1939-12-22 — Page 4

ORIGINS OF

THÈ CHINA MÀIL, DECEMBER 22, 1989

THE WAR

Revelations In Official French "Yellow Book'

STALIN'S BIRTHDAY

MOSCOW, TO-DAY.

THE SOVIET PRESS CONTAINED NO NEWS OF THE OPERATIONS IN FINLAND YESTERDAY, BUT DEVOTED LARGE TRACTS OF SPACE TO STALIN'S 60TH BIRTH-

DAY.

They grow quite poetic about him, his speaking in lyrical terms of "wisdom, ability and loveableness."

It is interesting to note in connec- tlon with the decoration of the Order

of

Lenin, highest order in

Soviet

CONGRESS OBDURATE

Wardha, To-day.

The working committee of the All-India National Congress has decided that Congress members should continue to abstain from attending the central legislature except so far as this is necessary to retain the party seats-Reu- ter.

LORD SHUTTLEWORTH PASSES AT 95

Lord Shuttleworth,

London, To-day.

friend a

of

UNCEASING BID FOR PEACE

BY FRENCH ENVOY

Paris, To-day.

AN OFFICIAL YELLOW BOOK, dealing with inter- national events from the end of September, 1938, to the beginning of the war, was published in Paris yesterday.

It

consists of six parts, namely, the Munich Agree- ment and its application, the Franco-German de- claration of December 6, the disappearance of Czecho-Slovakia, the German-Polish crisis, the Danzig affair and the international crisis.

Russia, which has been bestowed on Gladstone and a Member of the House The Book emphasises the unceasing efforts of

Stalin that the last recipient was of Commons under 12 Prime Minis- Nazi Foreign Minister Joachim von ters, died yesterday at the age of Ribbentrop. Reuter.

05.-Reuter.

French diplomacy for peace and the warning to Germany of the risks of German policy.

□□□□□□□□□□□□

A

of

large variety beautiful handkerchiefs both for ladies and gentlemen are now on display and for inspec- tion.

For Xmas Presents That Please

Handkerchiefs Are Best!

STORE OPEN TO-DAY TILL · 6.30 P.M.

SHANGHAI KERCHIEF STORE

THE ONLY BEST HANDKERCHIEFS SHOP

IN THE COLONY.

16B, Gloucester Building.

The preface consists of a list of a number of German pledges, all subsequently broken.

This is headed “words of honour"! The Book also describes · French peace efforts and tells how, intér alla, the Ambassador in Berlin, M. Coulondre, on February 25 gave Hitler his word of honour as a soldier that France would come to Poland's aid if the latter was attacked.

REFUSED IN WRITING Later, M. Coulondre brought Hit- ler a personal letter from Premier Daladier, and in the course of a re- markable interview, attempted to per- suade 'Hitler to accept a peaceful settlement. in Poland.

Hitler refused and confirmed the refusal in writing.

The Book also describes how Count Clano (the Italian Foreign Minister)-on-August-31-proposed a general conference,

Poland agreed but the German wireless in the evening announced

that Poland had rejected the terms, though Poland had never received

them.

COULONDRE'S WARNING

One of the most interesting docu- ments is the report of M. Coulondre on May 7,"revealing the prospect of a Russo-German understanding.

M. Coulondre said: **If the Fuehrer's intention is really to at- tempt a rapprochement with the So- viet, the question is how he intends to exploit this new policy.

"In my view, he may be getting advantages in three different ways.

"Firstly, by concluding with the Soviet a more or less tacit entente which assures him either of the benevolent neutrality of Russia in the event of conflict or even its complicity in the partition of Poland;

*

"Secondly, by exercising, by mere threat of rapprochement pressure at the same time on Japan and Poland, intended to induce the former to sign a military alliance and the latter to agree to the concessions demand- ed;

"Thirdly, by inducing the Western Powers threatened with German- Russian: cólinaion to accept certain Soviet demands to which Poland and Rumania would be opposed, and thus spoil the Allies' hand.” - -

"HITLER'S REAL-MIND? · Declaring it was Hitler" was plannis standing with the Soy diplomatic MINO

ain whether real under- merely a

Coulandre