The Washington times., 1936-12-28
HITLER DENIES,
HOWEVER, ANY
REVENGE
Seizure Of Vessel By
LoyaIists Apart
From Revolt
Continued from Page ~


has been received in Berlin to
cause authorities to assume Bill
bao officials were releasing the
Palos to avoid action by German
warshtps and planes, an action be
lieved to have been threatened in
the Reich's official announcement
of seizure of the little vessel OFF
SPANS north coast last week.
Opposes Pressure
Chancellor Hitler is ready to
continue diplomatic negotiations
regarding. Spain, but he rejects
any Semblance Of pressure upon
the Reich as indicated in what
Germany considers a systematic
press campaign abroad.
Diplomatic circles clung to the
belief, despite firm and repeated
official denials, that a score Of
German warships were speeding to
Bilbao for a warning "demonstra-
ton" against Spanish anarchists
who seized the Palos.
The German press attacked as
shameless lies" reports Hitler
was holding war council" in his
mountain retreat at Berchtesga-
den, although belief persisted in
many foreign circles that ex-
tremely important decisions were
being made or were to be made
there within the next few days.
"FabricatiOn" Attacked
One newspaper said:
"Tf competent quarters abroad
should be behind this fabrica-
ton, it would only prove in some
places that London and Paris
people have a bad conscience.
If London and Paris are getting
nervous and feel they must let
off steam, why do they not deal
with their own problems?
efforts to drag Germany into
any combination through fabri-
cation of news will be q COM
plete failure. Germany, as here"
tofOre, will in the next few weeks
conduct diplomatic negotiations
calmly and only in the interests
Of European peace, which is not
menaced by Germany, but by
Soviet Russia"
Informed quarters rapped Lon
don and Paris for previously haV-
ing failed to take up German pro-
posals to establish nonintervention
in Spain, which included prohlbl-
tion Of "volunteers" and an en-
barge on war supplies.
Germany holds that Russia
sent many 'volunteerS" to Spain
before any left the Reich.
These quarters assert France
now is appalled, at the develop
ments following her rejection" Of
the German plan. They point
out the French foreign minister,
Yvon Delbos, told the German
ambassador France was ready to
halt the participation Of "volun-
teers" in the war, but that he
failed to indicate how he intended
to check Russia from sending
arms, ammunition and "Volun-
teerS."
Eden Negotiates
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden
of Great Britain, according to the
same quarters, discussed the vol
unteer problem, the possibility Of
an armistice in Spain, and the
general problem of an understand
ing with Germany through Am
bassador Joachim Won Ribbentrop
before Christmas.
"Piratical action" by the loyal
lists swerved Adolf Hitler, accord
ing to confidential adviceS reach
ing foreign diplomats from Mu-
nich, to a definite decision to send
twi divisions 10000 m 1t o
Spain.
Hitler at the same time openly
affronted France and Britain by
letting their urgent plea for an
end to German intervention lie
practically ignored at the foreign
office.
French sources reported the Ger
man fighting ships Admiral Scheer,
Deutschland, Koeln and two flo
tillas (nine ships in each flotilla)
Of destroyers had been sent secret
" to Bilbao.
Even foreign reports, however,
stressed that no such warlike act
as bombardment Of Bilbao was con-
templated, Germany expecting
that a mere display of naval power
would force the Basques to give up
the PaloS.
German official denials Of diplo'
matte reports regarding troops
and warships were unusually en-
phatic, nevertheless. A statement
from the propaganda ministry
said:
"It is ridiculous to tink that
for the sake Of one steamer, we
would plunge our nation into an
extraordinary international con-
flict.
"As for rumOrs concerning dis
patch Of German troops to
Spain-we are not crazy enough
to send our ReichSwehr troops
down there"
''There is hardly q single ma
ton that does not have q few
Of its. nationals fighting in
Spain, and that holds good
even for England and the
United States.
eft must be remembered that
Germany was the first to recon-
mend an embargo on volunteers
being allowed to fight in SPAIN"
Hitler, at Berchtesgaden, kept
the wires humming today in tele-