DUTCH OFFENDED
QUEEN IGNORED CURT REPLY TO PLEA HITLER DOUBT HINTED REACTIONS OF GERMANS RIBBENTROP'S TASK (Elec. Tel. Copyright— United Prosa Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 17, 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 16. A message from The Hague states that the Netherlands Government has announced that the Nazi Foreign Minister, Herr von Ribbentrop, on behalf of Herr Hitler, has informed the Belgian and Dutch envoys that no formal reply would be made to the mediation offer issued from The Hague by Queen Wilhelmina of Holland and King Leopold of Belgium on November 7.
The Netherlands Government added that Belgium and Holland were consulting regarding the possibility of further moves.
An Amsterdam report states that the Dutch were most offended by Germany’s curt rejection of the mediation offer. It. is pointed out that a personal message from the Queen at least merited a similar reply from the head of the German State. Moreover, Herr von Ribbentrop's reasons for rejection are regarded as groundless, as the Dutch Foreign Office already had made a statement to the effect that the British and French replies appeared to leave the door open. Left to Ribbentrop The opinion in Amsterdam is that It seems clear that Herr Hitler doubted whether the German people would tolerate a downright rejection of the mediation offer. Therefore Herr Hitler left to Herr von Ribbentrop the task of pre*ending that the British and French replies made a further efTort useless. The Nazi press significantly described them as a "new declaration of war." The Dutch press suggests that if Britain and France had explained that their replies were not intended as brusque negatives, there would be no 1 grounds for the German refusal to continue negotiations.
Stockholm messages state that Swedish newspapers, however, consider that Germany has not entirely rejected the offices of Holland and Belgium and possibly hopes to employ them later.
Paris reports quote the opinion of official circles in Brussels who believe that Herr Hitler may send a personal communication to King Leopold and Queen Wilhelmina.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 17 November 1939, Page 7
Word Count
334DUTCH OFFENDED Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 17 November 1939, Page 7
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