LATE NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23951, 28 October 1939, Page 12

LATE NEWS

BIG PUSH IMMINENT GERMAN TROOPS MASSED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegralip—Copyright) PARIS. Oct. 27. (Received Oct. 28, at 2 a.m.) M. Charles Morice. writing in the Petit Parisien, says: “Everything suggests that this is the eve of Hitler’s big offensive. Seventy-five to eighty German divisions are massed in the Rhineland, shock troops are in position, tanks and anti-tank weapons are ready behind the front line and aviation concentrations have been completed. “ The German General Staff has evidently given a last-minute overhaul to the formidable war machine at General Brauchitsch’s disposal. Headquarters have beer, installed in the small town where Mr Chamberlain met Hitler last year (presumably Godesburg) It is reliably stated that Germany has concentrated 32 divisions in the region of Pirmasens and 18 neai the Dutch frontier, while four army corps, each of three divisions, face Switzerland between Basle and Lake Constance. Three others are installed between Lake Constance and the junction of the Italian and Swiss frontiers.” THE CITY OF FLINT DESTINATION NOT KNOWN (By Radio.) DAVENTRY, Oct. 27. With regard to the City of Flint, the Moscow wireless last night made no mention of the American crew. Early to-day, no information was available whether the ship had sailed under the German or American flag. In Berlin, the view was earlier expressed that the vessel would be escoxied by German submarines to a German port. Very little information about the affair has reached Washington. MR CHAMBERLAIN’S SPEECH REGARDED AS MODEL REPLY Mr Chamberlain’s speech is regarded in the Paris press as a model Franco-British reply to Herr von Ribbentrop, and as placing the blame for the war where it belongs. The Petit Parisien describes the speech as “ the riposte of an honest man, sure of his conscience.”

HITLER AND HIS GENERALS In Berlin last night Herr Hitler had still another conference with his generals, including the Chief of the Air Staff. The weather has cleared on the Western Front, but there is still little activity, and this morning’s French communique merely said that there were reconnaisances during the night. SOVIET ACTION IN POLAND LORD HALIFAX’S VIEWS LONDON, Oct. 27. (Received Oct. 28, at 2 a.m.) Lord Halifax said the last thing he would do would be to defend the Sovie. action in Poland. It was right to remember two things—it would never have taken that action if Germany had not started it by invading Poland without a declaration of war; secondly, it was worth recalling that die action by the Soviet had been to advance the Russian boundary to substantially that which Lord Curzon recommended at Versailles