Evening star., 1939-05-11
Chamberlain
Sees War in
Danziig Attack
To Involve Brituin,
He Says; Halifax,
Moisky Confer
European Situation

European Situation
PRIME MINISTER CHAMBER
LAIN sees war involving Britain
If force is used in settling Danzig
problem. Page Al
FRENCH PREMIER DALADIER
threatens further army expansion
to match massive notifications
by other countries. Page Al
POPE Plus PEACE MOVE evokes
reports from papal representatives
that Europe's tension is lessening
and peace can be expected next
few weeks. Page Az
BRITAIN AND RUMANIA sign
trade pact; England to advance
$23, 100000 credit and buy 100000
tons of wheat. Page A
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 11.-Prime Min
lister Chamberlain said in an Albert
Hall address today that any at
tempt Ito change the Danzig) sit
uation by force" so as to threaten
Polish independence would newt
ably start general war in which
Britain would be involved.
I'm many minds the danger spot
in Europe today is Danzig, where
our assurances to Poland are clear
and concise" Mr.. Chamberlain said.
although we would be glad to see
the differences between Poland and
Germany amicably settled by dis
cussion, although we think that they
could and should be so settled, If an
attempt were made to change the
situation by force in such a way as
to threaten Polish independence,
why then that would inevitably
start a general conf1agration in
which this country would be in.
volved."
Halifax Sees Maisky.
The Prime Minister spoke to a
meeting OF woman members of the
Conservative party shortly after
Foreign Secretary Viscount Halifax
had received Soviet Ambassador
Ivan Maisky in a new effort to
smooth out Russian-British nego-
tiations for an alliance.
Mr.. Chamberlain said ex-Premier
Leon Blum of France, who visited
London yesterday, asserted that
there was one main danger Of war
that the rest of Europe might be-
come convinced that Britain and
France were insincere and could not
be relied upon to carry out their
pledges of military aid.
mo more deadly mistake could
be made" the Prime Minister as
serted, than to attribute such lnsin-
cerity to the British French front.
He added:
TT would be a frightful thing If
Europe were to be plunged into war
on account of misunderstanding" I"
Mr.. Chamberlain spoke more than
an hour to the 5000 women, ending
on a hopeful political note.
If only we could get little relief
from this international tension
this anxiety abroad - there are
many indications that we might see
great expansion of trade and of
prosperity which would benefit
every people in the world"
Denies Encirclement Aim.
He recapitulated recent steps in
his foreign policy and denied any
intention of encircling Germany, as
Nazis charge.
He insisted the German people, as
differentiated from their govern
ment, and the British still were
strongly opposed to any war. The
Prime Minister declared his willing
ness under certain conditions to open
the broadest sort of negotiations with
Germany-economic or for disarma-
ment.
He asserted that there "can be
no rest, no security in Europe until
the nations are convinced that no
further attempts will be undertaken
to destroy the independence of "one
country after another"
Smilingly he summed it up thus:
Il seem to be in these days the
target of rotten eggs but that does
not keep me awake -. You have
watched the old umbrella going
round and you have. I believe, ap-
proved our efforts-strenuous and up
to now successful-to keep Europe
out of war;
Maisky's Third Call in 3 Days.
Maisky's call was the third in
three days. There was no immedi-
ate official explanation of the visit,
but it was believed the envoy laid
before Lord Halifax the precise Rus
sian objections to the British pro-
posals along the lines expressed by
the Soviet government newspaper
Izvestia in an editorial today.
Uncertainty prevailed whether
Britain yet was ready to meet the
apparent Russian position on all
points, including the extension of
guarantees to other Baltic neigh
bors of Russia.
Meanwhile. at Geneva the League
Of Nations postponed its council ses-
sion, originally set for Monday, until
a week later at the request of Soviet
Russia
Russia was understood to have
asked the postponement both to give
Vladimir P. Potemkin, assistant for
eign commissar, time to reach Gel-
eva after reporting on his recent
Near Eastern tour and to permit
conversations with other powers on
problems to be considered.
League sources said other council
members had approved the Russian
request.
Both Lord Halifax Of Britain and
(see LONDON, Page A-4)