NO RELIEF OF TENSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 September 1939, Page 5

NO RELIEF OF TENSION

AIR OF QUIET CONFIDENCE IN BRITAIN KING INFORMED OF WAP. PREPARATIONS. VISITS TO THE ADMIRALTY & WAR OFFICE. j (British Official Wireless.) , RUGBY, August 31. The situation remains unchanged and there has been no relief of tension. When Sir W. Henderson saw Herr von Ribbentrop last night, the latter intimated that he would desire to lay Britain's communications before Herr Hitler. Herr von Ribbentrop confined himself to personal comment and Britain is now awaiting any observations which Herr Hitler himself decides to make in reply to Britain’s communication. In Warsaw, the British Ambassador informed Poland as to the exchanges between Berlin and London and it may be that Poland too will wish to address observations of her own to Britain, but no communication of the kind has yet been received from Warsaw. In any j case, it is emphasised in official circles here that the mutual confidence established between Britain, France and Poland is now absolute. Mr Chamberlain was early in conference with Lord Halifax and Earl Cado-i gan and callers at Number 10 Downing' Street, included Sir S. Hoare, Lord; Chatfield and Mr A. Greenwood. A meeting of Defence Ministers was also held. A Downing Street communique states that in continuation of measures already adopted it has been decided to complete the naval mobilisation’ and call up the remainder of the Regular Army reserves and supplementary reserves. A further number of Royal Air Force volunteers will also be called up. The King, accompanied by the Duke of Kent, inspected at the Admiralty the various arrangements and dispositions made. Yesterday, the King and the Duke of Gloucester visited the War Office and Air Ministry. These inspections will have enabled his Majesty to realise the scope of preparations in the fighting services, which, in the view of experts, are such that if efforts to keep open the door for negotiations should fail, Britain can face with quiet confidence the outcome of armed conflict. The advanced stage of preparations for civil defence are another factor of importance in sustaining this attitude on the part of the public. EVACUATION PLANS I ORDERLY HANDLING OF VAST TASK. (British Official Wireless.) (Received, This Day, 10.35 a.m.) RUGBY, August 31. f As seen from London, European tension shows no signs of easing. For Britain it is again a period of waiting. The latest precautionary measures are claiming public attention here almost to the exclusion of news from Europe. The evacuation of school children, younger children, expectant mothers, blind and crippled persons, will be spread over four days, beginning tomorrow with children from London. The railway companies and transport undertakings have suspended normal services and in order to reduce demands upon them, the Stock Exchange and a number of commodity markets, as well as many private businesses. are closing for part or whole of the evacuation period. Road traffic will be strictly controlled Nine main routes out of London have been scheduled for one-way working from seven o’clock tomorrow morning. Certain hospitals in London and other towns will transfer patients to the outer areas tomorrow. The Government’s decision to' begin evacuation, it is officially emphasised today, does not mean that the view is taken that war is inevitable. The priority categories are being evacuated now as a precautionary measure only. Mr Herbert Morrison, chairman of the A.R.P. Committee of the London County Council, sent out a message to all Londoners today with special appeals to children themselves, their mothers and teachers. He enjoined calmness, cheerfulness and discipline. Mr Morrison stressed the solely pre - cautionary character of the movement and. wished all “a safe return to dear old London.” . : Lord Halifax reported to the King on today’s developments. The High Commissioners for the Dominions saw Sir T. Inskip, and were given the latest information for transmission to the Dominions' Governments. Callers at the Foreign Office included the Spanish and Portuguese Ambassadors, the Rumanian ministers and the French Ambassador.