THE HALIFAX MISSION TO BERLIN.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 53, 25 November 1937, Page 4

THE HALIFAX MISSION TO BERLIN.

According to earlier messages it was oiily yesterday that the. results of Lord Halifax's visit to Berlin were to be conficl eiitially disclosed and discussed at a Cahinet meetixig. "iet, 011 the same date, the Manchester Guardian professed to he ahle to mahe pnhlie the German "demands" which Herr Hitler submitted to hira. Assuming these to he authentically stated by that journal as quoted in an overnight message, it would not be difficult to understand why Lord Halifax displayed no very great signs of satisfaction when taking his departure from the German capital. However, one of to-day's early messages pnts a rather m'ore favonrable complexion on the conversations, for the British Prime Minister, while stating that the matter mnst still be regarded as confidential, says that the results are valnable as perbaps opening the door for further negotiations, which agrees pretty well with what Lord Halifax liimself ventured to tell press eorrespondents in Berlin. Probably, too, Mr. Chamberlain had the Guardian in mind when he spolce of "speculations" that were "irresponsible and highly inaecurate." From what he said it would appear as if we were not likely to hear anything more definite from him until after the subject has been talked over with the Frencli Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, who are already in "London, probably with this pnrpose mainly in view. ."With Germany and Italy maintaining such close contact, it can be readily understood that Great Britain and France will be specially desirous of acting in concert in every way possible, so as to show a combined demoeratio front against the Fascist dictatorships. At the same time, however, it is manifestly part of the British Government's policy to leave no room for any later accusation that it did not afford eyery posisble, opportunity for arriving at some friendly nndefstanaing on matters now in differ6nce. Although the Manchester Guardian, which is generally pretty reliable, may have been wrong in setting ont half-a-dozen points as constitnting the Hitler demands, these may be taken as presenting a fairly correet summary of the objects which he has in ultimate contemplation, however and whenever they are to he achieved. He is, for .instanee, particularly anxious that Germany should find herself in a position to secure a dominating influence in Central Europe, always in the hope of being able ot expand territorially both southward and eastward. The war-created State of Czechoslovakia stands badly in the way of realising this ambition, thus providing a reason for G.ermany desiring to reduce it to a plaee of altogether minor importanee, such as Switzerland now holds. The colonial issne is, of course, 'pretty f amiliar to ns even at this distance. Any amieahle adjustment of that claim was seareely lilvely to be promoted by Herr Hitler 's speech delivered at Augsberg almost hefore Lord Halifax had shaken the dust of Berlin from his shoes. There he intimated clearly that unless Germany's confiseated eolonies were voluntarily returned to her, then she- would set abont to recover them by force of arms. It may be that this outburst, like others before it, was intended mainly for home eonsumption, for it is always necessary for dictators such as Hitler and Mussolini to keep their people well keyed up by holding out the prospect of great things yet to be accomplished. At the same time, however, it would seem to be but a poor contiibution to diplomatic adjustments to deliver such a speech so closely on the heels of what were understood to be friendly consultations with a view to settling this among other eontrovefsial subjects.. Probably within the next few days the British Prime Minister will be free to give us an authoritative aceount of Lord Halifax's mission • and of how Great Britain and France propose to deal with his report.