raised at the Diet meeting at the end of January. The population will go to the poll to elect a new autonomous Diet for three years. The candidates represent one German and four Lithuanian parties. The position in the last Diet was:— Germans, 24; Lithuanians, five. The result of the election is not likely to be known for a week, owing to the complicated procedure, but the Germans hope to secure 27 of the 29 seats. The campaign is notable for the fact that a section of the Germans for the first time have definitely adopted the label Nazi, and for the first time have been permitted to circulate election propaganda. The streets yesterday were patrolled by the uniformed, top-booted guards of Dr. Neumann, a 50-year-old veterinary surgeon, who is adopting a role similar to that of Herr Henlein in Czechoslovakia. Germans to-day are going to the poll with the instructions: "Vote for Union with the Reich." Memel, formerly the northernmost Baltic seaport of East Prussia, was detached from Germany by the Treaty of Versailles and at first placed under the control of a council of ambassadors, but in 1923 it was handed over to Lithuania. It has a Chamber of [Representatives elected by the citizens of the territory, but Lithuania appoints the governor, who has the right to veto any laws passed by tlie Chamber. The last governor, M. Kubilius, resigned on December 7, and it was announced last Friday that Lithuania would appoint a citizen of Memel, Viktor Gailjus, as governor in the hope of establishing friendly co-operation.

GREATER GERMANY HITLER AS BUILDER RECONSTRUCTION DELAY DEFENCE NEEDS FIRST (Received December 11, 5.5 p.m.) MUNICH, Dec. 10 In opening an architectural exhibition at which Dr. Goebbels described HenHitler as "the master who is building a Greater Germany," the Fuehrer admitted that the work of reconstruction was held up because hundreds of thousands of workers had been diverted to the construction of the gigantic lino of western defences. They Were building a Reich which would stand for ever based on a united people. RISE OF HITLER FORMER ALLIES BLAMED ARMS POLICY RESPONSIBLE (Received December 11, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 10 The former United States Ambassador to Germany, Mr. W. E. Dodd, in a speech asserted that the procedure of the United States and the other Allies after the Great War was responsible for Herr Hitler. He alleged that armament. manufacturers had influenced Geneva to refuse to limit the armaments of all nations as Germany's had been limited, thus bringing on Herr Hitler.