Evening star., 1938-09-13
FRANCE HASTENS
WARPREPARAT|ON
Cabinet Decides to Keep
Military Machine at
Fighting Pitch.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
PARIS, Sept. 13.-The French gov
ernment decided today that In view
Of threats contained In Adolf Hitler's
Nurnberg speech 1t was necessary to
keep Frances military machine keyed
at wartime pitch.
After analyzing the speech in two
and-a-half-ho meeting with Presi-
dent Albert Lebrun. the cabinet de-
ctded unanimously there was no pos
sibility now of easing the military
measures which have sent hundreds
of thousands of additional troops into
the Maginot zone. facing Germany, in
the past few days.
This state of keen vigilance" must
be maintained until after the situa-
ton Is clarified" minister said after
leaving the meeting.
Fleet Command Changed.
The oficial journal published orders
shifting Rear Admiral Jean Abrial,
sdjutant to the chief of the general
staff of the navy. to command of the
Mediterranean feet.
Another order declared the strategic
stretch of border highway near Metz
of urgent public utility" and au-
thorized appropriation Of lands and
buildings necessary to make it suitable
for large troop movements.
The British and French govern
ments kept in close contact as reports
of disturbances in Czechoslovakia
flowed in. Foreign Minister Georges
Bonnet and Sir Eric Phipps. British
Ambassador, were in conference soon
after the cabinet meeting ended. Paris
observers regarded the situation as
extremely grave.
A ban on the expectation Of iron,
cotton and many other products valu-
able for national defense was invoked
suddenly as an emergency measure by
the French government.
All permits for the expectation Of
the banned products were Cancelled
promptly. Customs posts were or
dered to hold up such shipments. The
list includes iron, iron and steel scrap,
cotton, cotton by-products, wool, hides,
silk in cocoons, linen, hemp, jute and
sisal.
Preparations Accelerated.
Border preparations were accelerated.
Troop movements continued in the
arst defense lines. Reserve units con-
tinued arriving.
At Nancy, only 20 minutes fight
from the nearest German airdrome,
machine guns were placed on high
structures. Squadrons of pursuit and
lighting planes were stationed at vari-
Gus frontier points to be ready for any
attacking fleet.
. During the night rubber-tired trucks
baded with men and military equip
rlent rolled quietly along the great
boulevards of Paris. The government
vas reported Strengthening this capi-
tails anti-Aircraft defenses.
' Emergency measures to reinforce
Protection for the civil population was
pne of the main questions before to-
days cabinet meeting.
Premier Eduoerd Daiadier conferred
late yesterday with Gen. CASTOR Bill
iotte. military governor Of Paris.
French ofdciAl circles considered
Fitler's address ut the annual Nazi
convention yesterday As definitely
"menacing," with the only way left
open for peace for France and Great
Britain to force more concessions from
Czechoslovakia for the latter's Hitler
protected sudeten German minority.
INTERPRETED as Plebiscite.
Those concessions were interpreted
as plainly being a plebiscite by which
The sudeten Germans could vote on
separation from Czechoslovakia and
annexation to Germany.
= Czechoslovakia, however, has in
formed France and Britain she has
made her last concession and could not
consider . plebiscite-even II the two
Western powers wanted to press for a
further compromise.
New outbursts of violence between
the Sudetens and the Czechs appeared
to the French as most likely to provide
an excuse for Hitler to redeem his
promise.
Reports of Sudeten demonstrations
demanding a plebiscite almost as soon
as Hitler finished speaking gave point
10 the French worries.
Additional troops we're reported from
6trasbourg to have swelled to 400.0 900
the number of defenders in the Magi-
not zone of French frontier fortifica-
tions.
Civilian families are beginning al
ready to leave the border region. More
than 1000 refugees" left Strasbourg
alone yesterday by train and highway.