Evening star., 1938-12-12

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. 12.-Great Britain
has expressed to Germany the
hope" that Reich will not annex
Memel Prime Minister Chamberlain
told the House of Commons today.
Britain, he said, was joining
France in representations to Berlin
concerning possibility of a move
ment to absorb Memel, which was
German before the World War, as
sequel to yesterdays elections for
tho local Parliament which resulted
in a decisive victory for Memel
NaZiS.
Cites 1924 Statute.
In reply to a question the Prime
Minister said:
There Is reason to think that
after the Memel elections demands
may be made upon the Lithuanian
government by majority parties in
the Diet which would be inconsistent
with the statute of Memel (the
agreement of May 8, 1924, by which
Britain. France, Italy and Japan
approved Lithuanias possession of
Mcneil.
The British government, as sig
natory of the Memel convention, can
not ignore this possibility.
In view of the special influence
which the German government is in
a position to exert in these matters,
the British charge d'affaires in Ber-
lin has been instructed to join with
the French Ambassador in express
ing the hope that the German gov
ernment will use its influence to in
sure respect for the statute"
Not Required to Aid France.
Previously Mr.. Chamberlain had
told the House that Britain was not
obligated to go to the aid of France
in event of an Italian attack on
France or her colonies.
Replying to a series of persistent
questions, Mr.. Chamberlain also dis
closed that Germany thus far has
made no Official request for the re-
turn of her former colonies, lost in
the World War.
The prime minister declined to
amplify his statement when a mem
ber asserted that Adolf Hitler had
brought up the colonial question
in his September conference with
Mr. Chamberlain at Godesburg, and
again at Munich.
MEMEL, Lithuania, Dec. IL (P.-
The pro-NaI Memel directory,
flushed with what it termed
smashing victory in parliamentary
elections yesterday, decreed the end
of Lithuanian police powers today in
this former German territory.
The decree asserted that only
police of autonomous Memel would
be permitted to control security of
the territory lying at Lithuania's
southwest corner adjoining Ger
many.
Lithuanian police who heretofore
have collaborated with Memel's
autonomous force now will be re-
garded as private citizens.
Flnal decision In Berlin.
Political observers declared final
decision as to any change in the
territorial status of Memel, object
of German ambitions to expand
along the Baltic, would be made in
Berlin, not Memel.
The Lithuanian government,
which holds somewhat nominal
sovereignty over Memal, awaited
the return from Berlin of the Ger
man Minister 1t was expected he
would bring precise German pro-
posals for the future of the dis
puted region.
A student strike was called in
Kaunas as President Anatnas
Smetona, reelected last month with
out opposition, took the oath for a
new seven-year term. An attempt
to call a general strike, however,
failed.
"Time Ripe for Decision"
Memel's Horse Doctor Fuehrer," +"
Ernst Neumann, 50-year- vet
erinarian, sounded a rallying cry
that "the time is ripe for a decision
in Memel."
He was backed by yesterdays vote
which showed over 96 per cent of
Memel's eligible voters-90 per cent
(see MEMEL, Page A-3)