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BRITISH PRESS SCORNS PEACE 'APPEAL'
c Rival Leaders *
Brands Hitler's
Ultimatum As
Mere Propaganda
Australian Associated Press and 'The Mail' Special Service
LONDON, Saturday. — Boasting of the 'greater than ever'
might of Germany's arms, and threatening the destruction of
the British Empire, Hitler last night delivered a peace ultima
tum to a spellbound, cheering Reichstag. Members listened for
95 minutes while Hitler, surrounded by
Goering, von Ribbentrop, the Italian
Foreign Minister (Ciano), and other
leaders, made his 'final appeal to reason
in England.'
The great English newspapers see no hope
of peace as a result of Hitler's speech, which the
'Daily Mail' brands as propaganda.
'Hitler has nothing to offer us or anyone else
but a Gestapo millennium, and we are not going to be
intimidated by any raucous boasting from Berlin,'
says the 'Daily Telegraph.'
Responsibility for War
fJITLER, who spoke in the Kroll
Opera House, Berlin, first sought
to blame the democracies for the war.
He declared that only the 'obstinacy
of the bloody-banded, Jewish war
mongers of England and France' was
responsible .lor Poland's opposition to
his reasonably proposals.
'Jews, Freejitasons, arms manufac
turers, war profiteers, international
business men, and Stock Exchange
pirates used their desperado political
hirelings to launch the war,' he de
clared. 'Germany showed superhuman
self-control, but France and Britain
wanted war.
'Then — as was shown by the secret
documents of the Anglo-French War
Council meetings, which -we seized in*
France— these stony-hearted poli
ticians sought to extend the war.
They attempted to use the Russo
Finnish war to harm Germany through
Russia, and they determined to convert
Sweden and Norway into a theatre of
war.
'They also planned a conflagra
tion in the Balkans to gain the
assistance of 100 divisions in those
countries.
'They planned the bombardment of
Batum and Baku (Russian oil centres
in the Caucasus) and enticed Belgium
and Holland to sign general staff agree
ments.'
After giving a detailed account of
the Norwegian invasion, which he
described as the boldest undertaking in
the history of the German forces. Hit
ler declared that it then became evi
dent that England and France intended
to make a lightning dash across Belgium
to Germany at any moment after the
beginning of May.
He described how a plan was worked
out to meet these 'threats,' and how
the Schlieffen Plan (for an invasion of
France) became a disguise for thrust
ing the main German force against the
enemy's right flank and reaching the
Meuse.
Continuing, Hitler said: — 'I warned
France of the misery that could be ex
pected, and Marshal Petain asked for
an armistice. -
'The military situation was then im
possible for France. Only the bloody
dilettantism of Churchill is still incap
able of understanding that.
'Even in this hour I consider It
my doty to relieve my conscience
by a direct, and my last. 'appeal to
England.
'This time 1 may be believed, be
cause I am not a defeated, begging sup
plicant, but a victor appealing to
reason. I am sorry for the victims that
a continuance of the war will bring. I
want to spare my nation and other
peoples sorrow and great suffering. I
do not want to wage war, but to build
a new social order.
Annihilation for One Side
'T FEEL deep disgust for the type of
-'? unscrupulous politician who wrecks
whole nations and States, but it pains
me to think that fate should have
selected me to deal a final blow to the
structure these men h^ve set tottering,'
Hitler continued.
'This struggle can end only in
the annihilation of one of the ad
versaries. Churchill believes it
will be Germany. ( I know it will
be Britain.
'It is passible that Churchill will
brush away my appeal 3s born of fear.
In that case. I have relieved my con
science regarding things to come.
'During the last 10 months my
opinions about the future have always
been right, and the enemy's always
wrong. *
'England declares that she
emerges more powerful from disas
ter, but Germany emerges more
powerful from victory.
'Germany is stronger militarily than
ever. Our losses in men and material
hitherto have been negligible. We
have been able to send back many divi
sions from France to assist in produc
tion.
'War material is being produced in
such quanities that we have been
forced to find additional storage. We
have unlimited supplies of coal and
iron, and have no need of further im
ports of fuel oil or metals.
'To all this, add the unlimited possi
bilities of the booty from the occupied
territories, which is still untouched.
'Germany and Italy control 200
million people, of whom more than
70 millions are employable. We
have food enough for as long as the
war may last. There. is nothing to
worry us in our future.
'Assertions of the possibilities of
revolution in Germany are just stupid.
England hopes to switch the burdens
of war to other countries, but the pos
sibility of Russia being involved is
absolute no,nsense. I have defined our
spheres of interest, and German and
Russian ? relations have been finally
stabilised.
'If Churchill declares that he wants
war, our reply will be terrible, and a
great world empire will be destroyed.
I never wanted that, but it will come.'
Hitler paused during an account of
the western front operations to name
numerous military leaders, many of
whom have been promoted to the rank
of field marshal. Frantic cheers
greeted each announcement, but the
most overwhelming ovation greeted the
announcement of Goering's elevation.
Said Hitler:—
'It is not given to many mortals
to create an air force from nothing
and to make it the proudest
weapon of its kind in the world.
I name Goering as Reich Marshal
of the Great German Reich, and 1
give him the Great Cross of the
German Iron Cross.'
He concluded: — 'For 20 years my
object has been friendship with Italy
and England. Even today I am sad
because I cannot achieve friendship
with England.
'However, Germany's political and
economic co-operation with Italy is
complete and will lead to final victory.'
Gestapo* Millennium
London newspapers generally say
that Hitler's speech followed the ex
pected course. It introduced no new
factor, but confirmed forecasts that Hit
ler would offer peace and threaten
Britain with destruction as an alterna
tive.
The 'Daily Telegraph' says: 'Hit-
ler has nothing to offer ourselves
or anyone else but a Gestapo mil
lennium. We are not going to be
intimidated by any raucous rodo
montade from Berlin.'
'The Times' says that the most un
expected feature of Hitler's speech was
the emphasis on the possibility of a
long war. There was no further allu
sion to the dictation of peace in Lon
don by August 15. and Hitler showed
anxiety to reassure his audience of Ger
many's capacity to endure the British
blockade, however long the war lasted
'The Times' adds that, in effect,
Hitler admitted that his offer of
peace was purely perfunctory be
cause he did not indicate terms.
Presumably any terms would De
based on England's acquiescence in a
so-called new order in Europe, which
would represent Ihe supreme violation
ol the dearest political principle oi
Enjiii^h-speakinn peoples
'We have no alternative but to tight]
to the last extremity, and we know that i
we musi orevail =-riri = trip article.
Branding Hitler'? speech as propa
sanda. the 'Dailv Mail' ?ays: — !
'We have been too much on the!
defensive in the propaganda war. I
The Ministry of Information is
busying itself trying to shut the
mouths of people at home when it
should be striving to open the minds
of people abroad.'
Wanting to know what the Ministry,
of Information is doing to counter the
insidious Berlin talk of a golden age
of peace and progress under German
domination, the 'Daily Mail' urges
getting the truth across to subject
nations by pamphlets, newspapers,
radio, and secret agents' whispering
campaigns It continues: —
'By everv means in our power
we should attempt to foment re
bellions in France, CzechoSlo
vakia, Belgium. Holland. Denmark,
and Norway.
'Nor should we let our case go oy
default among the neutrals. There are
large numbers of 'journalists' and
'diplomats' working for Hitler in the
Balkans. Turkey. Mexico, South
America, and even in Eire. It is time
that Britain, too. went into this busi
ness.'
Answered by Roosevelt
The 'Manchester Guardian' says
that, a few hours before Hitler spoke,
the answer to him was already given
by President Roosevelt's speech to the
Democratic Convention in Chicago
Roosevelt said what free men every
where must sav. that it would be fatal
to the United States and the rest of
Ihe unconquercd world if the spirit
of appeasement and compromise werej
now allowed to raise its head.
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MR. CHURCHILL (top), quiet
and confident, who in his broad
cast last Sunday declared that
Britain would continue the war
until peace with freedom for the
democracies was possible, is un
likely to be moved by the rantings
of HITLER (below) and his
threats at the Reichstag meeting
of a 'terrible reply.'
MR. CHURCHILL (top), quiet
and confident, who in his broad
cast last Sunday declared that
Britain would continue the war
until peace with freedom for the
democracies was possible, is un
likely to be moved by the rantings
of HITLER (below) and his
threats at the Reichstag meeting
of a 'terrible reply.'
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AJV OPEN-AIR INVESTITURE in the quadrangle at Buckingham Palace (top) was held last month so that
relatives could attend, when the King conferred decorations on war heroes. . Below — Royalty with the
soldiers. Left — The Queen shows her interest in a Canadian Scottish gun crew while the King talks to the
Commander -in -Chief of the Canadian soldiers in England (Major-Gen. A. G. L. McNaughton) during a
visit Their Majesties paid to a Canadian camp in the South of England. Right — The Duchess of Kent
with Lieut. Meat Quintens, a wounded French officer, in an emergency hospital 'somewhere in England.'
AJV OPEN-AIR INVESTITURE in the quadrangle at Buckingham Palace (top) was held last month so that
relatives could attend, when the King conferred decorations on war heroes. . Below — Royalty with the
soldiers. Left — The Queen shows her interest in a Canadian Scottish gun crew while the King talks to the
Commander -in -Chief of the Canadian soldiers in England (Major-Gen. A. G. L. McNaughton) during a
visit Their Majesties paid to a Canadian camp in the South of England. Right — The Duchess of Kent
with Lieut. Meat Quintens, a wounded French officer, in an emergency hospital 'somewhere in England.'
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