Evening star., 1939-07-11
Chamberlain Speech
Brings Talk Of Pact
To End Danzig Peril
French Offer Plan to
Settle Problem, Hinting
Poland Approves 1t
~ the Associated Press.

1y the Associated Press.
LONDON, July 11.-Prime Min
lister Chamberlain's hint Of a pos
sible conference table settlement OF
the Danzig dispute if there were a
clearer atmosphere" broadened to-
day into an international discussion
of chances for negotiation.
While the British press played up
the Prime Minister'S avoWal that
any peremptory German annexation
of the Baltic free port would be a
fighting matter, there also was en-
phasis on the point that he left the
door ajar for adjustments of DAN
rigs status.
In his statement to Commons yes
terday Chamberlain defended the
status of Danzig-a league-p protect
ed Free City within the Polish GUS
toms adminiStration-aS neither
basically unjust or illogical" but ''it
may be-" he added, that, in a
clearer atmosphere, possible i'm
provements could be discussed"
emi-offlcial French sources ad-
vanced a suggestion, which they
indicated had Polish approval. 1t
was that Germany be permitted
to incorporate Danzig technically
into the Reich upon guaranteeing
that the Free City would continue
as a demilitarized zone, and that
Poland could continue to navigate
the Vistula River and use the port
as at present.
Poland Welcomes Stand.
They added that Poland, recog-
nizing the Germanic character of
Danzig, always had been ready to
negotiate a solution which would
depend on German willingness to
cooperate rather than to seek a
forceful settlement.
Poland welcomed Chamberlain S
pronouncement as making clear she
had the support of the Western
powers. The Poles considered it
necessary to convince Berlin that
there was limit beyond which Nazi
activities in Danzig would not be
tolerated.
Danzig Nazis received the British
declaration of policy either as unim-
portant or leaving the situation un-
altered. but Berlin circles professed
to view it as challenge.
Some Nazi circles commented that
q reasonable solution" might be
found, but the German commentary,
Deutscher DienSt, asserted the pos
sibility of creating a clearer at
mosphere" had been undermined
by the English" through their readi-
ness to guarantee Poland before
March 26 when Poland rejected
German Danzig demands.
Italians Approve.
RelchSfeuhrer Hitler's newspaper
VoelklScher Boebachter commented
that Chamberlain completely ig-
nores one decisive angle-the right
OF self determination of German
Danzigers."
The Rome morning press, how
ever, interpreted Chamberlains S
statement as prudent"
1T is to be emphasized" said II
Popolo di Roma, that Chamberlain
avoided uttering literally the phrase
which so often has been uttered and
besought by some journalistic cir
cles-we English will fight for Dam
zig"
L'Osservatore Romano, Vatican
newspaper, suggested that all causes
OF conflict between Poland and Ger
many were capable of settlement by
negotiation.
The authoritative Times of Lon
don said "the way for negotiations
Is open" and unconditional incor-
poration of Danzig in the Reich
would completely overturn the pres
ent balance and structure of Eu-
rope"
The Times contended that the
strategic position of Danzig made
an unconditional transfer of the
Free City impossible even if her citi-
zens voted for it.
"A vote taken in a city which has
been ruled by Nazis for any length
OF time does not necessarily repre-
sent the true opinion of its citi-
zens "A" and If elf-determination
is to be the only criterion why
should it be decisive in Danzig and
wholly inOperatiye in Praoue2,