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Talk Of Anglo-French
Mobilisation
GENERAL STAFFS TO
CONFER?
LONDON, Wednesday.
Groups lingered in Downing Street in the early hours, al
though they had watched the lights go out after midnight. The
West End was singularly quiet last evening, people staying at
home and listening to broadcast news.
It is'understood the Prime Minister (Mr. Chamberlain) had
a long telephone talk with the French Prime Minister (M. Dala
dier) about midnight, when arrangements were made for com
prehensive Anglo-French General Staff talks without delay, coin
ciding, according to the "Daily Mail," with definite steps, de
cided on by the Government, for full mobilisation of the Fleet.
The "News-Chronicle's" Paris correspondent says the French
Prime Minister (M. Daladier) cancelled a broadcast arranged for
midnight. His message would in all probability have been an
announcement of Erench mobilisation. Another source states
that the cancellation of the broadcast was due to the inability
of M. Daladier and the French Foreign Minister (M. Bonnet).
to agree on the text.
The "Daily Mail" publishes, without explanation, a cryptic
utterance by the British Ambassador in France (Sir Eric Phipps)
when leaving the War Ministry last night, after an interview
with M. Daladier. He said: "These squabbles must cease."
The "Daily Telegraph's" diplomatic
correspondent says that as the latest
news poured in at Whitehall Minis
ters were obliged to envisage the pos
sibility that war was imminent. When
they assembled they did not know the
issue of the Sudetens' ultimatum; but
it was clear that events were develop
ing swiftly, following Herr Hitler's
bellicose speech.
It is gathered that Cabinet de
cided on Monday that more posi
tive action by Britain was essen
tial, should the speech be trucu
lent.
It is presumed that the Ministers'
conference was called to determine
roposals to be put before Cabinet to
day. A variety of measures is pos
sible, according to the gravity of
the situation. Britain might, for one
thing, cancel Army, Navy and Air
Force leave, call up certain classes of
reservists, and rehearse measures to
protect the civil population.
CLOSE CONTACT
The correspondent adds that France
and Britain are maintaining close con
tact. * The expression, "morally inde
fensible to endanger the negotiations,"
is regarded as.significant, since infor
mation reaching the French and British
Genieral Staffs shows further concentra
tion movements of German troops
around the frontiers.
It is believed Germany estimates
that arrangements will be com
pleted in seven to ten days, but
the Seigfried Line is far from com
pletion.
The United States Amlbassador (Mr.
Kennedy) called at No. 10 during the
Ministerial discussions.
It is understood that two United
States cruisers now at Portland are
remaining in British waters for the
present.
"SINISTER" SPEECH
Mr. Chamberlain had conierences
with Ministers. collectively and indi
vidually, for about five lhours.
Cninlllunist denmonstrators mlarched
noisily, but without disorder, in Leices
ter Souare, and then proceeeded to the
Germasn Embassy. The police allowed
the leaders to appronach and ring the
bell. The door was opened a few in
ches. and then quickly shut. Further
rings were answered by an otficial, to
whom the leaders handed a letter.
Hundreds waiting in Whitehall saw
Lord Halifax and Mr. Mlalcolm Mac
Donald leave. Lord Halifax went to
the Foreign Ottice.
The "'Manchester Guardian's" dip
lunatic correspondent says that the
morn Herr Hitler's speech is studied
the more sinister it aplpears. He did
not simply leave things where they3
were, but passed the initiative on to
Britain.
Unless the speech was a deceptive
signal, the Czech proposals are dead.
TCe alternativo is self-determintition,
meaning at plebiscite, meaning the ex
tination of Czechoslovakia. It was
demanded under the threat of war.
Herr Hitler says: "Let me make my
self master of Czechoslova:kia, and you
will be spared a European war."
"CALM RESTORED"
Though little is emanating from
Prague, Czech circles inl Paris assert
that enlmt was re-established in the
disturbed regions over-night. The view
is widely shtared that the Sudetens'
unental excitement was the sequel to
Herr Hitler's speech, for which reason
all leuders, especially the Sudetens,
must counsel cnmlless.
The Germau press in the same breath
denounces the Czech emergency mea
sures and forecasts increasing Sude
ten disorders.
The "Voelkischer Beobachter" des
cribes the situation as extremely dan
gerous. A leaderless mass of three and
a half million people may easily be
driven to despair it says.
Field-Marshal 6oering's "National
Zeitung" couples a reference to the
folly of war with a plea for self
determination and denunciation of the
"horse-trading methods" of Dr. Benes
and Dr. Hodza.
"Nobody with any faith in man
kind and the future," it adds,
"can assume that the nations of
the world wish to fight one ano
ther and destroy their happiness,
culture and lives because three
and a half million Germans want
to he nothing else but Germans.
"The blood of the best of all nan
tions was spilled for four years that
men might have the primitive right of
self-determination."
The "Times" Berlin correspondent
says that in the German view it is
not a question of Dr. Benes making
concessions to the Sudetens, but of
the right of the Sudeteus to stipulate
the conditions, on, which they-will--re-
main citizens of Czechoslovakia, where
events look liklle accelerating the
Reich's programme for a solution.
A political spokesmant at Berlin
said: "The plehiscite is increasingly
becoming an acute issue, in view of
the spontaneous expression of the
Sudeten demand.
The incidents in Sudetenland are
regarded as disastrous to the utmost
degree. A fresh heavy burden has
beenu laced on the Sudetens. It al
most gives the impression of an in
tention to torpedo a peaceful solution.
It is peculiar that the victims are
always on the Sudeten side."
The "V6oelkischer Beobachter" calls
on the statesmen to conmpel the Czechs
to end their "catastrophic" policy.
Reuter's Berlin correspondlent sees
a welcome note in the hope in the
hope of a peaceful solution rlunnin
through the German press. He re:
calls that official lobbies at Nuremberg
widely discussed the possibility of a
plebiscite, and expressed the hope that
British troops could be persuaded to
keep order, as they did in the Saar.
MEDIATION ATTEMPT
Air. Aslhton-Gwatkin, who is attached
to Lord IxuncinmaLn' staff, arrived at
Asch thle Sudeten heeadtllnarters, to
see i{err IIenleil and make another
attempt to secure mediation. The
Sudetens were il coruierence all night.
Tihe French ipress does not reflect
the optimism of Government quarters.
It feels that the impossible ultimatum
was the climax, revealing the Sudeten
determination to join the Reich.
iA. Eluam, in "Le Populaire," and
"Pertinax," in "L'Ordre,'" suggest.
international observation and control in
the Sludeten regions.
Rleuter's Paris correspondent says
the general feeling is that the dancer
of war is nearer than at any other
time since 191t4.
Twenty-three Ministers are attending
to-day's Cabinet meeting, whfich is ex
pected to continue all day. Two thou
sand people packed Downing Street.
The Rumanian Legation denied a re
port that Soviet troops would be per
mitted to traverse Rumania to aid the
Czechs.
There is no likelihood now that Herr
elenlein will go to Prague. It is ru
mored that he will shortly issue a pro
clanmtion to the Sudetens.
Many Sudetens crossed the frontier
over-night. Five hundred rushed past
a customs post at Walsdorf. Police
used tear-gas to drive out Sudetens,
who were besieging ia frontier customs
iouse.
More special gendarmes have
been sent to Carlsbad, the provin
cial capital of the disaffected area.
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