NAVAL POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 January 1939, Page 6

NAVAL POLICY

GERMANY’S REPORTED ATTITUDE

BRITISH REARMAMENT RESENTED.

ALSO “LACK OF SYMPATHY” IN U.S.A.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received This Day, 12.40 p.m.) LONDON, January 2.

The Australian Associated Press says the effect of the reply Admiral Raeder gave Vice-Admiral Cunningham, leader of the British Admiralty representatives who went to Berlin on December 29 was that the German decision to exercise escalation rights under the Naval Treaty was necessitated by Britain’s disinclination to relax her armament programme. It was also stated that the decision was influenced by the growing lack of sympathy in the United States for the German viewpoint and by the alleged menacing nature of the United States huge armament plans. Notice of the naval escalation was conveyed to Britain on Decemoer 12, but the news ’was suppressed until after the arrival of the mission in Berlin to enable every endeavour to be made to dissuade Germany from renouncing the restrictions. These endeavours apparently have failed. Nothing is known to support reports that Germany is prepared to forego her claims for additional cruisers. On the contrary, it is understood that the information conveyed to the mission is more disquieting than the original announcement. Admiral Raeder stated that the development of the Russian Navy had not influenced the decision. The Australian Associated Press adds that disquiet resulting from the German naval move coincides with a fresh rush of refugees from Czechoslovakia. Recent applications for visas have been as numerous as during the panic immediately after the Munich Agreement, due, it is stated, to stories widely circulated in Central Europe to the effect that Germany is completing the annexation of Czechoslovakia early in the spring and will march to Poland.