TARDY ADVICE

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

TARDY ADVICE

HITLER’S 16 POINTS WARSAW CONTACT LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT NOT REPLY TO BRITAIN OFFICIAL VIEW STATED WHITEHALL AND BERLIN (Elec. Tel.'Copyright-—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 2; 9.30-a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 1. The following authoritative statement was issued in London to-day: "The proposals published to-night by the German Government are not a reply to any British proposals. They /were in pursuance of the well known British, view that the questions at issue between Germany and Poland should be settled by negotiation and not by force. “The efforts of the British Government have been directed to seeing whether a discussion between the [German and Polish Governments could be arranged, it being understood that the discussions would be on terms of equality and that a settlement should be one safeguarding the essential interests of Poland and that its due observance should be secured.”

The sixth of the 16 proposals to Poland announced by the German radio station yesterday and omitted from earlier reports provided that in order to maintain communication between Germany and East Prussia before and during the plebiscite as to whether the Polish Corridor should return to the Reich, Germany would be granted a railroad and motor road across the Corridor for her exclusive use. Demand For Quick Action Regarding 7 the proposals now made public, it is learned in official quarters that they were only communicated to the Polish Government for the first time last night. The Polish Government, in the opinion of the British Government, is fully justified in declining to submit to the treatment which the German Government endeavoured to impose. “The German account of the course of the negotiations is wholly misleading. On August 29, Herr Hitler informed Mr. Nevile Henderson that he expected the Polish Plenipotentiary to appear in Berlin on the following day with full powers to negotiate a settlement, and added that in the meantime he hoped to elaborate his proposals. In other words, the Polish Government was expected to submit to the procedure imposed on the President of Czechoslovakia to accept terms wholly unknown to the Polish Government.

The proposals were read over to the British Ambassador at Berlin, Sir Nevjle Henderson, late on Wednesday .night, but they were not communicated officially to him on the ground that it was too late to communicate them officially as a Polish representative had not arrived at Berlin by midnight on Wednesday, that being the time stipulated in the latest German communication dated last Tuesday.

The Times said that the German radio station also stated that the German note to Mr. Chamberlain on Tuesday accepting the British suggestion. of mediation, pointed out that if it was desired to avoid the danger of a catastrophe it was necessary to act quickly. Germany received as a reply to her declared willingness to negotiate, the news of the Polish mobilisation and — not before Thursday—the British assurances of a general character concerning Britain’s willingness to cooperate in bringing about a start of negotiations. German Radio Station’s Attack

The German radio report said “It cannot be expected that Germany should ceaselessly express her willingness to negotiate and even make preparations while Poland l seeks to protract the affair by subterfuges and futile statements. It transpires from (the demarche made meanwhile by the Polish Ambassador that neither he nor anyone else was authorised to discuss or negotiate the questions. Thus the Fuehrer waited in vain for two days for the arrival of a Polish plenipotentiary and considers that the proposals have been rejected though 'hey are capable of fulfilment in the form submitted to the British Government.

“The situation between the Reich and Poland is such that any fresh incident may lead to the releasing of the military forces in position on one side or the other." According to the German radio version, the British Government on Monday expressed its readiness to mediate between Germany and Poland. Germany agreed to wait until Thursday evening to receive a plenipotentiary from Poland. News of the Polish mobilisation came instead. Boundary Dispute and Minorities

The German Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribb'entrop, in view of the British desire for the opening of negotiations, notified Sir Nevile Henderson of the terms that Germany proposed as a basts, but from tihe Polish side came only evasive declarations. "Any peaceful solution must be such as not to occasion a repetition of these events and plunge Eastern Europe and other countries into similar tension,” stated the German radio report. "The causes of this development reside first in the untenable, demarcation of frontiers created by the Versailles Treaty, and secondly, in the impossible treatment of the miniri'ies in the severed regions of the Reich.

“The German Government, therefore, based its proposals on the idea of finding .a final solution ending an

untenable demarcation that would ensure the parties indispensable communications and settle, as far as possible, the minority problem by a guarantee of rights of the minorities. Refusal to Negotiate Changed The Germany Embassy spokesman said “There is no time limit on the acceptance of the 16 points outlined by Herr Hitler. They are not demands hut merely a basis for negotiation, but the attitude of the Poles in not sending a delegation to Berlin amounts to a refusal to negotiate. “If they do not come soon, I do not know what will happen. We are still awaiting a definite reply from Poland. We are willing to negotiate and prepared to accept the result of the plebiscite if it goes against us. “Whatever happens, we must have free communication to East .Prussia just as the Poles have to Gdynia.’

A Warsaw message stated that Poland insisted on full restitution of her rights in Danzig. She was always interested that a peaceful settlement should exist, but the German conditions were unacceptable.