Evening star., 1939-08-30
London Would Bar
Force Threats
During Talks
BY WILLIAM H. STONEMAN,

Chicago Daily News Foreign Correspondent.
LONDON, Aug. 30.-The European
crisis took a new turn today, when
the British government in message
to Poland, asked the Polish govern
ment whether it would be willing
to negotiate with Fuehrer Adolf
Hitler in regard to questions now in
dispute between Poland and Ger
many.
The Polish government was in
formed of certain sections of Hit
ler's latest message to Great Britain,
received here last night, in which
Hitler expressed his willingness to
negotiate. The British emphasized
to Poland, however, that it was
entirely up to that country to decide
what to do, and that if Poland did
decide to negotiate Britain would
stand behind it and prevent Ger
many from employing threats of
force in the negotiations.
Thus it is now up to Poland to
take the next step and, no matter
what she may decide to do after
reading Hitler's latest outburst,
Britain will support her. 1t was
emphasized in London today that
Britain had not simply agreed to
guarantee certain sections of Po-
land-such as Danzig or the Cor
ridor-against aggression, but that
1t had undertaken much more
namely, to 60 to Poland's defense
whenever that country's integrity
was threatened and it decided to
fight to protect it. Thus, it was
stated, Britain would 60 instantly
to Poland's assistance if Poland de-
cided that the massing of German
troops in Slovakia constituted a
threat to its sovereignty and took
measures to protect itself.
Details of Message Leak Out.
Details of Hitler's latest message
to Britain leaked out in London this
afternoon and they were not such
as to bring joy to lovers of peace.
Hitler-as noted-indicated his will
ingness to negotiate, but only on
terms which seemed impossible at
first glance. He is understood to
have said, in the first place, that
the negotiations should be conducted
in Berlin and that Polands ennis
saries should arrive there not later
than tonight. British Ambassador
Sir Neville Henderson, who received
the note from Hitler, is understood
to have demanded whether this
time limit was meant to be an "ulti-
matum," whereupon Hitler is report
ed to have replied that it was not
an ultimatum, but simply "a basis
for negotiation
Upon hearing of Hitlcr's terms in
the early hours of this morning, the
British government itself is under
stood to have informed Berlin i'm
mediately that it would not be re-
sponsible for suggesting to the Poles
that they comply with these condi-
tions. At the same time they for
warded Hitler's message to the Poles
for their consideration with the sug-
gestion that they do as they pleased
in regard to it.
In his latest pronunciamento to
the British, Hitler is also understood
to have said that the Poles, pre-
liminary to the initiation of formal
negotiations, should agree in prin-
ciple to surrender Danzig and the
Corridor and to negotiate a COM
mercial agreement with Poland
which, it appears, would subjugate
Poland's economy to that of the
Reich.
1t is not known here whether
Polands decision to mobilize today
was Immediately connected with
Hitler's latest message. 1t was in
dicated, however, that such mobi-
lization had been planned for the
past two days and that it had been
agreed that Poland should
mobilize today unless there were a
sudden Tightening of tension. Ger
tainly, it was agreed here today,
there was no such development.
Situation Almost Desperate.
The situation now can be de-
scribed as little short of desperate.
The only compensating feature is
that the democracies are fully pre-
pared for anything that may hap
pen and that there is practically no
chance under the sun of Munich
on their part. If-everybody here
insists-there is going to be any
crawling on this occasion, it will be
done by Hitler and his friend Benito
Mussolinl and the moral victory will
not belong to the relationships.
There was complete absence OF
of1cial news here this noon other
than little tidbit to the effect that
note was not nine pages
long, as reported by the morning
but only 3a pages long.
What the foreign Office actually
though of the situation was indi-
Gated in an unmistakable way. how
ever, by the number of workmen who
busted themselves in the corridors
hanging up black curtains over the
windows.
Criticism of Chamberlain.
There was an unconfirmed report
In London today that the evacua-
ton Of children from Britain's prin-
cipal cities in the evacuation area
would be carried out tomorrow un-
less there were a sudden turn for
the better over night. At the same
time, there was great deal of criti-
cism of the Prime Minister'S state
ment of yesterday refusing to allow
until the situation had
developed further. Such an evacua-
ton would be the biggest card Brit
ain could possibly play in, the war
Of nerves and might be the deciding
factor in swerving Hitler from his
seemingly unalterable course.
All of Britain is now ready for
Instant action and no stroke, how
ever rapid, could surprise her.
(Copyright 1899, BY the CHICAGO Daily
News. Inc.)