| Show TEXT OF CHAMBERLAIN STATEMENT STATEMENT TO HOUSE HOUSE OF OF COMMONS LONDON Aug 24 W UPI The text of Prime Minister Chamberlains Chamberlain's Chamberlains Chamberlain's Chamberlains Chamberlain's Cham Cham- 1 speech to the house of commons commons In the last debate we had upon foreign affairs which took place July 31 I observed that the Danzig situation required careful watching I expressed my anxiety anxiety anxiety ety about the pace at which the accumulation of war weapons was proceeding throughout Eu Eu- rope I referred to the poisoning of public opinion by propaganda which was going on and I declared declared declared de de- that if it could be stopped and if some action could be taken to restore confidence I did not believe that there was a any n y question which could not be solved by peaceful discussion I 1 am sorry to say that there have been no signs of any such action but on the contrary the international position has steadily steadily stead stead- ily deteriorated until today we find ourselves confronted with the imminent perils of war Inspire Drive At the beginning of August a dispute arose between t the h e Polish government and the Danzig senate as to the position position tion and functions of certain Polish customs officials It was vas not a a. question of major Importance e. e Many more acute difficulties have been easily settled settled set set- tied In the past in less tense ense conditions and In this case discussions discussions discussions dis dis- had actually begun between between between be be- tween the parties last week weel While these discussions were in progress the German press opened a violent campaign against the Polish government They declared that Danzig could not be the subject of any conference conference conference con con- ference or compromise but that it mus come back to the reich at once unconditionally They went further and linked up the question with the question question question ques ques- tion of the Corridor and at attacked attacked attacked at- at tacked the whole policy and at attitude attitude attitude at- at of the Polish government government government govern govern- ment and published circumstantial accounts of alleged treat ill ment of Germans living in Po Po- Po- Po land Polish Minority We have no means of checking checking checking check check- ing the accuracy of these stories but we cannot help being struck by the fact that they bear a strong resemblance to similar allegations that were made in respect of the Germans In Czechoslovakia We Ve must also remember that there is a large Polish minority in Germany and that the treatment treatment treat treat- treatment ment of that minority has also been the subject of bitter complaint complaint complaint com com- plaint by the Polish government govern govern- ment There There is no no subject which is calculated to arouse ill feeling in any any country more than statements statements statements state state- ments abo about t llie lI treatment of people of their own own race in another another an an- other country That is a subject which provides provides provides pro pro- vides the most inflammable of all materials material most likely to cause a general con con- In these circumstances circumstances circumstances circum circum- stances one can but deeply re regret regret regret re- re gret that such incidents which if they were established beyond a shadow of doubt would naturally naturally ally excite sympathy for the vic vie 4 tims and Indignation against the authors of this alleged ill treatment treatment treatment treat treat- ment should be treated in a way which Is calculated still further to embitter the atmosphere and to raise the temperature to danger danger danger dan dan- ger point Poles Remain Calm It must I I think be agreed that in the face of this campaign declarations declarations dec dec- by the Polish statesmen statesmen statesmen states states- men have shown great calm and self The Polish leaders while they have been firm in their determination determination determination deter deter- to resist attack upon their independence have been They have al always always always al- al ways been ready as I am sure they would be ready now to discuss discuss discuss dis dis- dis- dis cuss differences with the German Ger Ger- man government if they could be sure that those discussions threats of force or violence and with some confidence that if agreement was reached its terms would be respected afterward both in the letter and in the spirit This press campaign Is not the only symptom which is ominously ominous ominous- ly reminiscent of past ence Military preparations have I been made in Germany on such sucha I a scale that that country is now in a condition of complete readiness readi ness for war At the beginning of this week we we had wor word that German troops were beginning to move toward the Polish frontier It then became evident that a crisis of the first magnitude was approaching and the government resolved that the time had come when th they y must seek the approval approval approval ap ap- ap- ap of parliament for further measures of defense The rise in the bank rate to today today today to- to day was a normal protective measure adopted for the purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose of defending our reserves in a period of uncertainty War ar Decried In view of ot the attitude in Berlin Berlin Berlin Ber Ber- lin the government felt it their duty to leave no possible loophole loophole loophole loop loop- hole for misunderstanding The greatest calamity that could occur was not desired either by our own people or by bythe bythe j the German people We cannot agree that national Interests can only be secured by the shedding of blood or by bythe bythe bythe the destruction of the Independence independence independence dence of other states That was the situation on Tuesday last Then in Berlin and Moscow l it was announced that negotiations negotiations negotiations had been taking pla place e and were likely to be soon concluded ed for a pact between between between be be- tween the two countries I 1 do donot donot donot not attempt to conceal from the house that the the announcement announce announced ment came to the government as a surprise surprise-a surprise surprise-a- a- a surprise of a avery avery avery very unpleasant character For some tIme time past pat past there had been rumors about impending changes in the relations between Germany and soviet govern government ment but no inkling of that change had been conveyed either to us or the French government by the soviet government Treaty Is Bombshell The house may remember that on July 31 I remarked that we had engaged upon a step that was almost unprecedented in character I said that we had already shown a great amount of trust and strong desire to bring the negotiations with the soviet union nion to a successful conclusion conclusion conclusion con con- when we agreed to send our soldiers sailors sailors' and airmen to Russia to discuss military plans together before we had haq an assurance that we should be able to an agreement on political political political po po- po- po matters Nevertheless moved by the observations observations observations ob ob- of the Russian secretary secretary secretary secre secre- tary for foreign affairs that If we could come to a successful conclusion of our military discussions discussions dis dis- a political agreement should not present any any insurmountable insurmountable insurmountable mountable difficulty we sent the mission The British mission arrived on Aug August st 7 They were warmly received in friendly fashion and disc discussions were actually in progress progress ress and proceeding on a basis of mutual trust when this bombshell bombshell bombshell bomb bomb- shell was flung down Pact Is Secret To say the least it was highly disturbing to learn that while these conversations were proceeding proceeding pro pro- on that basis the soviet government was secretly engaged engaged engaged en en- poses pur-poses with Germany for purposes purposes pur- pur poses which on the face of it were inconsistent with the objects objects objects ob ob- ob- ob of their foreign policy as I we had understood it I do not propose this afternoon afternoon after after- noon to pass any final judgment upon the incident That I think would be premature until until until un un- unI un- I til we have had an opportunity of consulting with the French government as to the meaning and consequences of this agreement agreement agreement agree agree- ment the text of which was only published this morning but the question which the government government government govern govern- ment had to consider when they l learned arned of this announcement announcement announcement announce announce- ment was what effect if any this changed situation would have upon their own policy In Berlin the announcement was hailed with extraordinary cynicism as a great diplomatic victory which removed any danger danger danger dan dan- ger of war since we and the French would no longer be likely likely likely like like- ly to fulfil our obligations to Poland We felt it our first dut duty to remove any such dangerous dangerous dangerous dan dan- impression Will Back Poland The house will recollect t that the undertaking which we have given to Poland was given before before before be be- fore any agreement was was was' talked of with Russia and that it was not in any way made dependent dependent dependent dent on any such agreement being being being be be- ing reached how could we with honor go back upon upon such an obligation which we had so often and so plainly repeated Therefore Therefore Therefore There There- fore our first act was to issue a statement that our obligations to Poland and other countries remained unaffected These se obligations rest upon upon agreed statements made to the house of commons to which effect effect effect ef ef- has been given In treaties which are at present in an advanced advanced advanced ad ad- stage of negotiation These treaties when concluded will formally define our obligations obligations obligations obliga obliga- but they do not in any anyway anyway anyway way alter add to or subtract from the obligations of mutual assistance which had already been accepted i Ten Tell Million Men Ien Are AIe Ready Heady to Go to toVar War Var 0 0 00 oo BETWEEN It SWEDEN STOP MIL S l Norh AND I Sea IC i f's f 4 s E T TG TR R U S S-A S t P 0 LAND G GERMANY E R MAN y BET BETWEEN WE EN It FRANCE AND UKRAINE 2 ALMOST 2000 SWITZ uN RUMANIA 1 00 SPAIN Black BlackSea v 44 ra Sea I CORSICA BULGARIA L r t- t S. S 1 r I f i. i i h v ye 6 e IP e Int tP MP ti v k- k Q n n. ESTI MATE ARMED STRENGTH OF EUROPE HOW INFORMED OBSERVERS t Figures on map are f Io for o 1 armies only naval and air forces are arc r I k The which we issued to the press after the meeting of the cabinet this week spoke also of certain furt further ier er measures of defense which we have taken As I have said G Germany has an immense army of men already under arms and military preparations of all kinds have been and are being carried on on a vast scale in that country Britain Prepared The measures that we have taken up to now are of a precautionary precautionary precautionary pre pre- cautionary character Nothing can affect the determination to put this country in a state of preparedness to meet any emergency emergency emergency emer emer- gency bu but I wish emphatically to repudiate any suggestion if such suggestion should be made th that t these measures imply an act of of menace Nothing that we have done or that we propose propose propose pro pro- pose to do menaces the legitimate mate Interests of Germany It is no act of menace to prepare prepare prepare pre pre- pare to help friends to defend themselves against force If neighbors wishing to live together er er In peaceful and friendly rela- rela contemplating apparently an aggressive aggressive aggressive ag ag- ag- ag act of force against one of them and making open preparations preparations preparations prep prep- for act action n it is not a menace if the others announce their intention of aiding the one I who is the subject of this threat Bank Bani Rate Raised There Is another action which has been taken today in the fi financial financial fl- fl sphere Members will have seen the announcement that the bank rate has today been raised to 4 per cent The house will recognize that this is a normal protective measure measure measure meas meas- ure adopted for the purpose of defending our resources in a period pe- pe period period pe pe- of uncertainty There is in this connection a contribution to be made by citizens citizens citizens citi citi- zens generally The public can best cooperate by reducing as far as possible any demands directly or indirectly indirectly indirectly indi indi- for the purchase of foreign foreign foreign for for- eign exchange Next by scrupulously scrupulously observing the chancellors chancellor's chancellors chancellor's chancellors chancellor's chancel chancel- lors lor's request that capital should not at present be sent or moved out of the country and finally by holding no nomore more foreign assets assets assets as as- sets than are strictly required for forthe forthe forthe the normal purpose of the busi busi- ness In view of the attitude In Berlin Berlin Berlin Ber Ber- lin to which I have already re referred referred referred re- re his majesty's government felt that it was their duty at this moment to leave no possible loophole for misunderstanding and so that no doubt might exist in the mind of the German government government government gov gov- his majesty's ambassador dor in Berlin was instructed to seek an interview with the German German German Ger Ger- man chancellor and hand him a message from me me from the BritIsh BritIsh British Brit Brit- ish government That message was delivered yesterday and the reply was received today Last Effort Made The object of my communication tion to the German chancellor was to restate our position and make quite sure there was ho no misunderstanding His majesty's government felt that this was all the more necessary having re regard regard regard re- re gard to the reports which we we had received as as to the military movements taking place in Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many and as to the then projected projected projected pro pro- soviet German-soviet agreement I therefore made it plain as ashad ashad ashad had been done in the que issued after the cabinet met meton meton meton on Tuesday that if the case should arise his majesty's government government government gov gov- were resolved and prepared prepared prepared pre pre- pared to employ without delay all the forces at their command On numerous occasions I have stated my conviction that war between our two countries admitted admitted admitted ad ad- on all sides to be the greatest calamity that could occur occur occur oc oc- oc- oc cur is not desired either by our own people or by the German people With this fact in mind I Informed Informed in informed In- In formed the German chancellor that In our view there was nothing nothing nothing noth noth- ing In the questions arising between between between be be- tween Poland and Germany which could not and should not be resolved without the use of force forte if only a situation of confidence confidence confidence con con- c could uld be restored We have expressed our willingness willingness willingness will will- to assist in creating the conditions in which such negotiations negotiations ne ne- could take place but the present state of tension creates creates creates cre cre- ates great difficulties and I 1 express express express ex ex- press the view that If there could be a truce on all sides to press polemics and to all Incitement Incitement incitement Incite incite- ment suitable conditions might be |
