Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-08-21
Chamberlain Holds
Emergency Session
With Lord Halifax
Many Department Heads
To Attend Cabinet
Meeting Tomorrow
BY WILLIAM H. sToNEMAN,

BY WILLIAM H. STONEMAN, 49,
ChicaEo Daily News Foreign Correspondent.
LONDON, Aug. 21.-Prime Min
lister Neville Chamberlain and his
foreign secretary, Viscount Halifax,
held a long emergency conference
at No. 10 Downing street this noon,
during the course Of which they
examined last-minute reports from
the continent and laid the ground
work for tomorrow's extraordinary
meeting Of the cabinet ministers.
Because of the apparent gravity of
the European situation and the pos
sibility that it might mature more
quickly than had been expected,
both the prime minister and the
foreign secretary had returned to
London early today, "a hours earlier
than they had planned.
Department Heads to Attend.
Tomorrow's meeting of ministers
will be attended by large number
of department heads and not, as was
originally planned, only by members
of the so-called inner cabinet, all
Of whom were warm supporters of
the Munich policy. All heads of
service departments will be there
and the government will, conse-
quently, be in a position to consider
and pass on any measures which
may be regarded as necessary.
Although the situation seems to
be growing more serious from one
hour to the next and everybody
here expects a definite showdown
within the course of the next week,
there are no outward signs that the
British government is retreating
from the position it has taken on
the question of Danzig. All those
who are in any way connected with
the government, as well as the entire
British press, insist, without mincing
their language, that a German at
tack on Poland will mean instan-
taneous war between Britain, France
and Germany.
There is of course, always the
possibility that somebody will find
a way OUT at the last minute,
but at this moment it is difficult to
imagine what that way out will be.
1t is stated repeatedly, furthermore,
that neither Britain nor France will
take the initiative in finding this
stopgap and that no pressure will
be applied to Poland to make it sub
NIT to any suggestion of a compro-
mise.
Rome Compromise Hints.
The only news of possible COM
promise to reach London over the
week end came from Rome, where
1t was variously reported that, first,
the Pope was intervening with Po-
land by means of a special emissary
who had been sent to Warsaw and,
second, that italian Foreign Min
lister Count Galeazzo Ciano was
planning to call a meeting of
French, British and Polish ambas-
sailors in Rome. Here in London
today 1t was officially denied that
anything had been heard of such a
plan. For that matter the foreign
Office denied almost every sueges-
ton which was put to it. Any news
regarding Britain's position, it was
stated, would be made available only
after tomorrows meeting of min
listers. In the meantime, it was
said, British policy remained the
same: Britain would fight if Poland
Is attacked.
To judge by today's newspapers,
there Is no question whatsoever
about Britain's position or of her
Willingness to fight at the drop of
a hat. Likewise, all newspapers
agree that Critical days lie ahead"
and that the possibility of a general
war is very real one.
tCopyright, 1889. Chicago Daily News, Incl