WAIT IN LONDON

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19892, 21 March 1939, Page 5

WAIT IN LONDON

CABINET ACTIVE CHAMBERLAIN CHEERED CROWDS IN WHITEHALL QUERIES IN COMMONS BERLIN AGREEMENT (Reed. Mar. 21, 12 noon) LONDON, Mar. 20. To-day’s meeting of the Cabinet ended at 12.15 p.m. Three hundred people cheered the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, as he was leaving Downing Street for the House of Commons, with cries of “Good old Neville.” The Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, had an audience of half an hour with the King before the Cabinet met at 10.30 a.m. Visitors to the Foreign Office included Sir Nevile Henderson and Sir Eric Phipps. Later Major C. R. Attlee and Mr. A. Greenwood interviewed the Prime Minister. Asked in the House of Commons whether the Government was recognising the annexation of Czechoslovakia, Mr. Chamberlain replied that the Government, in concert with other Governments, was considering all the consequences of the German action before a statement was possible. He added that the House would be aware from his speech at Birmingham of the serious views which the Government took of the situation. In reply to the Leader of the Opposition, Major C. R. Attlee, the Prime Minister promised a fuller statement at the earliest opportunity. He declined to say with how many Governments Britain was communicating. “No Written Ultimatum” Mr. Chamberlain said he was circulating the text of the agreement reached on March 15 between Herr Hitler and the Czech President, Dr. Hacha. He added: "As.lar as I am aware no written ultimatum was presented to Dr. Hacha before his acceptance.” Replying to a question relating to consultation with other Governments adhering to the principles of the League covenant and the Kellogg Pact on common measures of defence against unprovoked aggression, Mr. Chamberlain emphasised that the whole situation at present was under review by the Government. He declined to accept the suggestion that military representatives should company the trade mission to Warsaw and Moscow, pointing out that the the abject of the mission was economic. Mr. Chamberlain also made clear that the statement in his Birmingham speech of Friday that every aspect of national life must be revised in the light of the country’s national safety covered the question of a revision of the national defence programme. Reuter’s Agency understands that the

British Government is in. communication with Soviet Russia, Poland, jßumania, Yugoslavia, Turkey and Bulgaria in reference to the situation in Central Europe. In the meantime precautionary measures are being taken in various directions with the approval of the Labour Party leaders.