NOT OVER YET

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 123, 27 May 1938, Page 7

NOT OVER YET

THE CZEJH crisis Plans For Negotiations Fail GERMAN RESTLESSNESS HIGH COMMISSIONERS MEET VISCOUNT HALIFAX (By Te’.ecraph—Pres* l Association—Copyright] LONDON, May 2d. The Australian Associated Press says that all the High Commissionersconferred with Viscount Halifax aa-.l Lord Stanley for two hours. ViscounHalifax gave a general survey of -he international situation, but the Czechoslovakian crisis dominated the discus 4 jons, to which Dominion representatives frequently contributed. Viscount Halifax outlined the latest confidential dispatches received from the Bi’tish Minister at Prague an 1 als-7 explained the situation as seen byCabinet, which met this morning. It is gathered that Viscount Halifax made it clear that Britain’s policy remains identical with Mr. Chamberlain’s pronouncement in the House of Commons on May 24, when he declared that Britain might not be able to remain indifferent to a Central European upheaval. It is understood that the danger in Czechoslovakia is not over A considerable improvement is needed before a diminution of anxiety is possible. It appears that while England and France succeeded in easing the tension neither they nor Df. Hodza or Herr Henlein have so far achieved a basis of negotiation. It transpires that Czechs called up only one class of reservists to keep order, which at present has no desire to demobilise. Moreover they are not enthusiastic at having neutral observers in their territory. The Czechs also oppose full concessions to Herr Henlein, claiming that it would be tantamount to the country being governed by a minority. Meantime Germany again appears in a restless mood as evidenced by bitter press attacks on Britain. ’PLANES WARNED OFF CZECH’S DEN Y FRONTIER VIOLATIONS. Received May 26, 7.45 p.m. LONDON. May 26. The Czechoslovakian Ministry of Defence has ordered aircraft to keep three miles from the frontiers, and is introducing a system of signals to warn ’planes off prohibited areas, says the Prague correspondent of The Times. 7'he Ministry does not admit the correctness of German allegations of five violations of the frontier in twenty-four hours, which are apparently offset by similar German trespass. POLISH ATTITUDE GERMAN CIRCLES CONTENT. COMPLETE FREEDOM OF ACTION : RETAINED. Received May 26, 1.15 p.m. LONDON, May 25. The Warsaw correspondent of The Times says that German circles at Warsaw express contentment at the attitude of the Polish Government in the recent crisis. The acting Foreign Minister, Count Szemek, received the French Ambassador, M. Noel, and the German Ambassador, Herr von Moltke, yesterday and the Czechoslovakian Minister, Dr. Slavid, to-day. What is regarded as an official pronouncement of the Polish Government’s attitude in view of the commitment under the Franco-Polish alliance was published in a pro-German newspaper. It states: “Poland Is faithful to the alliance with France, and will always fulfil her engagement and go to the assistance of France if attacked by any other Power. At the same time it is considered that Poland cannot allow herself to be drawn into any conflict into which France might be drawn because of alliances with other countries and especially if the policies of those countries have been a cause of concern to Poland.” It seems clear, therefore, that in the contingency of German intervention in Czechoslovakia whether the French were involved or not, Poland would retain complete freedom of action. Czech-Polish Friendships. Mr. Czerno, who represents Dr. Hodza in a group of parliamentarians visiting Poland, said that calm confidence now reigned in Czechoslovakia, “but we are determined to be prepared for any emergency and will not tolerate any aggression against our frontier or sovereignty. We are confident that the new minorities statute will satisfy the Polish minority. We hope for a new era of friendship between the two nations. Everything possible is being done to bring Czechoslovakia and Poland close together so as to constitute a barrier to German expansion eastward.” GERMAN ALLEGATIONS CZECH AEROPLANES CROSS FRONTIER. OBSERVATIONS MADE. BERLIN, May 25. It is alleged that a Czech aeroplane equipped with a machine-gun crossed the German frontier at Gross-Scho-nau and that another flew over Klingenthal. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Herr von Ribbentrop, has ordered the German Minister at Prague to protest sharply against the alleged crossing of the frontier by Czech aeroplanes, the occupants of which, it is alleged, were engaged in observing German territory. It is realiably reported that Dr. Eisenlohr, German Minister a: Prague, is delivering a demarche to the Czech Government urging the withdrawal of troops from the Sudeten areas on the ground that peace is impossible while they remain there.