BRITAIN FIRM

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20853, 11 July 1939, Page 7

BRITAIN FIRM

GUARANTEE TO POLAND WILL BE CARRIED OUT ATTITUDE TO DANZIG (Official Wireless) Reoeived July 11, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, July 10 The elements of the Danzig question as they appear to Britain were fully reviewed in a statement which the Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, made In the House of Commons, in the course of which he emphasised Britain’s resolute Intention to carry out the guarantee given to Poland, and also disposed of the contention which recently figured prominently in German propaganda that what is represented as Polish intransigence on the Danzig question dates from and is accounted for by the British guarantee. Mr Chamberlain began by reiterating that Britain is beeping in close contact on the Danzig question with Poland and France. He had no new information to impart on the local situation. Vital to Poland Proceeding, the Prime Minister said: “Racially Danzig is almost wholly a German city, out the prosperity of l its inhabitants depend to a very large extent upon Polish trade. The Vistula is Poland's only waterway to the Baltic and a port at its mouth is therefore of vital strategic, economic and military importance. Those who were responsible for framing the present statute of the Free City were fully conscious of these facts and did their bfst to make provision accordingly. “Moreover, there is no question of any oppression of the German population In Danzig. On the contrary, the administration of the Free City Js in German hands, and the only restrictions imposed upon it are not of a kind to curtail the liberties of its citizens. Not Unjust or Illogical “The present settlement, though it may be capable of improvement, cannot in itself be regarded as basically unjust or illogical. The maintenance of the status quo had, in fact, been guaranteed by the German Chancellor himself up to 1944 by the 10 years’ treaty which he concluded with Marshal Pilsudski. “Up till last March Germany seems to have felt that while the position in Danzig might ultimately require revision the question was neither urgent nor likely to lead to a serious dispute.” Resist With All Its Forces “But in March, when Germany put forward an offer in the form of certain desidera, accompanied by a press campaign, the Polish Government realised that it might presently be faced with a unilateral solution which it would have to resist with all its forces. Poland had before her the events which had taken place in Austria, Czechoslovakia and Memelland. Accordingly Poland refused to accept the German point of view, and herself made suggestions for a possible solution of the problems in which Germany was interested. Certain defensive measures were taken by Poland on March 23 and a reply was sent to Berlin on March 26. “I ask the House to note carefully these dates. “It has been freely stated In Germany that it was Britain’s guarantee which encouraged Poland to take the action which I have described, but it will be observed that our guarantee was not given until March 31. By March 26 no mention of it even had been made to Poland. “The recent occurrences in Danzig have inevitably given rise to fears that it is Intended to settle her future status bv unilateral action organised by surreptitious methods, thus presenting Poland and other Powers with a fait accompli. In such circumstances any action taken by Poland to restore the situation would, it is suggested, be represented as an act of aggression on her part, and if her action were supported by other Powers they would be accused of aiding and abetting her in the use of force. Far Graver Issues “As the sequence of events should, In fact, be such as is contemplated on this hypothesis, honourable members will realise from what I said earlier that the issue could not be considered as a purely local matter, involving the rights and liberties of Danzigers, which incidentally are in no way threatened, but would at once raise graver issues, affecting the Polish national existence and independence. “We have guaranteed to give our assistance to Poland in case of a clear threat to her independence which she considers it vital to resist with her national forces, and we are firmly resolved to carry out this undertaking. I have said that while the present settlement is neither basically unjust nor illogical it may be capable of improvement. It may be that in a clearer atmosphere possible improvements could be discussed. “Indeed, Colonel Beck himself said in a speech on May 5 that if the Reich Government is guided by two conditions —namely, peaceful intentions and peaceful methods of procedure—all conversations are possible. “In his speech before the Reichstag on April 28 Herr Hitler said if Poland wished to come to fresh contractual arrangements governing i,ts relations with Germany he would welcome such an idea. He added that any such fu‘ are arrangements would have to be based on absolutely clear obligations, equally binding oa both parties. Avoid Menace to Peace “Britain realises that recent developments in the Free City have disturbed confidence and rendered it difficult at present to find an atmosphere in which reasonable counsels can prevail. In the face of this situation the Polish Government has remained calm, and Britain hopes that the Free City, with her ancient tradi-

tions, may again prove, as she has done before in her history, that differ ent nationalists can work together when their real interests coincide. “Meanwhile, I trust that all concerned will declare and show' their determination not to allow any incidents in connection with Danzig to assume such a character as might constitute a menace to the peace of Europe.”