NO CONFIRMATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 August 1939, Page 5

NO CONFIRMATION

OF OVERTURE BY AXIS POWERS “MANCHESTER GUARDIAN” SCEPTICAL. TOTALITARIAN AGGRESSION PLANS. LONDON. August 15. The “ Murichest er Guardian” says: “No confirmation is available in London on the suggested compromise between Germany and Poland, though the reports are readily credited because of the belief that appeasements are in the air. The possibility of them, however, seems io be more remote than ever. “There is complete agreement between Italy and Germany, who ap\ parently have accepted a general plan of action designed to eliminate Poland and subjugate Rumania. “No attempt is made to conceal these objectives. The German military experts who were maintaining that a campaign against Poland would be long and arduous have been overruled, as the Nazi leaders believe it would be a short war. Assistance from the Western Powers, if it came at all, would come too late. “Hungary also is marked down. There is no reason to suppose the Hungarians can do anything whatever to avoid their fate.

“Whitehall takes a very'grave view of the situation, but does not believe the European crisis will necessarily come to a climax in the immediate future.

The French Press today received the suggestions for Danzig negotiations icily, expressing the opinion that the German and Italian demands are not likely to be acceptable to the democracies.

The publicist, M. de Kerellis, writing in “L’Epoque," says: "It is improbable that any German solution will satisfy Poland, which is what Germany wants in order to say that her generous proposals have been rejected. thereby obtaining excuse for action, but if the conference eventuates it is in Germany's interest to put forward the largest number of claims." “L'Oeuvro” says: "We will not die in Danzig, neither will the Germans. If we both die it will be because Herr Hitler, after criticising the ex-Kaiser, has adopted his policy in most unfavourable conditions. If he plunges into a war it will mean death to all Europe.” Other newspapers exhort the public to keep cool, and declare that France is resolved to block aggression.