The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-07

~ Burgomaster Max Of Brussels
who was q minister of state and
h's capital on the day Of the dealt
8elsian national hero.
King Always Takes Lead
Leopold, they pointed out, 4
known for his initiative In taking
the lead In serious situations.
Entrances to the Royal Palace
were heavily guarded but as early
MS 7 q. m. crowds gathered before
The main entrance on Noordiend'
street, one of the Hauge's MAR
4 thoroughfares.
Except for reassuring statements
"a well informed quarters there was
no clue as to the nature Of the
Palace conferences except for init.
nnatiDn that the government com.
snuniQue, when 1t Is issued, will
mean "big headlines in the news
papers"
The first conference at the Palace
\ ut which the Belgian and Dutch
Foreign ministers were persent, con-
tinued until 2 q. m. and was re-
eumed later in the morning.
Conferences ended at noon and
the sovereigns and their foreign
ministers had lunch with Princess
Juliana and Prince Bernard. Then
Leopold received officials from the
Belgian legation.
Foreign Minister Van Kleffens
took the Belgian foreign minister
Paul-Henri Spaak to his home
where, 1t was believed, they drafted
Nhe promised communique.
German, French Lines
The meeting of the heads Of the
two neutral nations wedged In be-
tween extensions OF Frances Mag
d1aot Line and Germany's Siegfried
Line was held without advance no.
tice. It was not announced until
this morning that the meeting had
been held and there was not even
the customary, vague communique
Describing 1t.
The Belgian king and foreign
minister had reached the palace I'M
observed last night by automobile.
Passers-by had noticed with curiosity
that the lights In the queens apart
snents were still burning at an early
hour. The announcement that
LEOPOLD was here caused wild spec
ailation.
It was believed that Leopold was
returning home today but there was
no certainty Of 1t.
The conference conceded with
growing fear among neutral nations
of western Europe and the Battle for
their security In the face of reports
that Germany might soon start
major offensive on her western
'front.'.
I Belgium Had Protested
Belgium protested to Germany
yesterday, through its ambassador
IN Berlin, against flight Of Ger
mar planes over Belgian territory
Sunday. Belgian anti-aircraft OBJ
servers we're said to have identified
the planes.
Switzerland and Denmark report
ed planes, believed to be German,
had been sighted over those coun-
tries. Denmark and Sweden were
alarmed by the number Of mines,
also believed German, floating IN
their shipping channels. Norway had
incurred Nazi wrath by taking the
American freighter City Of Flint
away from German prize crew, re-
leasing the ship to the Americans
and interning the Germans.
In the face Of German demands
that the prize crew be released, Nor
way announced last night that the
crew would be taken to the ancient
Konssvinger castle near the Swedish
frontier on Wednesday, and kept In
internment there.
Nazl Neutral Respect Dying
Some European quarters believed
that Germany's anger over the City
OF Flint incident was not likely to
increase her respect for her neutral
neighbors to the west and north.
Furthermore, 1t Is known that the
French army high command serious
" considers the possibility that the
German army. blocked out OF
France by the Maginot Line, might
attempt to flank attacks through
Holland and Belgium, or Switzer-
Land.
Holland and Belgium are friendly
neighbors, both have their fortifica-
tions centered on their eastern bor-
ders, facing Germany but they have
no military alliance and Holland re-
manned neutral while the Germans
invaded Belgium In the World War.
But neither have overlooked the
possibility that this time the Ger
man army might strike farther north
and invade them both.
v No News Of Conference
There was no confirmation that
my OF these subjects had been dis
cussed by Hollands queen and Bel
GUMS king. They could have con-
ferred on some development at the
conference o. the Oslo nation ex-
perts ct Oslo, Norway, There, rep
fesentatives Of Norway, Sweden,
Denmark, Finland Holland and Bel
GUM convened yesterday evening to