BRITISH PRESS COMMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1938, Page 5

BRITISH PRESS COMMENT

LAST WORD WITH HITLER. POSITION MISREPRESENTED IN GERMANY. (British Official Wireless). (Recd This Day, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 30. The newspapers again devote leading articles to the Central European situation. “The Times” comments on the fantastic misrepresentation of Sir John Simon’s speech in the Berlin press, which seeks to imply that Britain is taking sides in the dispute and encouraging Czechoslovakia to refuse redress of the just grievances of the Sudetens, whereas Britain has consistently urged that large and drastic concessions should be made to minority claims. Britain and the British people desire nothing more than a settlement by conciliation, which would enable Czechs and Sudetens to live together in peace. The recent increase in tension has been caused by'manifest signs that there are forces at work tending to hinder any progress in this direction. Among these disquieting symptoms a foremost place must be given to the revival of a violent anti-Czech campaign in the German Press. The campaign in the Reich newspapers has had most unfortunate effects, not only upon opinion and feeling in Germany, but in encouraging a spirit of intransigeance among the Sudetens themselves. There has been no British intervention in the dispute with which the Prague negotiations are concerned. In Sir John Simon’s speech there was no attempt to dictate to others or to lay down what form the settlement should take. The “Daily Telegraph” says the final decisive word is with Herr Hitler. If he has the will he has the power to silence those who would make mischief, to relieve the growing tension on the Continent and to aid towards a settlement that would give the minorities m Czechoslovakia their full part in the life of the nation. AN UNEASY MARKET. DEALINGS ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE. (Recd This Day, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 30. The Stock Exchange this morning was steadier and British funds recovered slightly, but, in the absence of, constructive political news, funds in the afternoon lost the morning’s advance, while European stocks weakened.

SENTIMENT IN GERMANY. GENERAL DREAD OF WAR. LONDON, August 30. Reuter’s Berlin correspondent reports that the German “man in the street” is suffering from a bad fit of nerves. He is generally profoundly uninterested in the future of the Sudetens, yet he dreads to be plunged into war without being consulted. This comes on top of a sense of hardship and inadequate pay.

DANGER REALISED. STATEMENT BY FEDERAL PRIME MINISTER. (Recd This Day, 10.45 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. The Federal Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) stated that there was acute tension in Europe, but Britain, realising the danger to world peace, was doing everything possible to bring about a peaceful and reasonable settlement. “We are in the closest consultation on the measures and steps which are being taken,” Mr Lyons observed.