The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-08
Britain, France Will
Consult On Peace Plan
Prime Minister Chamberlain to Give Reply Tomorrow;
Intinates That Germany Will Be Given
No Easy Terms


The cabinet decided also to obtain
the views of the Polish government,
now established in Paris. 1t was
pointed out that tine Anglo-Polish
agreement, under which Britain de-
clared war after Germany's invasion
of Poland, provides that In event Of
hostilities no separate arrnistices can
be concluded.
The plea for peace by Belgium
and Holland produced today, only
new war excitement in most of Eu-
rope.
Here and in France, the impress
sion was that Belglum's King Leo
pold and Hollands Queen Wilhel-
nina must have made their plea
and offer of mediation under Ger
man duress.
NeutraIs Discuss 1t
Neutral countries generally re-
garded 1t as a futile gesture.
The italian press said that II
anything did come Of the offer, the
mediators would have to consider
Italy's territorial claims against
France In working out an accepta-
bic peace.
(Only the German press ignored
the development. Adolf Hitler had
gone to Munich to celebrate the an
niversary of his Beer Hall Putsch"
and no one would comment off,
cially)
None of the governments to whom
the Belgian-Dutch message was
sent-Great Britain, France and
Germany-had made formal reply.
But SEMI official speculation was
rife and newspapers treated 1t as a
sensation.
Banner Line Story
The London Daily Express BAN
ner-line today read: Secrets behind
Wilhelmina-Leopold appeal to pow
ers for peacel" An editorial said:
1.-THE suggestions are nebulous and
mean nothing In themselves. Every
body hoped Belgium and Holland
would issue a joint declaration of
their intention to defend them
selves If invaded by Germany"
The Daily Sketch banner-line
read: "Nazis mass on Dutch frontier
as Holland and Belgium appeal for
peace" The paper commented: IF
1t were not for certain circum-
stances which had arisen at the very
hour the offer was made reports
that Germans were massing on the
Dutch frontier) we should say the
British government would have had
little hesitation In accepting It,"
The Daily Mirror said: "They
(Holland and Belgium) wouldn't
want us to consent to settlement
that would be no more than pre-
Jude to their own oppression at the
hands Of men who regard might as
right and power its own justifica-
ton"
Dutch Border Rum0rs
I'm spite Of this line Of comment
and apparently reliable reports that
Germans had concentrated on the
Dutch border, British military ex-
perts said this concentration did not
necessarily signify any intention to
invade Holland or Belgium. They
pointed out that present positions
on the German-F French frontier are
more or less indefinite and 1t was
natural for the Germans to spread
out along the Holland border, safe
from Allied airplane "straffing," I'M
til intensive warfare started. This
same thought was attributed here
to Berlin source which quoted a
Nazi spokesman, I'VE can't have all
our western troops concentrated in
one small area, we've got to spread
them along the whole frontier" and
also was expressed by a newspaper
at Amsterdam which said the Ger
mans seen from the Holland border
didnot appear to be planning any
offensive and were apparently there
for use in case the Allies tried to
break through the Siegfried line.)
French Press
French press comment closely
followed British. Pertinax, writing
In the Paris L'Ordre, said: For IS
days the Nazi government had put
pressure on Belgium and Holland.
Germans have protested press ar
ticles showing only the slightest
sympathy for the Allies. These are
the fruits Of policy which was
formerly most justifiable, but which,
due to Hitler's threat, are outdated."
Petit Parisien said: 1.-THE move
ment OF German troops along the
frontier alarmed them"
Reports from Norway and Sweden
said the peace move had been re-
ceived with great interest but lit
tie hope. Finnish sources were said
TO regard the appeal as courageous"
and they suggested that 1t might
prove advantageous In centering
world attention on Belgium and
Holland and lessening the chances
of their ifvoivement In the war.