A UNITED NATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23897, 26 August 1939, Page 13

A UNITED NATION

BRITAIN PREPARED OBLIGATIONS TO POUND NOT AFFECTED BY PACT A MOMENTOUS STATEMENT (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Aug. 24. Confronted, as Mr Chamberlain said, “ with the imminent perils of war,” a crowded and hushed House of Commons listened to the Prime Minister’s momentous statement of the issues raised by Nazi Germany’s actions and threats and Britain’s determination to yield nothing to force. They heard from him that in a communication made yesterday to Herr Hitler at Berchtesgaden by Sir Nevile Henderson it was made plain that “if a case should arise Britain was resolved and prepared to employ without delay all the forces at her command,” and they cheered his final appeal that in this critical hour they should show the world that “ as we think so we shall fight—as a united nation.” Pact a Complete Surprise With particular interest members heard Mr Chamberlain’s admission that Monday’s announcement of the Soviet-German non-aggression pact came as a complete surprise to Britain, and a “surprise of a very unpleasant character.” The close attention with which his comments on this development, and his refusal meantime to pass final judgment on it, was followed by increased alertness as the Prime Minister passed on to speak of the false deductions that had been mad£ in certain quarters as to its effect on British policy and the steps that had been taken to correct them and to reaffirm in very deliberate terms the fidelity of Britain to its* pledges. “In Berlin,” Mr continued, “ Monday night’s an-, nouncement was hailed with extraordinary cynicism as a great diplomatic victory, which removed any danger of war, since Britain and France would no longer be likely to fulfil their obligations to Poland.

“ We felt it to be our first duty to remove any such dangerous impression,” declared the Prime Minister, “hence Tuesday’s Cabinet statement that our obligations to Poland remained unaffected. How, indeed, could Britain with honour have gone back upon an undertaking given before the negotiations with Russia opened—not in any way made dependent on the outcome of such negotiations—and so often and so plainly repeated?

"These obligations rest upon the agreed statement made to the House of Commons and to which effect is being given in the treaties which are at present in an advanced stage of negotiation. These treaties, when concluded, will formally define, without in any way altering, adding to, or subtracting from the obligations of mutual assistance which have already been accepted.” Tine Cabinet statement, said Mr Chamberlain, was followed by Sir Nevile Henderson’s visit to Herr Hitler. The object of the communication Sir Nevile Henderson delivered was to restate the British position and make quite sure that there was no misunderstanding. “His Majesty’s Government felt that this was all the more necessary having regard to the reports it had received of military movements talking place in Germany and of the projected German-Soviet agreement.” Restoring Confidence The communication, after the declaration already cited of the Government’s resolve if necessary to employ without delay all the forces at its command, went on to inform the Chancellor of Britain’s view that there was nothing in the questions between Poland and Germany which could not, and should not, be resolved without the use of force if only confidence could be restored. In this connection Mr Chamberlain recalled his oft-stated conviction that war between Britain and Germany—admitted on all sides to be the greatest calamity which could occur—was not desired either by the British or German peoples. The Prime Minister also recalled how Britain had expressed her willingness to assist in creating conditions in which negotiations between Germany and Poland on the questions outstanding between them could take place. He added that such negotiations could obviously deal also with complaints made on either side about the treatment of minorities. Coming to Herr Hitler’s reply, Mr Chamberlain stated that it included "what amounts to a restatement of the Nazi thesis that in Eastern Europe Germany should have a free hand. If we or any other country having less direct interest in this part of Europe choose to interfere the blame for the ensuing conflict will be ours. This thesis entirely misapprehends the British position. “We do not seek to proclaim a special position for ourselves in Eastern Europe,” Mr Chamberlain continued, "so we do not think of asking Germany to sacrifice her national interests. But we cannot agree that the national interests can only be secured by shedding blood or by the destruction of the independence of other States.” JEWS LEAVING SLOVAKIA GUARDS CONFISCATE MONEY PRAGUE, Aug. 24. The news of the Moscow pact caused a panic and exodus of Jews from Slovakia to Hungary. Frontier guards confiscated their money and valuables before allowing them to leave.