Evening star., 1938-09-28

ANADUNAy 0uO O0ulcO NAAAOu, A8pOI.
ties, Joined tn wishing the prime min
lister God speed on his Journey to
Munich, his third trip to Germany In
fortnight in search of peace.
A madly cheering crowd greeted Mr..
Chamberlain at the entrance to No.
10 Downing street.
He turned and shouted, Its all right
this time"
Prepared for World War.
In his address Mr.. Chamberlain said
Adolf Hitler had informed him at
Berchtesgaden that rather than wait"
to help the Sudeten Germans achieve
self-determination "he would be pre-
pared to risk world war"
The Prime Minister declared he had
no doubt that his visit to Berchesga.
den alone prevented an invasion (of
Czechoslovakia) for which everything
was ready"
The crowded House Of Commons,
tense and silent until then. cheered
this statement.
The Prime Minister began his his
toric address with the statement that
I'VE are faced with q situation which
has had no parallel since 1914.
His declaration was made to Par
lament while thousands massed out
side the historic building, waiting, in
tense, to know whether Europe was to
be plunged into q new war.
Mentions Article 19.
II cannot help rejecting" asserted
the governmental head, that If Article
10 Of the League Covenant providing
for revision Of treaties by agreement
had been put into operation instead of
waiting until passions became 50 ex-
asperated, the crisis might have been
avoided"
There were three alternative
courses open. He said Of July when
deadlock arose in negotiations be-
tween Czech government and the
Sudeten Germans)
Either We could have threatened to
90 to war with Germany If they at
tackled Czechoslovakia; we could have
stood aside and allowed matters to
take their course; or finally We could
attempt to find q settlement by way
Of mediation"
We found 1t our duty to do any
thing in our power to help the con-
tending parties to an agreement"
Mediation Is Decided Upon.
He explained that mediation was
decided upon and Lord Runciman was
sent to Czechoslovakia.
That Lord Runciman did not Sue
coed was no fault Of his" said Mr..
Chamberlain.
Whole negotiations were proceeding
under Viscount Runciman in Prague,
Mr.. Chamberlain said. the develop
ments in Germany had been causing
considerable anxiety to the British
government"
Early In August" said the Prime
Minister. "the government received
notice Of measures of military move
ments in Germany on An extensive
scale.
These abnormal measures, in the
view Of the government, could not
fail to be interpreted IS threatening
to Czeehoslovakia.
Mr.. Chamberlain said the abnormal
measures included calling up Of re-
servists. service Of second-year re-
cruits, conscription of labor for the
western frontier fortifications, and
powers for conscripting civilian serv-
ices"
THE government" he said, "had
also in mind the close approach Of
the NaN Congress at Nurnberg.
His Majesty's Ambassador in Ber-
lin was instructed in the middle of
August to point out to the German
government that these abnormal meas
ures could not fail to be interpreted
abroad as q threat toward Czecho-
slovakia and must therefore increase
the tension throughout Europe and
might compel the Czech government
to take precautionary measures on
their SIDE"
The British Ambassador added
that this might also destroy the pros
pect Of Anglo-German conversations.
Herr Won Rippentrop German
foreign minister) replied in q letter
refusing to discuss the military meas
ures and expressing the opinion that
British efforts In Prague could only
serve to increase Czech intransigence.
Towards the end Of August, the
French government, in consequence
Of information which reached them
about the movement of several Ger
man divisions towards their frontier,
took certain precautionary measures
themselves, including the calling up
of reserves to man the Maginot Line.
Describes Other Events.
The Prime Minister then went on
to describe other events leading up to
the present crisis: How on August
81 Sir Neville Henderson. British Am.