SEVERE PRESSURE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20032, 2 September 1939, Page 5

SEVERE PRESSURE

TERMS TO POLAND DICTATION FROM BERLIN (Reed. Sept. 2, 12 noon) LONDON, Sept. 1. A statement issued from the highest official circles in London, says: “If, as it seems, Herr Hitler’s proclamation means that Germany has declared war on Poland, then Britain and France are inflexibly determined to fulfil to the utmost their obligations towards Poland. "The general attitude of the British Government is that, if Germany is sincerely desirous of settling the dispute by negotiation, she would not have adopted this procedure, which has the character of an ultimatum.” The statement added that the Polish Government would naturally be unwilling to place itself in. this humiliating position. It is not customary, even in the case of peace terms imposed upon a defeated Power, to demand that negotiators should not Ibe allowed to refer to their Government for instructions. As regards Herr Hitler’s terms, now published, these were never hitherto communicated to Poland. The British Government can only say that they should have been submitted with time to allow of consideration Whether they infringed Poland’s rights, which Germany, in a written communication to Britain, declared her intention of respecting. The Polish Ambassador was not given the proposals until August 31, about the time the German wireless was announcing them to have been rejected.

It is stated officially in London that Herr Hitler’s points are in nowise a reply to the British inquiry.