Evening star., 1939-04-28
Hitler Has Banged
Door on Conferences,
u. ). Officials Believe
Strained Situation
To Be Kept Alive,
Is Opinion Here
Bv CONSTANTINE BROWN.


Adolf Hitler's speech to the Reich
stag in reply to President Roosevelts
telegram of April IS is considered
in responsible diplomatic quarters as
shutting the door to any possible
international conference for world
appeasement and keeping alive the
present strained situation in Europe.
While officifjly President Roose-
welt did not listen in and has taken
no cognizance of Hitler's reply in
the Reichstag, a full resume of the
speech was given him as soon as the
speech was ended.
In well-informed quarters much
stress is being laid on statements
dramatically presented by Hitler:
Cd His demands made public for
the first time concerning Poland.
The request that Poland, in order
to live in peace with Germany,
must not object to the incorporation
Of the Free City of Danzig into the
Reich and the establishment of a
corridor within the corridor to per-
NIT free access of Western Germany
to East Prussia, and (2) the reiter-
ated demand for the settlement of
the colonial problem. which diplo-
mats here and abroad had believed
shelved, for while at least.
Two Sections Most Important.
These two concrete sections of
Hltler's speech are causing concern
in official quarters. It is believed
that an increased strain in the re-
lationship between the Reich and
Britain and her allies inevitably will
follow today's Reichstag address.
Reports from Warsaw indicate
that, while Poland might agree to
the incorporation of Danzig into the
Reich, she will oppose strenuously
the establishment of German
highway under the Reich's SOW
ereignty through the present Polish
corridor. 1t is not clear yet whether
Hitler intends to negotiate with the
Poles on this matter or whether he
will simply take what he considers
the Reichs rights as soon as the
Danzig Parliament has officially de-
cided on the reunion of the city to
Germany.
But what worried official quarters
in Washington more than the i'm
piled threat to Poland and the re-
Vival of the colonial question is that
Herr Hitler has banged the door on
any further diplomatic conversa-
tions for the settlement of present
world problems and has refused
officially even to consider the dis
cussion of halt In the present
armament race.
No More U. S. Efforts Seen.
Neither Mr.. Roosevelt, it wss
stated in well-informed quarters
nor his diplomatic collaborators
here and abroad were too hopeful
that the message sent to Berlin on
Saturday. April Is, would produce
immediate results. But 1t was hoped
that the Reichsfeuhrers answer to
the head of a state which has no
ak to grind in Europe and has en-
deavored sincerely since the end of
the last war to curtail ornaments
would leave some hope for the pos
sibility of a peaceful solution of the
present problems.
Hitler's speech was interpreted in
responsible quarters as meaning Il
don't want bloodshed as long as I
can obtain what 1 believe to be
Germany's immutable rights without
fighting. But I am and shall con-
tinue to keep my powder dry for
any eventuality."
In these quarters it is believed
that Hitler's reply concludes the
efforts of the administration to put
an end to the present strain in
Europe. 1t was the last effort, it
was reliably stated, to bring the
European dictators to their senses,
and they have shown conclusively
that they intend to stick to their
present methods without regard of
consequences.