1940-05-02 — Page 14

PAGE 4. -HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

Thursday, MAY 2, 1940.

"NACET

REOD. TRADEMARK

GOERING intervened with the Fuehrer...

fienderson liked Goering, “A man to whom one

could always speak absolutely frankly." Before war. Goering promised to send a special wreath It Sir Nevile got bombed in London,

GOERING

ACCUSES RIBBENTROP

YESTERDAY, Sir Nevile Henderson, British Ambassador in Berlin until the outbreak of war, revealed how Hitler cheated Chamberlain ́at their meeting at Godesberg.

TO-DAY, continuing his revelations concerning the Czech-German crisis of September, 1938, he tells of Sir Horace Wilson's mission; of a procession which changed the Fuchrer's mind; of a quarrel between Goering and Ribbentrop; and of Italy's eleventh-hour intervention.

ON Monday, September 26,

the Prime Minister sent Sir Horace Wilson to Berlin with a personal letter to Hit- ler.

In this, after stating that the German proposals, as they stood, had been rejected by the Czech Government, he again urged the Chancellor, since the difference was one of form and not of principle, to agree to negotiate rather than to resort to force.

He suggested a direct meel- ing between Czeclis with

Dr. Benes must ignominious fight.

be forced to

Late in the afternoon of Sep- tember 27 I had been advised by the Foreign Office by telephone that instructions were on their way to me for yet another com- munication to the Chancellor.

I

accordingly made arrange- ments to meet the State Secretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs at 11 that night, and handed to hi a note for immediate transla- tion and submission to Hitler,

It contained proposals, agreed to by the French

transmitted to Fragment und pressing Sudeten territories on

on the Dasis

of

the immediate transfer of the the Czech Government to agree to timetable guaranteed by His Majesty's Government.

When it was clear that Hitler's How war

determination to go to war wis quite inflexible, Sir H. Wilson suid that he was charged by the Prime Minister to give him a inessage to the following effect:

"If. in pursuit of her Treaty obligations, France became ac tively espaped ja hostilities against Germaup the United Kingdom would feel obliged to support her."

Hitler's answer Was that He could only take note of this com- munication, Germans and

It meant, he said, elected to attack that if France British re-

Germany, England felt obliged to presentative as intermediary.

attack Germany also.

Sir H. Wilson, accompanied by Kirkpatrick and myself, saw the Chancellor at 5 that afternoon. This interview niso was atorgny -and-unsatisfactory.

Herr Hitler could only wil dimeulty be persuaded to listen to the Prime Minister's feller,

At one point he shouted: "It is no use talking any more." and he moved to the door as I to leave the room.

Eventually he returned, and the conversation was resumed, but if was impossible to reach any „satis- factory conclusion.

On the same evening he mude a speech in the Sportpalast.

It contained a savage attack on personally, and in it be

Benes

finally burnt his boats by declaring that, if the Czech Government theniselves and not ceded nil the Sudeten lands by October, 1, Ger- many would occupy then by that date,

with himself as the Arst soldier of the Reich,

At the same time he male an appeni for British neutrality by friendly references to Mr. Cham- berlain's efforts for peace.

Chamberlain's

warning

Bir Horace

Wilson sit that night in the Embassy, and in the course of it received Instructions to deliver yet another personal mesange.

Therein Mr. Chamberlain, while acknowledging the references to himself in Hitler's speech, guar- anlord, if Germany refrained, from forco, lo see that the Czech under- talings, already given, would be carried out.

Sir H. Wilson accordingly saw Hitler for the second time at 12.15 on the morning of September 27,

He asked the Chancellor if, in the light of the Prime Minister's statement, ho could take any message back to London.

Hitler replied that the Czecho- Slovak Government had only two Свилен acceptance of the Ger- man-memorandum; or rejection.

In the course of this conversa- tion Hlifer shouted, savagely on two or three occasions: "Ich werde die Tschechen Zerschlagen," which Herr Schmidt, the Interpreter, faithfully translated ns: "I will smash-ah-sh the Czechs!"

He showed by fils demeanour that he was longing to chastise the Crechs for their insolence; bombs must fall on Prague; the Czecla army must be put to rout;

Sir H. Wilson attempted to re- fute this interpretation of his statement, but Hitler declined to be convinced.

Hitler gets lesson

a

"If France and England strike," he shouted, "let them do so. It is a matter of complete indifference to me. I am prepared for every eventuality, I can only take note of the position. It is Tuesday 10- dag, and by next Monday we shall all be at war."

On this depressing uote the in- terview ended.

Sir Horace flew back to London early the same afternoon. Never-, theless, his effect, und was offi- einig informed that night by the State Secretary that Hitler had ad- dressed, through the German Em- bassy in London, un immediate and important personal letter to the Prime Minister.

the

to this he attempted to justity his attitude, and begged Mr. Chamberlain to continue to use his good offices.

Therein he gave

Prime Minister the definite nasutrance which he was so cynically to disre gard six months later, to the effect tat, once the Sudeten Germans were incorporated in the Reich, he would cease to be interested in the Czechs and would do nothing to In- fringe their independence.

A chance

ance episode had, as I hap- pens, produced salutary revul- sion In Hitler's mind.

day

In the afternoon of that Tues- mechanised division had streets of rumbled through the Berlin and up the Wilhehnstrasse past the Chancellor's window and

those of the Embasitler stood at

For three hours.

his window and, watched it pass. The Germans love military display, but not a single Individual in the streets applauded its passage.

The picture which it repre- sented was almost that of a log- ille Army Dansing through a con- quered city,

Hitler was deeply impressed.

At that moment, he realised for the first time that the cheern of hin sycophants were far from repre- senting the true spirit and feelings of the German people.

·These extracts are taken from the book by Sir Naulle Henderson entitled "Failure of a Mission," published by Mesara. Hodder & Stoughton, Ltd.

postponed

was

The first Artus were to be

on handed over

October 1, und the creation of an international boundary commission for the set- flement of details was also sug- gested.

The proposals went for to meet Hitler's demands, and in the end they constituted the main busts of the final settlement at Munich.

With faint hope, I retired to bed the Tuesday night realising new intervened, that, if nothing the announced general mobilisa- tion of the German army would take place the following day n 2 p.m.

on

Since the army was already -concentrated-and-mobilised, – In- effect this meant the beginning of the march luto Crecko-Slova- kla.

I was aroused at 7 the next morning (Wednesday) by M. Francois-Poncet, the French Am- bassador, who informed me by telephone that his instructions to make a similar communication to mine had reached him at 4 an

Tires hours Jaler, at 10 am., he Fang me up again to say that he feared the worst, since he had had no answer to his request for art audience and probably would not now receive one.

1 told him that I would come and see him at 10.30.

I then asked to be put into com- munication with Gorring by tele- phone, and was able to get into Inmedinte touch with him. Fortu nately the telephone was working

KIBBENTROP

was accused by

Goering of in-

elling to war.

Henderson found Goebbels "the most intelli- gent of all the Nazl leaders” und was "charmed both by the natural fluency of his manner of speaking and his extremely agreeable voice."

Sir Nevile Henderson

At a meeting of Hitler and his advisers there had been some plain speaking, in which Goering had vehemently accused Ribbentrop of Inciting to war,

Among other things, it was re- lated that Goering shouted that he know what war was and he did not want to go througly it again,

If, however, the Fuchrer auid "March," he would go himself in the first and leading neroplano. All that he insisted upon was at Ribbentrop should be in the seat next to him.

He did say this, sumething like it, but it was not in the Fuchrer's presence.

But I believe that did call Ribbentrop on that occasion criminal fool."

Nor, of the various factors which ̄induced ̄ ̄Hitler to abandon-his- idea of a Czech war, was Goering's intervention the least important.

Then came the Poncet interview, in the middle of which, at 11.40 a.m., Hitler left the room to see the Italian Ambassador, who had arrived with a preliminary urgent appeal from Mussolini for the post- ponement of the so-called general mobilisation for twenty-four hours.

The Italian intervention prayed the final and decisive factor for peace. It enabled Hiller to climb. down without losing face.

ww

His first remark to me when I him at 12.15, Iminediately after Poneet, was: "At the request of my great friend and ally, Mus- solini, 1 have postponed mobilising my troops for twenty-four hours,"

well everywhere on that critical Mussolini

day.

I began to describe the pro- posals, but Goering cut me shori. "You need not," he saki, "say a word more. I am going im mediately to see the Fuehrer,"

I then went round to see the French Ambassador, and while we were discussing the new proposals message came from the Reichs- chancellery that Hitler would see Francois-Poncet at 11.15.

Simultaneously brought round to me at the French Embassy a telegram from London, instructing me to give immediate- ly a final personal message from the Prime Minister to Hitler him-

self.

Becretory

Its gist was that, after reading Hitler's letter of the previous evening, Mr. Chamberinia was stil convinced that Germany could ob- tain her essential requirements without resort to war, and that he was ready to come to Berlin at once himself in order to discuss the whole question with Hitler and with representatives of France and Italy.

at

Did Hitler, it concluded, wish to take the responsibility starling a world war for the, pake of a few days' delay in settling the problem?

It is worth recalling the exact sequence of events on that 'eritfeni day. Goering went to see Hitler between 19.13 and. 11.15 and, wan joined there by Neurath, who had forced his way in uninvited,

Both were in favour of a prace- ful solution by negotiation.

intervenes

en-

Before uctually seeing Hitler himself, I had, however, realised that the situniion had inken 와 turn for the better. When 1 tered the Chancellery, there was n atmosphere of relief in the faces. of the less bellicose of the crowd of Nazi soldiers and alden-de-camp who filled the hall,

One friend of mine whispered in my ear: "It is going better: only stick to it”

Instalment

reached the Relehschancellery that

• morning.

Pence had been ensured when Hitler

zero

agreed at Mussolini's IC- quest

at 11.40 0.m.-exactly two hours and twenty minutes before hour-to postpone his 50- called general mobilisation.

[Copyright In all countries Reproduction in whole or in part strictly prohibited.]

To-morrow:

Munich the Pogroms -Hitler disobeys his Voice -Heil, Jekyll and Hydel

BANKS

"THE-CHARTERED-BANK-OF INDIA, AUSTRALIA & CHINA, Incorporated by Royal Charter 1833 Paid-up Capital .....

£3,000,000 Reserva Liability of Proprietors #3,000,000 Reserve Fund

HEAD OFFICE:--LONDON. 38 Dishopsgate, E.C.1. Bub-Agencies in London: 117/12, Leadenhall Street, E.C.J. West End Branch:

14/16, Cockspar Street, 8.W.1. Manchester Branch:

52, Mosley Street, Manchester, 2. AGENCIES AND BRANCHES:

Harbin

Alor Star

Ampliar

Hongkong

Ipoh

Tolo

Karachi

Tangoon

Saigon

Semarang

Beremban

Klang. Kabo Kunla

Shanghai

Bangkok Batavia

Borabay

Calcutta

Singapore

Agencies:

Sitiawan

Clive Street

Sourabaya

Fairle Place

Lungur

Taiping

Kuching Madras

Tientsin

Tongkah

Manlia

(Phuket)

Medan

Tsingtao

New York

Yokohama

Pelping

(Peking)

Canton Cawnporn Cebu Colombo

Delh!

Haiphong Hamburg Hankow

Penang

FOREIGN EXCHANGE and General Banking Business transacted.

CURRENT ACCOUNTS opened and FIXED DEPOgrts received for One Year or sharter periods in Local or Other Cur rencies at rates which will be quoted on application.

BAVINGS ACCOUNTS also opened in Local Currency and Sterling with interest allowed at rates oblainable on application. "The Bank's Itead Ofice in London undertakes Executor & Trustee business. and claims recovery of British Income Tax overpaid, an terma which may be ascertained at any of its Agencies and Branches.

R. A. CAMIDGE.

Journal.

I was at once ushered into Hit- ler's Cabinet room, where I met Goering and Neurath on their way of the

out.

I rave Hitler the Prime Minis-Hongkong

ter's message, and his reply was

that he must consult again with Fisheries

Mussolini before giving me a de- finite answer.

We discussed fairly amicably the latest proposals of the French and British Governments, and the Chancellor, though a little distrait, was not unreasonable.

My Interview with him, which lasted over an hour, was also In- terrupted by a second visit from the Italian Ambassador, this time to say that Mussolini himselt was prepared to, nccept the British pro posals for a Four Power mealing. which had been telegraphed to: Rome,

1

--

Research Station

Manager.

Edited by

- Dr. G. A. C. Herklats

Now on Sale

at

Morning Post Building. But, as a matter of fact, every Pricë. $3.00.

thing...was wailini bafora.. ever. 1.

“NACET"

BLADES

FOR

THREE

PEG

RAZORS

MADE IN ENGLAND

Nacct's achievement in produc- Ing a low-priced blade of con- sistently fine quality has been a land-mark in the history of shaving. It has brought within the reach of thousands, the luxury of a daily shave, perfect in its smoothness and keenness, without adding in the least, to their annual "expenditure on blades.

HA

Dino at the

Parisian Grill

Good Food Fine Wines

DINNER & DANCE MUSIC

by

The Blue Danube Trio

Go Empress

ONE MANAGEMENT.DIRECT

to North America and Europe!

"EMPRESS LUXURY

Open till 1 a.m.

Speed across the Pacifle by luxurious Empress liners, then Victoria, stop over if you wish and Vancouver In Canada's Evergreen playground.

NEXT SAILING FROM HONGKONG

THIRD WEEK IN MAY (Omitting Honolulu)

Fast through AIR CONDITIONED trains from ship's aide at Vancouver inke you through the Majestic Canadian Rockies-Lake Louise, Banff-600 miles of travel through Marvelous Mountain Scenery. Niagara Falls and the Great Lakes can be included as optional routes on your const-to-coast trip. Stop 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-Atlántic fleet,

NEXT SAILING TO MANILA

THE SECOND WEEK IN MAY

For full information consult your travel agent,

Union Buliding,

Hong Kong Telephone 20752.

or

Canadian Pacific

World's Greatest Travel System

MAIDEN VOYAGE

FIVE DAY EXCURSION TO MANILA Leaving Hongkong

EARLY MAY

Using the ship as your Hotel during Overnight

AT MANILA

ALSO: SECOND WEEK IN MAY THIS NEW VESSEL TO: SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES,

via

SHANGHAI,

JAPAN,

and HONOLULU

A Fow reservations stili, availablo for Shanghai only NEXT VOYAGE THIRD WEEK IN JULY

Complete Information From Your Agent or: NIPPON YUSEN KÄISYA

KING'S BUILDING

TELEPHONE 30291. General Passenger Agents in the Orient for Cunard White Star Line