Evening star., 1939-08-29
Written Answer
Reported Still
Being Prepared
BY LOUIS p. LOCHNER,

BERLIN, Aug. 29.-Optimism
spread in Berlin this afternoon after
Adolf Hitler's preliminary reply to
Great Britain's latest note had been
telephoned to London and after en-
tirely unofficial and unverified re-
ports were heard that the British
were willing to consider "conciliatory
and far-reaching" solutions of both
the Polish German issue and Euro
pesn problems generally.
Purported specific details ofthese
reports drew strenuous denials from
the London foreign office.
Official quarters in Berlin merely
said: Watch the British Parlia-
ment. All we can say now is that
a tremendous last minute effort is
being made on either side to keep
the peace
Still Working on Final Reply.
Despite earlier indications that
the Fuehrer's written reply had been
finished and sent by plane to Lon
don, authoritative sources said late
today that Hitler, Foreign Minister
Joachim Won Ribbentrop and other
close advisers still were working on
1t this afternoon.
Earlier. the airplane of Sir Neville
Henderson, the British Ambassador
had flown to London, bearing a
member of the British foreign office
staff who came here last night With
Sir Neville.
The airplane left here about noon
(6 am. E. S. t. and reached Lon
don late in the afternoon. The Am
bassador himself remained in Berlin
The note from the British gov
ernment. which Sir Neville brough,
with him last night from London
was reported to be such slat nego-
tiations between London and Berlin
might continue.
Gave Indication Of Reply.
Hitler, during his conversation
of l hour and 20 minutes last nigh,
gave the British Ambassador an
oral indication of what his answer
would be. Sir Neville telephoned tc
London soon after leaving the chan.
celery.
Those circles in Germany which
clung to an optimistic view laid
greatest stress upon British Prime
Minister Chamberlain's assertion in
the House of Commons that 1.-The
British government would hope that
If an equitable settlement of Polish
German differences could be reached
by free negotiation, that this might
lead on to wider agreement which
would accrue to the lasting benefit
for Europe and the world at large
That exclaimed one commenta
tor with close government connec-
tions, lis at last getting down to
fundamentals. If out of it all will
come general European settlement
then perhaps this whole terrible
situation We are all going through
has been worth while"
Hitler's Demands Open.
Hitler, who is now in the oper
with a public demand for Danzig
the Polish Corridor and other con.
cessions from Poland. received Sill
Neville for a profound and possibly
history making conference in the
palatial chancellery in the Viii.
helmstrasse shortly before midnight
Anxious observers who were grasp.
ing at straws were saying today thai
the meeting between the tall, lear
Ambassador and the energetic
Reichsfuehrer was mot altogether
useless"
There were vague hints tha
neither side had turned down thu
possibility of further negotiation
But there was not the slightes
chance of getting official or authori'
tative admissions that there is any
reason for this glimmer of optimism
Official Sources Quiet.
Never had official sources of in
formation been as silent as the!
were in the tense hours this morn
ing.
There was a chance that Hender
son would meet other Germans befor
making a final, fateful report t
Prime Minister Chamberlain. Blu
these were speculations.
Among the gloomy certainties to
day were the dispatch of more Ger
man troop trains eastward, the call
ing of more reservists, the requisi
tiOning of motor vehicles. the rapi
change of all life in Germany fron
a peacetime to wartime basis.
1t has been said in Nazi politica
circles that Hitler is determined no
to yield in his demand for Danzi
and the entire Polish Corridor.
The seriousness of the meeting be
tween Hitler and Sir Neville deepl
impressed the crowd which stoo
outside the chancellery last nigh
There was no cheering either fo
Hitler or the Ambassador as 81
Nevile's big black limousine passet
Ribbentrop Present.
One reason for Sir Nevile's hast
to see Hitler, it was reliably reported
was desire by the Chamberlai
government to get Hitler's reactio
20 the communication submitted b
London before the meeting of tn
British Parliament this afternoon.
| Red crosses indicating the locatio
of first aid stations appeared
Berlin streets yesterday, heightenin
the war atmosphere.
The air ministry printed instrut
tions as to what to do in case .
an air raid-a lesson taught Ion
ago to many Berliners-and ordere
that the placards be hunt in q cor
spicious place in every 1pme.