Evening star., 1939-08-22

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Aug. 22-An emergency
session of the British Parliament
was forecast in informed political
quarters today as Britain and
France considered their position in
the new European situation Gre
ated by the projected German-Rus-
sian non-aggression pact.
Both the Labor and Liberal parties
have made strong representations
to the government to call Parlia-
fnent back from recess, it was un-
derstood, and a decision was ex-
pected at this afternoons cabinet
a, meeting.
If the decision is favorable both
houses probably will meet Thursday.
News Terrific Blow.
Both France and Britain received
the news of the proposed German
Russian pact as a terrific blow, but
they cautiously awaited further de-
tails before making any comment.
Under non-aggression pact, each
country would undertake not to fight
against the other. Germans thus
take the development to mean a
heavy blow to British French efforts
to negotiate mutual assistance
pact with Russia and strengthen
ing of their position against Poland
in the dispute over Danzig.
Official circles in Paris and Lon
don indicated no action was planned
immediately, at least-to break
off French Russian military
staff talks now going on in Moscow
The British cabinet was scheduled
to meet at pm. g am. E. S. IT,
and the French cabinet planned to
meet two hours later.
Diplomatic Activity Intense.
Paris and London we're centers of
intense diplomatic activity. Downing
Street was packed with curious
crowds who watched Ministers and
foreign affairs experts entering and
leaving the prime minister's resi-
dence.
Hope was expressed in some quar-
ters that the proposed German-Rus-
sian pact might be phrased in such
q way as to permit the Soviet Union
to join Britain and France in the
. tri-power mutual assistance pact
which has been under negotiation
for more than two months.
~ 1t was pointed out that Russia
now has non-aggression agree
ment with Italy providing that the
pact would become void in the event
one of the signatories committed
aggression. Such a clause, it was
said, might be included also in
the German-Russian pact.
If this should prove to be the
case the present situation might
not be greatly disturbed. There
was fear in some quarters, however,
that the pact might be such that
1t would exclude Russia from the
British-French front.
Callers at Downing Street
Among the callers at 10 Downing
street we're Foreign Secretary Lord
Halifax, Home Secretary Sir Samuel
Hoare, Air Minister Sir Kingsley
Wood, Sir Robert Vansittart, chief
diplomatic adviser to the govern
ment, and Sir Alexander Cadogan,
permanent undersecretary for for
eign affairs.
Lord Halifax talked with the
Prime Minister for an hour and
half. Another caller was Stanley M.
Bruce, Australian high commits
sioner.
While Lord Halifax was with Mr..
Chamberlain the German Charge
d'Affaires, DR.. Theodore Kordt,
visited the foreign Office, but it was
not learned Immediately what his
mission was.
Official circles both in Paris and
london admitted they knew nothing
of the projected German-Russian
pact until it was officially announced
In Berlin last night.
This afternoon the British govern
ment had received no information
besides copies of the German and
Russian communicates which were
telegraphed by British ENJOYS.
Counted Heavily on Russia.
Britain and France had counted
heavily on Russian cooperation in
their support of Poland in her dis
pute with Germany over Nazi de-
mands for a Danzig reunion and
right of way through Pomorze, the
Polish Corridor, to East Prussia.
Despite tactical disadvantages
presented in the idea of Poland
locked between Germany and Russia,
sources close to the government in
sisted Britain's position would re-
main "steadfast and unaltered."
They said she would welcome
(See LONDON, Page 'A-2.)