MINISTERS ACTIVE IN LONDON

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 150, 21 March 1939, Page 9

MINISTERS ACTIVE IN LONDON

Chamberlain To Make Statement CROWDS GATHER AT NO. 10 By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. LONDON, March 19. Hundreds of people are watching comings and goings at No. 10 Downing Street. Callers this morning included the Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, the Permanent Un-der-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Lord Cadogan, the Secretary for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood, and Mr. Oliver Stanley, Secretary of the Board of Trade.

Lord Chatfield, Minister for Co-ordination of Defence, Sir Thomas Inskip, Dominions Secretary, and Lord Stanhope, First Lord of the Admiralty, conferred with Mr. Chamberlain for an hour this afternoon.

The Ambassador to Berlin, Sir Nevile Henderson, and the Soviet Ambassador, M. Maisky, separately saw Lord Halifax. There is no sign of a British Cabinet split. About 300 people cheered Mr. Chamberlain as he left No. 10 Downing Street for an audience with His Majesty, but the crowds at the Palace did not notice his arrival at 6 p.m., after which he acquainted His Majesty of the latest developments. After an audience of an hour, Mr. Chamberlain returned to Downing Street. Mr. Chamberlain will make an important statement in the House of Commons and the Foreign Secretary in the House of Lords tomorrow, giving the Government’s considered opinion of the situation and reveaing why the Cabinet was summoned yesterday.

THE KING RETURNS TO LONDON Mr. Chamberlain Received (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 19. ■ The Prime Minister and the leading members of Cabinet remained in London to keep in touch with developments arising out of the grave European crisis, and Their Majesties this afternoon returned to Buckingham Palace from Windsor. Less than an hour after Their Majesties’ arrival Mr. Chamberlain was received by the King. The Central European situation will be the subject of a statement in the House of Commons tomorrow, when a number of questions concerning the matter will be asked of Mr. Chamberlain. The subject will be debated in the House of Lords, when Lord Halifax will contribute an important speech.

SWISS INDEPENDENCE TO BE MAINTAINED (Received March 20, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 20. The Geneva correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that the President, Dr. Etter, appealed to the people to remain united ami resolute. He added that military measures had not yet been taken, but that the Swiss would maintain their independence to e/f uU. extent.,of - their, forces.