MINISTERIAL CONFERENCES

Evening Star, Issue 23375, 19 September 1939, Page 9

MINISTERIAL CONFERENCES

POSITION BEING STUDIED IN BRITAIN INVASION NOT WHOLLY UNEXPECTED UNDERLYING FEAR OF GERMANY SUSPECTED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 18. (Received September 19, at 11 a.m.) Although the Russian invasion of Poland was not wholly unexpected in London and was implicit in the RussianGerman pact, the development imparts a now factor into the situation, which is being anxiously studied by the British Ministers ana will be the subject of consultations with the French and Polish Governments when the lull official reports arrive from Moscow. Conferences between Ministers, with the assistance of officials, were frequent throughout yesterday and are continuing to-day. In official and informed quarters the view is taken that a situation not dissimilar from that which has

non' arisen would have occurred if Russia had been allied to Britain and Franco in the event of the Polish Government being driven beyond its frontiers. as is now reported to be the case.

It is noted in this connection that M. Molotov emphasises the necessity of “protecting” White Russians and Ukrainians.

The newspapers, while regarding as specious these professions, detect in M. Molotov’s communications an indication that the Russian Government is alarmed at the rapidity of the German advance and the threat it offers to Russia’s western frontier.

“ Russia’s policy,” says the ‘ Daily Telegraph,’ is as imponderable as ever, and after discussing the possibilities in detail it adds; “ Whatever the future may hold, two things are certain. The presence of a powerful Russian army on his eastern frontier will immobilise a large part of Hitler’s forces at a time when they are needed in the west; and Poland, brutally stricken to earth, will rise again.” The ‘News Chronicle’ states: “The double intervention in Poland no doubt has been hastened by the speed of the German advance. It may be that Moscow had begun to fear lest the impetus of Hitler’s drive might carry him further than it was convenient to remain and to find him establishing himself on or dangerously near the existing Russian frontier. “ Immediate Russian action to occupy a slice of East Poland, and more especially to safeguard Polish Ukraine from German penetration before it was too late, would be the obvious reaction to such, fear.” The 1 Daily Mail ’ says: “ Russia says Poland is abandoned and without leadership. She is neither. Britain and France do not desert their friends. They will light for the independence of Poland and the detruction of tyranny, and will secure both.” NORTHERN NEUTRAL COUNTRIES DARK COMMERCIAL OUTLOOK LONDON, September 18. (Received September 19, at 11.5 a.m.) The Exchange Agency’s Copenhagen correspondent says that the Norwegian Foreign Minister, M. Kolit, attending a meeting of Premiers and Foreign Ministers of Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, declared that, though the belligerents were interested l in non-violation and military neutrality, the outlook for the four countries’ commercial neutrality was darker than in the last war. He could not consider the extension of the British convoy system to northern countries, which would be self-support-ing in foodstuffs. They would help each other in the way of raw' materials and industrial products, except coal.