BLAME FOR WAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20077, 25 October 1939, Page 7

BLAME FOR WAR

RIBBENTROP’S CHARGE

CRITICISM OF POLAND

PEACE OFFER REJECTED

HITLER’S MAGNIFICENCE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Oct. 25, noon.) LONDON, Oct. 24. Speaking at a big demonstration at Danzig to-day. the German Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, said there had been an attempt to make Danzig and the Reich responsible for the war. but in the truest sense the war was imposed on Germany.

After Herr Hitler, in 1934, undertook to build new German-Polish relations with Marshal Pilsudski, Germany never left Poland in doubt that sooner or later the problems of Danzig and the Corridor would have to be solved, he said.

“On October 24, 1938. at Berehtesgaden,” he continued, “I submitted an offer to M. Lipski whereby Danzig would have been re-incorporated politically in the Reich, while economically dependent on Poland. Also, extra-territorial roads and railways would have been established. Herr Hitler repeated this offer on January 1 last. The offer was not rejected, but simultaneously there was a noticeable stiffening of the Polish attitude towards German minorities and also anti-German demonstrations. “Incredible” Theory “M. Lipski replied on March 20 in a note which was a complete rejection of the offer. It seems incredible, but it is a fact that M. Lipski told me that any pursuance of the German plans would mean war with Poland. I was dumbfounded. Colonel Beck declined an invitation to go to Berlin. “To-day, we have the answer to the riddle of Poland’s incomprehensible answer to Herr Hitler’s magnificent offer. England was behind it. Poland’s concentration of troops on the German frontier before the Reich had mobilised one man' showed the changed attitude.

“I drew the attention of the Ambassador to the possible serious conse- j quences. Theri, for six months. | Germany observed how Poland terror- j ised its minority; threatened Danzig,j and provoked the Reich. Herr Hitler did not strike until Polish soldiers began to invade German territory. Now Germany will see the redistribution justified by the realities of the German-Russian guarantee for the whole future maintenance of order and peace in east Europe.” , Versailles Treaty I-lerr von R'ibbentrop drew attention to the removal of the Versailles i Treaty, always the keystone of Herr i Hitler’s policy. “Herr Hitler,” he said, “has not even i touched the vital interests of the j democracies. “The democracies nevertheless opposed us again and again and rejected Herr Hitler’s overtures,” declared lerr von Ribbentrop. “Germany is iow determined to wage war against Britain and her Allies to Ihe bitter inish and until security for Germany j n Europe is assured for all time. ■

“Herr Hitler arranged to meet M. Daladier secretly in 1933, but M. Dalaiier declined at the last minute and subsequently fell from power because Britain feared an understanding oetween France and Germany.

“Britain's unconeiliatory attitude forced us into friendship with Italy and Japan, whose co-operation will prove a guarantee for a reasonable world adjustment.

“The German-Russian agreements already arc operating in the exchange jf raw materials and manufactures which will increase year by year and reach the highest point of turnover shortly.”

Herr von Ribbentrop added that there was no imaginable cause of difference between Germany and the United States. A quarrel was impossible