Evening star., 1943-09-22

off1ce. who had during the period of
his official duties in Berlin before
the war become acquainted with
Hess, was at once flown up to Scot
land to identify the prisoner. He
had three interviews on May 49, IA
and Is. At the first of these he
confirmed that the prisoner was
Rudolf Hess.
During these interviews Hess
further elaborated the object of his
visit. He stressed the enormous
power of Germany in the air and in
U-boats which later, he stated,
would grow much greater. He
affirmed the certainty of England's
defeat by blockade, if not very
quickly, in the course of two or three
years.
He expressed his horror at the
prospect of prolongation of the
struggle. He had come, he said.
without the knowledge of the
Fuehrer to convince the responsible
persons that since England could not
win. the wiseSt course was to make
peace at once.
He gave his word of honor that
the Fuehrer had never entertained
any designs against the British
Empire nor had he ever aspired to
world domination. The Fuehrer
would sincerely regret the collapse
of the British Empire. Hitler had
declared to him as recently as May
3 that he had no oppressive demands
to make on England.
The solution Hess put forward was
as follows:
l. That Germany should be given
a free hand in Europe.
2. That England should have a
free hand in the British Empire
except that ex-German colonies
should return to Germany.
3. That Russia should be included
IN Asia but that Germany had GER
tain demands to make of Russia
which would have to be satisfied
either by negotiation or as result
OF war. There was, however, no
truth IN rumors that the Fuehrer
contemplated an early attack on
Russia.
Provision for Nationals.
4. That the British should evac-
uate Iraq
D. The peace agreement would
nave to contain provision for re-
clprocal indemnifcation of British
and German nationals whose prop
erty had been appropriated as a
result of the war.
8. The proposal could only be
considered on the understanding
that it was negotiated by Germany
with an English government other
than the present British govern
ment Mr.. Churchill, who had
planned the war since 1886, and his
colleagues, who had lent themselves
to his war policy, were not persons
with whom the Fuehrer would nego-
tiate.
Hess concluded by emphasizing
that the Fuehrer really wanted a
permanent understanding with
Great Britain on a basis which
would preserve the British Empire
intact. His own flight was intended
to give Great Britain a chance of
opening conversations without loss
OF prestige
IT this chance were to be rejected
1t would be the Fuehrer's duty to
destroy Great Britain utterly and
to keep the country after war in a
state of permanent subjection.
These so-called terms" were re-
stated by Hess in signed document
dated June 10. The only new point
made in this document was a provi-
sion that simultaneous armistice
and peace must be concluded with
Italy.
1t was throughout made clear to
Hess that there was no question
whatever of any talks or negotia- =
tions of any kind taking place with
Hitler or his government.
Hess has been dealt with as a
prisoner of war since his arrival in
this country and will so continue
to be treated till the end of the war.