Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-09-23
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Continued From First Page.)

ton S motel shortly before b pm.
12 noon E. S. To- to meet Won
Ribbentrop at Godesburg.
The Ambassador said he did
not know whether the postponed
meeting between Mr.. Chamberlain and
Hitler would take place tonight.
Officials fatty refused to disclose the
subject of the communications which
had kept the dramatic talks at a
standstill all day.
Official Announcement Made.
The only indication of what the
Prime Minister and Hitler told each
other was contained in an official
news agency announcement, which
said:
The Fuehrer's reply to Mr.. Cham
berlain's question of this morning
reached the English Prime Minister
shortly after $50 pm. $3.50 am. E..
S. to.
"Today's exchange of messages
served the purpose of putting in pre-
else language the standpoints of both
sides.
1T is to be expected that the con-
versations will continue today"
However, there was general feeling
among reliable observers that Mr..
Chamberlain had outlined the essen
tial conditions without which he could
not proceed with the conference.
Meanwhile, the negotiations in
which Mr.. Chamberlain is trying to
assure Europe's peace at an unprece-
dented price remained in a state of
tense suspense.
Half an hour before he was to meet
Hitler at the Fuehrer's Hotel Dresser
headquarters here this morning. the
British Prime Minister sent his letter
across the Rhine calling off the meet
ing. Then he stayed in his hotel suite
awaiting the reply.
No Hint of Tenor of Letter,
There was no official information of
what Mr.. Chamberlain letter said.
but informed persons believed it out
lined essential conditions for continu-
alton of the talks.
One of Mr.. Chamberlain's condi-
tons was reported unofficially to be
that Hitler help arrange a truce be-
tween the Sudeten Germans and
Czechoslovaks, who were reported
drawn up against each other in lines
as if for battle on the Sudetenland
border.
Persons in close touch with both
sides expressed fear today's develop
ments might bring on a complete
breakdown of the negotiations, deal
ing in part at least with redrawing the
frontiers of Czechoslovakia in the eff
fort to prevent European war.
Phone Message From Prague.
1t was known that Mr. Chamberlain
received an urgent telephone call from
Prague this afternoon.
Germans said that if the reply was
satisfactory the conversations might
be resumed some time after pm. Oh
am. E. S. t..
The British spokesman declined to
say, however, whether Mr.. Chamber
lain expects an early resumption.
prime Minister Chamberlain's
letter included a message that, if
no satisfactory answer is received
within reasonable time, the Prime
Minister would return by plane to
London, the Chicago Daily News
correspondent in Berlin reported.
CUP until 1890 o'clock TODAY
neither Germany nor any other
regular army seemed actually to
have invaded Czechoslovakia, but
everything short of that has begun,
and open invasion may occur at
any time from now on if Hitler
defies the British and goes ahead
anyway, the correspondent said.
Authoritative sources said Mr..
Chamberlain had made up his mind
he could not 90 further in an attempt
to appease Germany and her Sudeten
German friends until he had assur-
ances that German troops and Sudeten
free corps would keep the peace.
News that the free corps and Czecho-
slovaks were drawn up in war1ike lines
on the Czechoslovak- German border
gave urgency to Mr.. Chamberlain's
letter.
Communique Issued.
The following communique was is
sued at Mr. Chamberlains hotel:
THE Prime Minister has sent a let
ter to the German Chancellor this
morning to which it is understood Herr
Hitler is replying. The meeting which
was to have been held this morning
has consequently been postponed until
later in the day"
The communique was issued about
1880 am. $50 am. E. S. t.,
half hour after Mr.. Chamberlain's
car had been sent back to the garage
from in front of his hotel and the
black-coated honor guards had been
dismissed.
Immediately after the unexpected
developments. informed observers said
they believed Mr. Chamberlain had
made . truce in the Sudetenland and
At least the mai tia1 don,oI,i1i % t}oV, ~