HITLER’S CLAIM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 September 1938, Page 6

HITLER’S CLAIM

ALL BLAME ATTRIBUTED TO CZECHS REPLY TO PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ALLEGATIONS OF BAD FAITH AND TERRORISM (Received This Day, 11.58 a.m.) BERLIN, September 27. Herr Hitler, in reply to President Roosevelt assured the President of his appreciation of his generous intentions. “I share in every respect your opinion regarding the incalculable consequences of a European war,” he states. “However, for this very reason, I must decline responsibility on behalf of the German nation and its leadership should further developments, despite all my efforts, lead to hostilities.” After a lengthy historical survey, in which he said that the peace treaties imposed on Czechoslovakia far-reach-ing obligations to the German groups, which were not kept from the very beginning, Herr Hitler declared that thus far 214,000 Sudetens had been compelled to leave their ancestral homes, and take refuge in' the Reich because they saw therein the only possibility of escaping Czech violence and sanguinary terrorism. “Numberless dead, a thousand injured, tens of thousands detained or imprisoned and deserted villages,” the Fuehrer stated, “are accusing witnesses of an outbreak of hostilities already long apparent on the part of the Prague Government. “Since the Czech Government previously agreed to the cession of Sudetenland, the terms of the German memorandum pursue no other end than to bring about a rapid, certain and just fulfilment of the Czech promise.” Herr Hitler concluded that he was convinced that when President Roosevelt pictured the development of the Sudeten problem, he would recognise that Germany had not lacked patience and a sincere desire for peaceful understanding. “It is not Germany’s fault that the Sudeten problem has grown to its present unbearable state,” he said. “The terrible conditions of the Sudetens makes delay of a solution impossible. The possibilities of reaching a just regulation by agreement are therefore exhausted by the German memorandum. It does not lie with the German Government, but with the Czech Government alone to decide whether they want peace or war.” PEACE NOT REJECTED. STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT BENES. (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) PRAGUE, September 27. In an official broadcast, President Benes said: “We cannot allow the destruction of me life of the nation. Czechoslovakia nevertheless is ready to solve the entire problem uy peaceful negotiation and fulfil the demands of ’he British and French proposals, however cruel. We demand that Germany too prove her professed love for peace by using peaceful instruments.” The Czech Government, in its Note, says:—“We rely on the two Western democracies whose wishes we have followed against our own judgment to stand by us in our hour of trial.”