The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-08-24
Great Britain Hears Imminent Peril Of War
(Continued from Page D

seemed to share his determination t. fight if Germany invaded Poland.
 Great Britain and France, he said are united in their stand and vii aid Poland.
 The house heard the prime min ister with strained, grave attention showing every evidence of complete solidarity in this hour of crisis.
 The prime minister's vibrant ref. teration of Britain's firm determine. tion to adhere to her pledges te Poland and other countries met witt a chorus of deep-throated cheers without a single sound of dissent.
 There was another rumble of as. sent when Chamberlain emphasized that Russia's action in signing g pact with Germany seemed incon. sistent with the previous Soviet foreign policy.
 A great burst of cheers arose wher Chamberlain spoke of the British governments message of warning t< Adolf Hitler.
 Referring to the belief in Germany that the new German-Russian non. aggression pact would imperil the alliance between Britain and France and prevent them from aiding Po- land, Chamberlain let his clenched fist fall on the dispatch case before him and said:
 We felt 1t our first duty to remove any such dangerous illusions"
 The single ray of hope in the prime minister's somber speech was his statement that in its message to Hitler, Britain stated the belief that the Polish- German quarrel could be settled by negotiations without resort to war.
 No Comment on Hitler
 Chamberlain, with corrugated browns and his face slightly grey, said he preferred not to comment on Hitler's reply to the cabinets 
 The prime minister's statement about the Soviet-German pact was received in significant silence.
 T do not attempt to conceal from the House," Chamberlai nsaid, that the pact came to the gov- ernment as an unpleasant surprise. The government had no inkling from the Soviets. Negotiations (for 8 British-F French Russian pact) proceeding in, mutual trust when this bombshell was flung down"
 Chamberlain was dresesd in soIn- Der black with a black tie. He ap- peared to be laboring with emotion during most of the spe ech.
 The unanimity of the House be- hind the government was demon- strated by Arthur Greenwood, dep uty labor leader; Sir Archibald Si1- clair, liberal leader and Anthony Eden, who spit with the government on the Munich "appeasement". They all voiced their support of Cham- oerlain.
 Like To Chamberlain
 In the house of lords, Viscount Halifax, foreign secretary. made a speech similar to Chamberlains.
 "The governments message to Herr Hitler this week." he said. made it plain that if cause should lrise, the government is resolved to ,e prepared to employ. without de- ay all the forces at its command"
 The grave-faced Chamberlain told he house that Germany is now in . condition Of complete readiness or war"
 Before Chamberlain made his ,minous announcement to commons md through its members to the British people as a whole, the king lad held a privy council at which le signed an order in council un- fer the great seal authorizing the government to mobilize the navy, naval reserve and the territoriak home guard) when necessary!
 The king also authorized Edward leslie Burgin, minister of supply, to assume full powers to conserve sup ,lies, issue ration cards, and transport.
 Shall Fight, If War Comes
 Tn his speech to commons, Cham ,erlain said that if war comes i've hall be fighting to prevent destruc- ion of those principles which hold Ill possibility of peace and security Or the peoples of the world"
 We have a united country be- lind us," he added.
 Chamberlain reemphasized firmly hat Britain is determined to stand ,y its pledges to Poland and other mailer European nations if they 'esist aggression.
 All Forces at Command
 Chamberlain announced that Sir Neville Henderson, British Ambas- iador to Berlin, had informed Hitler hat if the occasion arose the 1rit- sh are resolved to employ without ielay all the forces at their com- nand,1