NOTHING ABNORMAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23558, 22 July 1938, Page 9

NOTHING ABNORMAL

CZECH TROOP MOVEMENTS A REPORT CONTRADICTED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, July 20. According to a statement in the House of Commons by Mr Chamberlain, independent information in possession of Britain contradicts the suggestion that troop movements were in progress in Czechoslovakia at the end of last week. In the House of Commons on Monday Mr Chamberlain said that Britain had heard from the Czechoslovakian Government that there was no truth in the reports of abnormal troop movements. To-day he was asked by Mr Arthur Henderson whether, with a view to preventing similar apprehensions to that recently caused by the statements issued by the German official news agency that abnormal troop movements were taking place in Czechoslovakia, the Government would propose that a neutral commission of observers be sent to the border districts of Czechoslovakia and Germany. Mr Chamberlain replied: “ Czechoslovakia recently granted facilities for the attachment of two observers to his Majesty’s Legation in Prague. I may say that these observers at once visited the areas mentioned in the recent reports and found no evidence of abnormal troop movements. In these circumstances an international commission would perhaps be superfluous.’’

THE HENLEIN DEMANDS SPOKESMAN’S DECLARATION PRAGUE, July 20. Herr Henlein’s Spokesman, Deputy Frank, who was interviewed, declared that the Czechs were attempting to give the impression that the Government was completing proposals for meeting 70 per cent, of the Henlein demands, when apparently it would meet less than 5 per cent. “ They do not contain a single constructive idea,” he said. “Any attempt to bring about a coalition or impose a preconceived agreement without consulting the Sudetens will lead to a dangerous situation.”