DANZIG PRESIDENCY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 August 1939, Page 6

DANZIG PRESIDENCY

APPOINTMENT OF FOERSTER CONFIRMED

VIOLATION OF LEAGUE STATU 1 E.

EVENTS IN FREE CITY.

(Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.) WARSAW. August 24

A German patrol crossed the PolishEast Prussian border near Ilawa and occupied the landed estate of Bagno one kilometre within Polish territory.

Telephone communication between Gdynia and Danzig is cut off. British ships are reported to have left Danzig, taking members of the British colony. Three additional classes of Polish reserve have been called up. The appointment of Herr Foerster io the Danzig Presidency is officially confirmed at Berlin, where it is interpreted as establishment of an authoritarian regime under Herr Hitler. It is officially stated that the appointment of Herr Foerster is a violation of the Danzig Statute, the execution of which is guaranteed by the League's Three Power Committee—England, France and Sweden. The Danzig "Vorposten” says the police confiscated a freight van containing munitions, steel helmets, gas masks, land-mines and machine-gun parts and arrested several charged with smuggling arms for the Polish minority. An official newsagency message from Danzig says the authorities are closing the Danzig border as a counter-mea-sure to Polish closure. Though the frontier defences are manned, there is no general mobilisation. VON PAPEN’S MISSION INTERVIEW WITH TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER. (Received This Day. 1 p.m.) INSTANBUL, August 24. Herr von Papen conferred with the Turkish Foreign Minister, who also saw the British Ambassador. CHARGE DENIED DANZIG NOT SURROUNDED BY POLISH FORCE. (Received This Day, 1 p.m.) WARSAW, August 24. The Polish Wav Office denies that Danzig has been surrounded by a large Polish force as alleged by the German news agency. FRANCE MOBILISING TWO MILLION MEN UNDER ARMS TRAINLOADS OF TROOPS RUSHED FROM PARIS. TAXIS AND BUSES TAKEN OVER. (Received This Day. 10.50 a.m.) PARIS. August 24. Cabinet unanimously approved all M Daladiers’ measures. Mobilisation continues. A further class involving 150,000 men was called up this' morning. The calling of three more classes would be considered a general mobilisation, which is expected within 24 hours. It is estimated that two million men will be under arms before night. Special trains are rushing troops from Paris stations almost as fast as they pour in. Many are forced to walk to the stations owing to a sudden shortage of the city's taxis and buses, 60 per cent of which the Government has requisitioned. The absence of men in the streets is becoming more marked. Many families are departing. All long-distance telephones and telegraphs are reserved for military use. OPINION IN ROME HOPES OF AVOIDING WAR. (Received This Day, 12.40 p.m.) ROME, August 24. An extraordinary calm reigns and Rome still hopes that war will be avoided. The calling up of further Italian reservists lias been delayed, in order to avoid aggravating the crisis. There is si ill a certain optimism in Italy and no sign of alarm in the streets of Rome. Official circles do not disguise their anxiety to avoid a catastrophe. ANXIETY IN WARSAW BUT NO EXCITEMENT. GERMAN CONCENTRATION ON FRONTIERS. (Received This Day, 1 p.m.) LONDON. August 24. ’“The Times" Warsaw correspondent says the imminence of war has caused public anxiety, but no excitement. It is understood that the German troops concentrated on the frontiers are unlikely to bo fully in a position for attack for at least 24 hours. It is estimated that 500.000 mon have been called to the colours in Poland. Horses and cars have been requisitioned. Several columns of unarmed reservists, in mufti and fitted with gas masks, marched through Warsaw, singing patriotic songs and shouting: "Long live a free Poland!"

All civil servants have been ordered to return to duty.