DECISION EXPECTED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 September 1938, Page 5

DECISION EXPECTED

HITLER RECEIVES HENLEIN AT BERCHTESGADEN Following on Lord Runciman’s Request NEW BASIS OF DISCUSSION OFFERED By Telegraph—Press Association.—Copyright. LONDON, September 2. Some definite indication of whether the tension concerning the Czech dispute can be relaxed is to be expected today. Herr Hitler will have a conference this morning with Herr Henlein at Berchtesgaden, and President Benes, at Prague, is expected to receive Herr Franck and Herr Kundt, Sudeten leaders, to hear the Sudeten reply to the new Czech proposals. The correspondent of the British United Press in Berlin, however, suggests that a decision will be announced tonight after the HitlerHenlein conference. KEEN INTEREST IN BRITAIN. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT IN CZECH SITUATION. HOPES OF AGREED SETTLEMENT. (Received This Day, 10.27 a.m.) RUGBY, September 2. Herr Henlein’s visit to Herr Hitler at the request of Lord Runciman is given great prominence in the newspapers. ..The “Birmingham Post’s” diplomatic correspondent regards this as the most significant development since the situation regarding the Sudetens became critical. In this writer’s opinion the step has the result of bringing near a decision for the reopening of negotiations for an agreed settlement, since he assumes that both Herr Henlein and the members of the Runciman mission believe that the new proposals of Czechoslovakia provide the necessary basis for a renewal of discussions, and he interprets the approach to Herr Hitler as due to a desire to obtain the latter’s support for peaceful procedure. The “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent also takes the view that Lord Runciman’s request to Herr Henlein means that he considers that the new proposals in their general conception offer a basis for the negotiation of a reasonable settlement. The importance of this stage in the crisis at Prague is appreciated in Londori. COMPLETE AGREEMENT. THE HITLER—HENLEIN MEETING. (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) BERLIN, September 2. After a luncheon discussion, it was announced that Herr Hitler is in agreement with Herr Henlein’s views of the situation and Herr Henlein departed. A communique issued later stated: “The Fuehrer received Herr Henlein, who as Viscount Runciman wished, gave him information regarding the negotiations at Prague. The Fuehrer took /cognisance of the explanations with interest. There was complete agreement in judging the situation.” “MOST FAVOURABLE YET.” MORE HOPEFUL OUTLOOK OPENED. (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) PRAGUE, September 2. The fact that the interview of the President (Dr Benes) with Herr Kundt and Herr Sebekocsky was a lengthy one, coupled with the Berchtesgaden announcement, has given the situation, a much more favourable turn. It is understood that the Sudetens sought guarantees that Czechoslovakia would fulfil the concessions within three months. It is considered that the interview was the most favourable yet. ASSURANCES EXCHANGED. GREAT BRITAIN AND GERMANY. (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, September 2. The British United Press Berlin correspondent says it is authoritatively stated that Germany assured the British Ambassador, Sir Nevile Henderson, that it would not take precipitate steps to settle the Czech crisis. Britain in return promised that, if the Czech proposals and Sudeten counter-proposals should result in a deadlock, Viscount Runciman would publish his own conclusions and suggestions in the middle of September. NEED FOR PEACE. FUEHRER INTERVIEWED BY FRENCH JOURNALIST. PARIS, September 2. Herr Hitler today granted an interview at Berchtesgaden to the representative of “Le Journal,” but he did not illuminate the Czech crisis beyond stressing Nazism’s need for peace. He emphasised that France and Germany were two peoples who had fewer reasons to hate than mutually to respect each other.