SITUATION IN EUROPE

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20511, 30 May 1938, Page 5

SITUATION IN EUROPE

BRITAIN, AUSTRALIA, AFRICA GERMAN OBJECTIVE UNCHANGED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright; LONDON, May 28 The question uppermost in the minds of the Dominion representatives in London during the recent conversations with Mr Chamberlain and Viscount Halifax has been that of peace or war. says the diplomatic, correspondent of the Australian Associated Press. The Australian delegations, led by Sir Earle Page', is specially concerned to ascertain the bearing of the European situation on the prospects of the Commonwealth negotiating foreign trade treaties to provide increased outlets for its expanding production of foodstuffs. It is gathere'd the South Africans reiterated their attitude at the Imperial Conference, pressing Britain to attempt without detey a settlement of al! her outstanding grievances with Germany without waiting for two years when armaments acquisitions will be at their maximum, and the Powers will bd unwilling to settle their differences except by war. It is also gathered that Viscount Halifax outlined Britain's representations to Prague, to Paris and to Berlin, especially her attitude to Central Europe, which constituted not a syllable more or less than Mr Chamberlain’s pronouncement, in the House of Commons on March 24. A Critical Week-end But the real significance was the fact that this was reaffirmed and underlined at a critical week-end. Nobody knows for certain what Germany’s real intentions concerning Czechoslovakia were on that occasion, when undoubtedly a conflict occurred in Herr Hitler’s hierarchy, but it is thought even if Germany has changed her tactics she lias not changed her objective. It is widely believed that if Immediate annexation fails Germany will adopt the' slower but sure process of economic and financial absorption. The fact that Britain’s policy as between intervention and isolation remains indeterminate is extremely Irritating to Germany, which evidently continues to regard Britain as the real obstacle to her attainment of European domination.