•
PACE 4.-HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
Sir Nevile
Henderson
(INSTALMENT (6)
Tension in the European drama heightens as Hitler and his evil adviser Ribbentrop reach the stage where a choice between peace and war is to be taken.
Sir Nevile Henderson, Britain's Ambassador in Berlin until the outbreak of war, today describes a stormy midnight interview with Ribbentrop when the last chance of peace was deliberately thrown away by the Nazi Foreign Minister ...
UCH information as reached me during the course of August 29 tended to represent the atmosphere as well disposed, and to fore- shadow readiness on Hitler's part to open direct negotiations with the Poles. I was consequent- ly all the lens prepared for the reception which I got on being summoned to the Relchschancery again at 7.15 p.m.
Perhaps I should have been, as the German mid-day Press had reported the alleged murder of six German nationals in Poland, and this story, which was probably fabricated by the ex- tremists in fear lest Hitter was weakening, together with the news of the Polish general mobilisation, was just the kind of thing which was most calculated to upset him.
I immediately sensed in any case a distinctly more uncom- promising attitude than the previous evening on Hitler's. part when he handed me the answer which he had promised
me.
Therein Germany's de- mands were declared to be the revision of the Versailles Treaty, by means of the re- turn of Danzig and the Cor- ridor to Germany, and the security for the lives of Ger- man national minorities in the rest of Poland.
Hitler's heated denial
It was stated that the Ger- man Government, in spite of .scepticism as to the prospect of their SUCCESS, accepted direct negotiations with Po- land. solely out of desire to ensure lasting friendship with Britain.
In the event of any modi- fications of territory, the German Government could neither undertake nor partici- pate in any guarantee without
SECRETS
of the
LAST DAYS
of PEACE
Germany's highly mechanised army and overwhelmingly superior air force.
I never
concealed this opinion
from y Polish colleague, and I implored him. in Poland's own interests, to. urge his Government to nominate without hay delay someone to represent thems in the proposed negotiations at Berlin.
But I was equally under no illusions as to what this meant, and I telegraphed, at the same time to Lord Halifax to the effect
first-consulting the U.S.S.Rat-Fler bad-de-up his mind.
I read the note through carefully, while Hitler and Ribbentrop watched me, and. in spite of the ominous re- ference to Moscow, I made no comment till I reached the phrase at the end of it, in which it was stated that:
German Gorern- ment counted upon the a rival in Berlin of a Polish Emissary with full powers on the following day, Wed- nesday, August 30,"
"The
I pointed out to his Excel- lency that this phrase sounded very much like an ultimatum. This was strenuously
and heatedly denied by Hitler himself, supported by Ribben- trop..
It was a case of the "Dic- tate" and "memorandum" of Godesberg over again.
Interview
becomes stormy
According to Hitler, this sentence merely emphasised the urgency of the moment, not only on account of the risk of incidents when two mo- bilised armies were standing opposite one another, but also when Germans were being massacred in Poland.
to achieve his entis, by a parade. of strength, if that sufficed, - but by the use of force, If it did not.
"The ly result," I added, "can only be either war, or once again victory for him by a display of force and consequent encourage. the same course ment to pursue again next year or the year after,
His Majesty's Government fost no time in replying to the German note of August 30 had already conveyed to e Ministry for Foreign Affairs an interim answer to the effect that the note would be carefully considered.
I had arranged to see the Mini- ster for Foreign Affairs at 11.30 p.m. to make further communion- tions to him. Shortly. before the appointed time I received in code the considered reply of 1s Ma- jesty's Government to the German note of August 29.
I was accordingly obliged to ask that my meeting, with Ribbentrop should be postponed for half an hour, in order to give me the time to have this Just message deci- phered,
Army leaders urge action
of
In the concluding passagen that reply His Majesty's Govern- ment, while fully recognising the need for speed in the initiation of discussions, urged that during the negotiations no aggressive military operations should take place either side.
on
They further expressed their confidence that they could secure
the
such an undertaking from connection, his
Polish Government, If the German Government would give similar as- surances.
In this laiter Excellency asserted that I did Germans not care how many were being slaughtered in Fo- lanil,
This gratuitous impugnment of the humanliy of His Majesty'a Government and of myself pro- voked a heated retort on my part, and the remainder of the inter- view was of a somewhat stormy character.
Was
I asked the Polish Ambassador that evening to call on me while I drafting my telegrams to Lon- don, gave him an account of the German reply and of my conver sation with Hitler, and impressed upon him the need for immediate nction.
I had never been under any illu- alon as to Poland's capacity to resist for more than a brief period
1 saw Ribbentrop at exactly mid- night, before which hour the Ger-
Born with a clubfoot. Goebbela wears a special siise on his right foot. To-day no one is allowed lo mention or photograph this de- formity, of which he is extremely self-conscious.
holding up the rapidity of the Ger- man advance Into Poland.
Ribbentrop's
man Government had onferisibly rudeness
counted on the arrival of a Polish emlaairy at Berlin.
I say "ostensibly" since it seems hardly possible that it cannot have or his accurred either to Hitler Minister for Foreign Affairs that it was utterly unreasonable to expect Polish plenipotentlary to present himself at Berlin without even knowing in advance the basis of the proposals about which he was ex- pected, to negotiate.
But, even O, in view of what now occurred, I is difficult not to draw the conclusion that the proposals themselves were but dust to be thrown in the eyes of the world with a view to its decep tion, and were never intended to
These extracts are taken from the book by Sir Nevlle Henderson en- Mission,” Fuchrer that tiled "Failure of a
Hodder & published by Messrs.
Stoughton, Lid:
The army, leaders had been re- presenting to thelr even twenty-four hours' delay in- volved the risk of bad weather
be taken seriously by the German
Government itself.
Be that as it may, it is probable that Hier's mood in the hour when he had to decide between peace or war was not an amiable
one,
It was reflected in Ribbentrop. whose recention of me that even- Ing was, from the outset. one of Inteuse
In- hostility, which creased in violence as I made cach communication in turn.
He kept jumping to his feet in a state of grent exeftruent, foldlug his arms across his chest and ask- ing if I hud anything more Fay.
to
I kept replying that i had, and, if my own altitude was no less un- friendly than his own, I cannot but soy In all sincerity that I had every Justification for it:
When I told him that I would not fall to report his comments and remarits to my Government, he .calmed down a little and said that they were his own, and that i was for Herr Hitler to decide,
As for inviting the Polish Am- bassador to come and see him, such course would, he indignantly said, be utterly unthinkable and in- tolerable.
Alt
un
to
1 had finished nokia my
cemnunications Various him, he produced a lengthy docu- ment which he read oul to me in German, or rather gabbled through to me as fast as he could, in a tone af the ulmost
and revrn noyance.
Of the sixteen articles in it I was able to gather the gist of six or seven, but it would have been quite Impossible to guarantee even the comparative accuracy of these with out a careful study of the text it- self.
Last chance of
peace scorned.
When he had finished, I accor:- ingly asked him to let ine read it for myself.
ways
Herr von Ribbentrop, who al-
rudeness mistook
for strength. refused categorically, threw the decument with a con- temptuous gesture on the table and said that it was now out of date, since no Polith Emissary had arrived at Berlin by mid- night.
observed that in that case the sentence in the Germans note of August 29, to which I had drawn his and his Fuchrer's attention on
the preceding evening, had, in fact, constituted an ultimatum in spite
of their categorical denials.
Ribbentrop's answer to that was that the Idea of an ultimatum was of my own imagination
i
and creation,
I do not desire to stress the un- pleasant nature of this inter- view. The hour was a critical one and Ribbentrop's excitability at such a momeni was understanda- bie.
It seemed to me. however, that he was wilfully throwing way the last chance of a peaceful solu- tion, and it was dificult to remain indifferent when faced with such n calamity.
I still believe, as I did at the time, that Ribbentrop's exhibition of irascibility and bad manners that evening wus partly due to the fact that he suspected that I had purposely postponed calling on him till midnight, ie, until the hour by which the ultimatum-which he and Hitler had assured me was no ultimatum-for the arrival of n Pollsh plenipotentiary had expired.
Convinced all
was lost
Yet, in the German note of August 29 it had been stated that their proposals would, if possible. be placed at the disposal of the British Government before the ar- rival of that plenipotentiary,
Why, then, should Ribbentrop have himself walted tlf after mid- night before making the pretence of rending them to me?
But, above all, why did he re- fuse even then to hand them to me? Not even Hitler could honestly huvo.expected - the Polish Govern-.
Seventeen thousand Ger-
man soldiers mass before Hitler in Berlin's Lustgar-
ten.
ment to appoint a plenipotentiary lu discuss proposals in regard to whleh it was completely in the dark.
Did Ribbentrop and his master not wish them to be cummunica- ind to the Pelish Government lest the latter might in fact agree to negotiate?
In the note which was hunded to ne by Weizsacker the next even- ing, and which contained at last the text of those proposals, it was stated that Herr van Ribbentrop had given the British Ambassador on the occasion of the presentation of the last British note precise in- formation ns to the text of the German proposnis.
The German White Paper on the origins of the war repeats this complete perversion of the actual
None of the points at issue in the memorandum was discussed at all
1 returned to His Majesty's Em- bassy that night convinced that the last hope for peace hnd vanished.
1 nevertheless saw the Polish Ambassador at 2. a.m., gave him an objective and studiously moderate my conversation with. account of Ribbentrop, mentioned the cession of Danzig and the plebiscite in the Corridor as the two male points in the Germán proposals."
I felt obliged to add that I could not conceive of the success of any negotiations if they were conducted with Ribbentrop.
[Copyright in all countries. Re-
1 whole production strictly prohibited. Į
JHIT!
THIS series will be con-
tinued to-morrow, when Sir Nevile writes of: Zero hour in Berlin-Hitler chooses war-Poland is bombed-the greatest lie of all-"History will judge."
BANKS
THE CHARTERED BANK OF INDIA, AUSTRALIA & CHINA.
Incorporated by Toyal Charter 1553
Pald-up Capitst
... 13.000.000 Reserva Liability of Proprietors £3,000,000 £3,000,000 Reserve Fund
HEAD OFFICE:-LONDON. 18 Nishopsgato, E.C.1. Sub-Agencies in London: 117/123, Leadenhall Street, E.CJ, West End Branch: 14/16, Cockspur Street, 8.W.1. Manchester tranchi
57, Bosley Street, Manchester, 1.
AGENCIES AND BRANCHES:
Harbin Hongkong
Alor Star Amritsar
Bongkok
Ilstavin Bombay
ipon Jialio Karachi
Itangoon
Salcon Semarang Seremban
Calcutta
Agencies:
Klang Kobe
Shanghai Singapore
Cuve Streat
Kuala
Sitiawan Sourabaya.
Yairio Mace Lunipur
Taiping
Canton Cawnpore Cebu
Kuching
Tientsin
Madrat
Tongkan
Manila
(Bhuket)
Medar
Teingto
New York Yokohama
Poulng
(Peking)
Penang
Colombo
Delhi Haiphong Hamburg Jankow
FOREIGN EXCHANGE and General Banking Business transacted.
and CURRENT ACCOUNTS opened FIXED DEPOSITS received for One Your or sharter periode in Local or Other Cur- renoles at rates which will be qualad on application.
SAVINGS ACCOUNTS also opened in Local Currency and Sterling with interest allowed at rates abiainable on application.
Hood The Bank's
Once in Londen undertakes Executor & Trusion busineW, and claims recovery of British Income TAX Overpaid, on terms which may be ascertained at any of its Agencies and Dranciies.
R. A CAMINOR,
Manager,
Thursday, MAY 9, 1940.
Go Empress
ONE MANAGEMENT DIRECT to North America and Europe!
EMPRESS LUXURY
Speed, neross the Pacific by luxurious Empress liners, then... Vieloria.,, stop over if you wish
and Vancouver In Canada's Evergreen playground. “
NEXT BAILING FROM HONGKONG
THIRD WEEK IN MAY
(Omitting Honolulu)
Fast through AIR CONDITIONED trains from ship's side at Vancouver take you through the Majestic Canadian Rockles--Lake Louise, Bank-600 miles of. travel through Marvelous Mountain Scenery. Niagara Falls and the Great Lakes can be included as optional routes on your coast-to-coast trip. Siop over anywhere you wish.
Then Montreal and Quebec, gay French-speaking cities on the famous St. Lawrence Seaway, and a quick crossing to Europe by one of Canadian Pacific's Atlantle Acet.
NEXT SAILING TO MANILA
THE SECOND WEEK IN MAY
For full information consult your travel agent
Union Building,
Hong Kong Telephone 20752.
or
Canadian Pacific
World's Greatest Travel
MAIDEN VOYAGE
THIS WEEK TO: SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES,
via SHANGHAI, JAPAN,
and
HONOLULU.
Sytiem
A few reservations still available for Shanghai only
--NEXT. VOYAGE THIRD WEEK IN. JULY.
Complete Information From Your Agent or: NIPPON YUSEN KAISYA
KING'S BUILDING
TELEPHONE 30291. General Passenger Agents in the Orlent for Cunard White Star Line
BURNS PHILP LINE
Passenger & Freight Service To
AUSTRALIA
We have a vessel sailing
for
Saigon
Madang
Salamaua
Rabaul Sydney and
Melbourne
about the
end of
May
Excellent passenger accommodation with a forgo numbar of single cabins at No supplement. Built-in Swimming Bath and Spacious Sports Dock.
•
Passenger & Freight Agents:
GIBB, LIVINGSTON & CO., LTD.
P. GO, Bldg.
Tol. 28031