DANZIG CRISIS.

Wairarapa Age, 8 July 1936, Page 7

DANZIG CRISIS.

(Continued from po-ge 5.) OPINIONIiTBRITAIN. PURPOSE OF THE LEAGUE COUNCIL. CONFIDENCE EXPRESSED IN MR. LESTER. RUGBY, July 6. The extraordinary tirade which Herr Dreiser delivered at the meeting of the League Council and his display of curious manners' there have created an extremely unfavourable impression in Britain, as in other countries. He claimed incidentally that he spoke for 400,000 Danrigers, whereas the Nazi Party at the recent election in the Free City failed to obtain two-thirds majority Required to authorise constitutional changes, and in fact with all the resources of forceful propaganda at full blast obtained only 58 per cent, of votes. The purpose of the Council was to clear up through diplomatic channels the incident when the commander of the German warship Leipzig, during a visit to Danzig, refused to show the practised courtesies to the League High Commissioner, Mr. Sean Lester — an incident which was at once followed by violent attacks on the High Commissioner in the local Nazi Press, attacks which were promptly re-echoed in Berlin, which city Herr Greiser is believed to have visited on his way to Geneva. The League Council, after a firm reproof to Herr Greiser for his outburst, refused to be deflected from its intentions, and Mr. Lester, in his statement, ignored the personal attack made upon him. One resolution expressed the Council’s complete confidence in Mr. Lester, and a second resolution authorised Poland, as the Power charged with the conduct of the foreign relations of the Free City, to attempt to settle the warship incident as an external affair. The Polish Government is prepared to play its full part in these proceedings. Incidentally the High Commissioner has taken steps to ask Poland for troops for the defence of Danzig, or for the preservation of internal order. “The Times,” which is highly critical of the Greiser episode, says there is no doubt that the German Government was well aware of the Council’s desire to reach an amicable settlement, and pointed out in reference to personal attacks in the German Press on Mr. Eden, who is rapporteur on Danzig questions, that the British representatives on the League have held that office for many years, in fact since Sir Austen Chamberlain was Foreign Secretary. The League decisions on Saturday were taken unanimously, and a Committee of Three representing Britain,, France, and Portugal was appointed to watch the situation while the Council remains technically in session and can be summoned to reassemble at twentyfour hours’ notice. —(British Official Wireless).