LONDON CRITICISM

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 93, 27 November 1939, Page 3

LONDON CRITICISM

HITLER'S PEACE SPEECH IN REICHSTAG Following Herr Hitler's "peace speech of October 6, the British Press analysed its contents and criticised. its purpose-, Th£ London Times opened its comments bj r saying that "Hitler disappointed no expectations yesterday. The oration delivered before the sounding board of a dummy Reichstag was, as always, of immense length and exuberance. It consisted in part of a hymn to German military glory and a paean of triumph over the defeated Poles. '

One of the most striking portions of the Times lending article was an appeal to history, in these words.'

"It is one of his less savoury habits to cover with insults the victim whom he has trapped and strangled. When he had tricked and enslaved the Czechs his first care was to try to beroul them with abuse. Yesterday it was the turn of the Poles, hie latest victim- —and his last. Year bv year Hitler has larded Poland with his assurances —'Poland will continue to exist (1933) . . . Germans and Poles must reconcile themselves to the fact of each other's exigence (1934) . . . Wc recognise the Polish State as the home of a great pat

riotic nation (1935)

Poland

will remain Poland (1936) . . • Danzig and Germany respect Polish rights (1938) . . . A people" of 000.000 will fllwnvs strive for an outlet to the sea (1938) . . and so on.

"Just Five Months Ago.''

"Just live months ago he assured Mr Roosevelt that 'all States bordering on Germany have received much more binding assurances' than any demanded of him. And yesterday? Poland is a Slate which should never have existed. Her existence was always bound to lead to war. Nor is that all. True to his most contemptible trait he seeks to discredit Polish valour, naively explaining that he does not want any legend of Polish heroism to entwine itself with the memory of the defence of Warsaw. Modlin and Hela. Unconsciously he belittles the German achievement by pouring contempt upon the organisation and leadership of Uie Polish State.

No Submission,

But the chief offence of its leaders seems to have been that they refused to -grant passive submission to 'revision,' that is, to dictation, and this contention culminates in the charge that Poland was about to

overrun East Prussia, to conquer Germany up to the Elbe, and to annihilate the Reich.' Will even a Ger man believe that? This is offered as the reason Avhy Poland 'refused to discuss' the notorious offers of 'appeasement,' one of which mysteriously escaped presentation in the soring and the other of which was drafted but deliberately withheld, on the eve of an elaborately planned and predetermined war."