Veil Lifting on Intentions

Evening Star, Issue 23382, 27 September 1939, Page 7

Veil Lifting on Intentions

# Forces Concentrating on Swiss Border Dr Goebbels’s Statement Recalled Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright NEW YORK, September 25. The Paris correspondent of the ‘ New York Times ’ says: Th<j Rhine Valley, from Lauterbourg to Basle, sprang into flame on September 25. The veil seems to be lifting on German intentions. The following reports are outstanding:— “ First, along the 80-mile front, where not a single shot had been fired, the guns of the Maginot Line and the West Wall have been pounding for 24 hours. At many points in this front, which forms a right, angle with the Moselle-Rhine front, the outworks are actually in line with the river banks. ' “ Secondly, it has been semi-officially confirmed that f important ’ German forces are concentrated on the Swiss frontier in the vicinity of Basle. “ Thirdly, German planes have been observing the Swiss border from Basle to Schaffhausen. “ Fourthly, Dr Goebbels, repeating the denial that Germany intended to invade central countries, specifically mentioned Luxemburg, Belgium, and Holland, but omitted Switzerland. The correspondent says that the Swiss conception of neutrality. implies that in the event of invasion Switzerland, without hesitation, would join the enemies of the violators. The importance of the Swiss border between Basle and Schaffhausen lies in the fact that there are 19 bridges in three groups over the Rhine—lo at Basle, three at Warldshut, and six at Schaffhausen. The 3asle bridges lead into the Jura region, which is well fortified, although the actual gateway, a narrow strip between: Huningue and Basle, is not included in the Maginot Line because of France’s scrupulous observance of the Treaty of Paris. The other bridges lead into the Saar Valley, giving access to Neuchatel and Geneva. Military circles in Paris state that, owing to the rapid occupa- • , tion of Poland, Germany could place 100 divisions on the western front.