HITLER’S DECISION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 September 1938, Page 7

HITLER’S DECISION

EXPECTED AT WEEKEND TENSION EASED SLIGHTLY IN EUROPE. GERMAN PRESS STRIKING NEW NOTE. By Telegraph —Press Association. Copyright. (Recd This Day, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. Tension throughout Europe is relaxing slightly until the weekend when Herr Hitler- is likely to make his decision after seeing the British Ambassador, Sir Nevile Henderson. The prevailing note in German Press comment has changed during the last twenty-four hours, editorials emphasising more strongly that responsibility for a satisfactory solution now rests with Britain. The slackening of antiBritish and anti-Czech attack is attributed to a growing belief in authoritative circles that Britain is bringing pressure to bear on the Czechs to yield to the desires of Herr Henlein. NATIONAL SUPPORT WHOLE COUNTRY BEHIND GOVERNMENT. BRITISH LIBERAL LEADER’S ASSURANCE. (British Official Wireless). . RUGBY, August 30. Speaking at Caithness today, Sir Archibald Sinclair, leader of the Opposition Liberals, referred to Sir John Simon’s speech of last Saturday, and said that, in giving a warning by the mouth of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the British Government had the whole country behind it. It would be well, he thought, if those concerned realised that, if they forced this issue, they could not count on any dissension in British public opinion, but that they would be confronted by a united determination. AMERICAN INTEREST APPRECIATION OF BRITISH EFFORTS. SOME ASSURANCES GIVEN BY AMBASSADOR., (Recd This Day, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. Official circles in London do not deny that the American Ambassador, Mr Joseph Kennedy, gave certain assurances and affirmed that the United States was keenly interested in a peaceful settlement, concerning which Z»merica was appreciating Britain’s efforts. ’ TOUR OF GERMANY. POSTPONED BY YORKSHIRE* BUSINESS MEN. (Recd This Day, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. A friendship tour of Germany by Yorkshire business men and civic representatives, headed by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, has been indefinitely postponed as it is considered that the “time is inopportune.” STOCK MARKETS STEADY INDICATION OF HOPEFUL OUTLOOK. STERLING FALLS IN TERMS OF DOLLAR. (Reed This Day, 9.55 a.m.) LONDON, August 31. The fact that few are pressing shares for sale indicates that city business men and investors in Britain are hopeful that the international situation will clear up without a conflict. The chief sufferers from the Czech crisis have been brokers, whose turnover of longterm and other securities has become almost negligible. British funds are steady. A more confident tone was also noted on most European Bourses, including that .of Berlin. Prices in Paris were firm, with Government stocks closing at their best levels. Owing to an absence of efforts by the authorities to peg the exchange, sterling has depreciated further in terms of the dollar. The Australian Associated Press learns that the crossing of the traditional parity was the signal for heavy speculative sales. The Exchange Equalisation Fund’s gold losses must have been considerable in the past twenty-four hours. ANOTHER CONFERENCE (Recd This Day, 9.50 a.m.) PRAGUE, August 31. Viscount Runciman again had a conference with Herr Kundt, Parliamentary Leader of the Sudeten Party. GONE A FISHING MR CHAMBERLAIN INSPIRES CONFIDENCE LONDON, August 31. In these moments of tension there is eagerness to find some hopeful portents; hence it is not surprising that emphasis is given to the fact that Mr Chamberlain has taken his fishing-rods to Scotland. This is interpreted to means that he would not be prepared to indulge in his favourite and such a peaceful hobby if he felt that peace was imminently imperilled. WELL POSTED SIR N. HENDERSON BACK IN BERLIN. AFTER MEETING MINISTERS IN LONDON. (British Official Wireless.) (Recd This Day, 10.37 a.m.) RUGBY, August 31. Sir Nevile Henderson has returned to Berlin. The ministerial consultations, with which Sir Nevile Henderson was associated while in London enabled him to return to his post with a full and intimate knowledge of what is in the minds of the Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, and his colleagues. It is now generally appreciated that Sir Nevile Henderson was not recall-

ed for the purpose of receiving instructions on any new communication to Germany. While British official circles are not unmindful of the influence which Herr Hitler can exercise on the Sudetens in the sense of moderation, self-control and a spirit of constructive conciliation at the present moment, the new phase of the negotiations in Prague is recognised as constituting a key to progress in the direction of an agreed settlement and news of the development of recent tentative contacts into regular discussions between the two sides is hopefully awaited. Prague press messages report that the Viscount Runciman mission was very active today.