Evening star., 1939-07-10
Britain Standing
Behind Poland,
Reich Warned
Chamberlain Links
Donzig Problem to
Earlier Pledge
Nv the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
LONDON, July 10.-Prime Minis
ter Chamberlain told Germany in
effect today that Great Britain would
stand firmly by Poland in resisting
any Nazi coup to bring Danzig back
into the Reich.
He made carefully worded state
ment, which had the advance ap-
proval of both Poland and France, in
the House of Commons in an effort
to remove any doubts which Hitler
or other German leaders might have
concerning Britains position.
Recent occurrences in the Free
City, the Prime Minister asserted,
had aroused fears that an attempt
might be made to change its status
by "unilateral action organized by
surreptitious methods" and present
Poland and other powers with a
'fait accompli."
'In such circumstances" he said,
"any action taken by Poland to
restore the situation would, it is
suggested, be represented as an act
of aggression on her part and if her
action were supported by other
powers they would be accused of
aiding and abetting her in the use
of force"
Renews British Pledge.
He then declared that such a
sequence of events could not be
considered as purely local matter
involving the rights and liberties OF
Danzigers, which incidentally are in
no way threatened, but would at
once raise grave issues affecting
Polish national existence and inde-
pendence."
Thus linking Britains pledge to
Poland directly with the Danzig dis
pute, the prime minister said:
I'VE have guaranteed to give our
assistance to Poland in case of a
clear threat to her independence
which she considers it vital to re-
sist with her national forces, and
we are firmly resolved to carry out
this undertaking.
He described Danzig's Importance
to Poland, declaring that another
power established there could, if it
so desired, block Poland's access to
the sea and so exert an economic
and military stranglehold upon her"
No Question of Oppression.
Mr.. Chamberlain asserted there
was no question of ANY oppression
of the German population in DAN
zig" and that the present position
was not basically unjust or illogical
But, keeping the door open for
negotiation, he said:
''It may be that in clearer at
mosphere possible improvements
could be discussed.
Mr. Chamberlain's cautious phrase
ology had a double purpose-to avoid
language which Germany might use
to advantage in furthering her
claims of "encirclement," and to
leave open the door to possible ne
gotiation of settlement of the
Danzig question by Germany and
Poland.
The statement was intended to
supplement the recent speech of
Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax, who
asserted in strong terms that Britain
was determined to resist aggression
but omitted specific reference to
Danzig.
Faced "One- Sided Solution"
In March, however, he continued,
the German government started a
press campaign for the return of
Danzig to Germany and Poland
realized she might be faced with a
one-sided solution of the problem
which she would have to resist"
Accordingly, they refused to ac-
cept the German point of view," the
Prime Minister explained, land
themselves made suggestions for a
possible solution of the problems in
which Germany was interested.
Certain defensive measures were
taken by Poland on March % and
reply was sent to Berlin on March
26. I ask the House to note carefully
these dates
TT has been freely stated in Ger
many that it was his majesty's gov
ernment's guarantee (of aid to Po-
land which encouraged the Polish
government to take the action which
I have described, but it will be OBJ
served that our guarantee was not
given until March 81. Bys March 26
no mention of it even had been made
to the Polish government"
His majesty's government realize
that recent developments in the Free
City have disturbed confidence and
render it difficult at present to find
an atmosphere in which reasonable
counsels can prevail.
Poland Remains Calm.
I'm face of this situation the
Polish government have remained
calm and his majestys government
hope that the Free City, with her
ancient traditions, may again prove
rs she has done before in her his
tory, that different nationalities can
work together when their real in
terests coincide"
Count Edward RacZynski, Polish
Ambassador to London, returned
from Warsaw last night with the
latest information on Poland's view
of the Danzig situation. With him
came Col Adam Koc, former presi-
dent of the Bank of Poland, to re-
sumo British-Polish financial nego-
tiations.
There were rumors that Poland
might get big commercial credit
of about f15,000,0O0 ($70,2OO,O0O) to
buy armaments and war materials.
The government has introduced
(See CHAMBERLAIN, Page A-6.)