Common Policy in Europe

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19891, 20 March 1939, Page 5

Common Policy in Europe

ANXIOUS WATCH IN CAPITALS Hitler March on Czechs Condemned STARTLING TO BERLIN OFFICIALDOM (Klee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed, Mar. 20, 11..30 a.in.) LONDON, Mar. 19. The British and French Governments are keeping in close touch over the European situation. The Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, had. an interview with the French Ambassador, M. Chas. Corbin, at the Foreign Office, and the British Ambassador in Paris, Sir Erie Phipps, was in contact with tire French Ministers. The French Ambassador in Berlin, is returning to report to his Government. The High Commissioners for the Dominions saw the Dominions Secretary, Sir Thomas Inskip, at the Dominion Office, yesterday afternoon. Lord Halifax saw the French, Russian, American, and German Ambassadors yesterday and had a visit from Mr. Anthony Eden. The Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, on Saturday changed his plans .to spend his seventieth birthday at Birmingham and returned to London where he summoned a full meeting of the Cabinet. This followed a .meeting of the Defence Ministers. ; Hundreds silently watched the arrivals of the .Ministers. Even Mr. Chamberlain was not cheered. The Cabinet meeting lasted two hours and 20 minutes. The Sunday Times believes that Viscount; Halifax discussed with the French Ambassador, M. Corbin, the American Ambassador, Mr. J. P. Kennerdy, and the Russian Ambassador, M. Maisky, the possibility of the four peace-loving major Powers forming a common policy to face German aggression. Viscount Halifax reported on this subject to the Cabinet. The German Ambassador at London, Dr. Von Dirksen, has been recalled to Berlin to report on the situation. Herr Kordt will be his locum tenens. A Berlin message states that German official circles are startled over the British and French refusal to recognise the annexation of Czechosolvakia, but no official comment .is yet available. The National Zeitung said that if. the termination of the Munich agreement represents the wishes of Britain, the people of Britain must be regarded as the enemy oi: German’s existence. It is reported in Berlin that Herr Hitler advised Signor Mussolini not to press his claims against France at present, but to seek concessions in Tunisia, thus enabling him to emulate Herr Hitler’s technique in Sudetenland. Hundreds to-day again watched the comings and goings at Number 10 Downing Street. The callers in the morning included Viscount Halifax, Sir A. Cadogan, the Air Minister, Sir Kingsley Wood, and the President of the Board of trade, Mr. Oliver Stanley. Lord Chatfield, Sir Thomas Inskip, and Earl Stanhope conferred with Mr. Chamberlain for an hour in the afternoon. Sir Nevile Henderson and M. Maisky separately saw Lord Halifax. There is no sign of a split in the British Cabinet.