NO LEGAL BASIS

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

NO LEGAL BASIS

BRITISH OPINION CHANGES IN CZECH ZONE 3 ARTS SUPPORTS PROTEST FLAT BERLIN REJECTION Cl TAM REEL AIN ACCUS El) (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. March 20, noon.) (LONDON, March 18. An official statement says that the British Ambassador in Berlin, Sir Nevilc Henderson, 'has been instructed to inform Germany that Britain regards the recent events in Czechoslovakia as a complete repudiation of the Munich agreement and of the undertakings for peaceful co-operation then given and

also that Britain regards the changes made as a result of German military action as without legal basis. A message from Paris states that France has .sent a note to Germany protesting against the occupation ol Czechoslovakia and refusing to recognise the legality of the protectorate. The French Note to Germany complains of a “flagrant violation of the letter and spirit of the Munich agreements.” A Moscow message states that Russia has informed the German Ambassador that she-does not recognise the legality of the occupation of Czechoslovakia. A Washington message reports that the American Department of State is drafting a note to Berlin reasserting condemnation of the German absorption of Czechoslovakia and Reclining to recognise the legitimacy of the occupation. A message from Berlin says that Germany has flatly rejected the British and French protests regarding Czechoslovakia. Holders of foreign securities resident in Germany must, on demand, sell and transfer the amounts to the Rcichsbank by April 15. Berlin also reports that the German tax on the “flight of capital” on Jews and others yielded £20,000,000 in the first 10 months of the current financial year, compared with £8,750,000 in 1937. It is officially stated in Berlin that the British and French Ambassadors were informed that Germany was not in a position to accept protests regarding Czechoslovakia because they were “devoid of any political, legal or moral basis.” The British Broadcasting Corporation rebroadcast verbatim in German the speech made at Birmingham on Friday by the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, who referred to the week’s events in Central Europe and expressed the indignation felt !by the British people that the hopes raised at the Munich conference had been so wantonly shattered. The newspapers in Berlin do not report the speech, and do not comment on the recall of the British Ambassador, Sir Nevile Henderson. Columns are devoted to Herr Hitler's triumphant visit to Vienna. An official statement issued at Berlin to the foreign press accuses Mr. Chamberlain of failing objectively to judge the events and declares that Britain has a one-track mind. The statement rejects Mr. Chamberlain’s claim for consultation regarding Czechoslovakia, asserting that it was no more incumbent on Germany to concede this than for Britain to consult Germany on a purely British affair. The Fuehrer left Vienna for Berlin after all-night conferences with his advisers. Berlin is lavishly, decorated for the triumphal procession. Barotv Von Neurath has been appointed as (Reich protector in Bohemia and Moravia. The Air Minister, Field Marshal Goering, has created a new air command, including Bohemia, Moravia, Austria, Sudetenland and Silesia, with headquarters at Vienna.