Evening star., 1939-05-05

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respected our views and expressed
the opinion that this provincial
town will not be the object OF .
conflict between Poland and Ger
many" hear demands for annexa-
ton Of Dan1g by the Reich: when
I get no reply to our proposal OF
March 26 Of q. common guarantee
Of the existence and rights Of the
Free City and I learn subsequently
that 1t has been regarded as q re-
fusal Of negotiations, I have to ask
myself, what is the real aim Of 1t all?
Is 1t the freedom Of the German
population Of Danzig, which Is not
lacking, or is 1t matters Of prestige,
or Is it q matter Of barring Poland
from the Baltic, from which Poland
will not let herself be barred. wild
cheering and applause)
Challenges "Corridor" Term.
The same considerations concern
communications across our province
Of Pomorze. I insist on the term
Province of Pomorze." The word
Corridor" is an artificial invention,
for 1t is ancient Polish land, with
an insignificant percentage Of Ger
man colonists. (Wild applause)
We have given to the German
Reich all railway facilities, we have
allowed its citizens to travel without
customs or passport formalities from
the Reich to East Prussia.
We have suggested extension Of
these facilities to road transport.
And again the question appears,
what is the real aim Of it all?
We have no reason to obstruct
German citizens in their communi-
cations with their eastern province.
But we have, on the other hand, no
grounds whatever for restricting our
sovereignty on our own territory.
wild applauseo
In the first and second instance
that Is, in the matter Of the future
of Danzig and of communications
through Pomorze-it Is still case OF
one-sided concessions, which the
government OF the Reich seems to be
demanding from us.
A self-respecting nation does not
make one-sided concessions. Where
Is reciprocity? 1t looks rather vague
in the German proposals. The
Chancellor of the Reich mentioned
in his speech triple condominium
in Slovakia. I have to state that I
heard that suggestion for the first
time in the Chancellor's speech Of
April %.
Mentions 25-Year Pact.
In some former conversations only
illusions were made to the effect
that, in the event of a general agree
ment, the problem of Slovakia could
be discussed. We did not seek to
carry on such conversations, for it Is
not our custom to make bargains
with the interests Of others. wild
applause)
The proposal Of an extension Of
the pact Of non-aggression for Is
years had also not been put forward
in any definite form in any of the
recent conversations. There have
also been unomcial illusions by
prominent members of the Reich
government. But there were in such
conversations also various other al
lusions. reaching far wider and fur
ther than the subjects now under
consideration.
reserve the right to return to this
matter If necessary.
In his speech the chancellor of the
Reich proposed concessions on his
part-recognition and definite ac-
ceptance of the existing frontier be-
tween Poland Germany. NaughterD
I have to state that this would
have been a recognition of our prop
erty indisputably de jure and de
facto. so that his proposal also can
not alter my point that the German
claims with regard to Danzig and a
motor road remain one-sided de-
mands.
In the light of these explanations,
the house expects from me, and with
good right, an answer to the last
passage Of q German memorandum
which says. If the Polish govern
ment attaches importance to the new
contractual settlement of Polish
German relations, the German gov
ernment is prepared for It,"
Resume Of Attitude.
It seems to me that I have already
defined our actual attitude. For
sake Of order I wall make resume.
The motive for such an agreement
would be the word peace" which
the Chancellor stressed in his speech
Peace is certainly the aim of hard
worked Polish diplomacy.
Two conditions are necessary for
this work to have real value-1
Peaceful intentions. 2. Peaceful
methods Of action.
If the government Of the Reich is
actually guided by those two condi-
tions in its relations to this country
al conversations naturally respecting
the principles which I have previ-
ously enumerated are possible.
If such conversations materialize,
the Polish government will. accord
ing to its custom, regard the prob
lem effectively, with a view to the
experiences of recent times, but