1940-05-10 — Page 14

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PAGE 4-HONGKONG. TELEGRAPH.

Sir Nevile Henderson

INSTALMENT

17

The storm breaks over Europe as Hitler decides that it shall be war.

As German troops and warplanes are Nevile Henderson, into Poland, Sir

flung

Britain's Ambassador in Berlin, warns Hitler that unless the troops are withdrawn Britain will go to the aid of Poland.

But no reply is forthcoming.

And so, once again, Britain was at war with Germany

DURING August 31 there has been much activity on the part of Field-Marshal Goering. I think thut Goering him- self would have preferred

but peaceful solution,

in

matters such as these it was Hitler's decision which alone counted: and whatever Goer- ing might feel, he was merely the loyal and submissive ser- vant of his master.

Moreover, as I have already de- scribed, he had come down. de- finitely on the side of peace a year before, and it may have bren limeuit for him to adopt this course a second time,

He invited me, however, to come and sce him that afternoon, and I did so at 5 p.m. in company of Sir G. Ogilvie-Forbes.

As I had heard that the text of the proposals which Ribbentrop has refused to give me was to be broadcast on the radio that even- ing, my first remark was to point oul to the Ficid-Marshal that this procedure would probably and Anally wreck the last prospect of peace. peace.

I begged him to do his utmost to prevent their publication,

he that Goering's reply Was could not intervene, and that the German Government felt obliged to broadcast their proposals to the world in order to prove their "good faith."

Final but

forlorn hope

He talked for the best part of two hours of the iniquities of the Poles and of Hitler's and his own desire for friendship with England, and of the beneft to the world in general and the advantage to Eng- land In particular of such friendship.

A

worst from the

It augured the fact that he was in a position at such a moment to give nie so much of his time.

He had a few days before been made president of the new Ger- mវាគ

nan Defence Counell for the Reich

War (or Cabinet), and he could scarcely have afforded at such a moment to spare time tu conver-

that. sation, if it did not mean everything, down to the last detail,

was now ready for action.

My general impression of this

lasi talk with Goering was that

12

constituted a final but forlorn

effort on his part to detach Britain from the Poles.

Nevertheless, the Field-Marshal seemed sincere when, having been called to the telephone, ne returned to tell us that M. Lipski was on his

way to see Ribbentrop.

lie seemed relieved and to hope was only that, provided contact

might after alt established, war prove unnecessary.

The meeting with the Polish Ambassador proved, however, quite futile.

M. Lipskl stated that he was act- ing solely in his capacity as an Ambassador without plenary powers to discuss or to negotiate.

Travesty

of the facts

He handed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs a brief commun!- cation to the effect that the Poilsi Government were weighing favour ably the proposal of His Majesty's Government for direct discussion, and that a formal answer in this matter would be communicated to in the the German Government immediate future.

did not ask for the German He di proposals, and Ribbentrop did not them to him. Their

offer to fosted but a low minutes,

meeting

When the Polish Ambassador, after his Interview, attempted once more to telephone to his Clover- ment, he found that it was longer possible for him to do so.

Hitler had, in fact, chosen this moment to precipitate the conflict. He did not want direct negotia

Henderson left Berlin with staff and pet. dachshund Hippy on the morning of September 4 on a special train. The train was delayed for, some 18 hours.

ZERO HOUR

IN BERLIN

tions with the l'ofes. It was 'zerp hour.

In the early hours of Septem ber 1, without any declaration of war, the German army crossed the frontier, and the German ole force proceeded to bomb the Polish aero- dromes and lines of communica- tion.

of the Staff left their normal re- sidences and were concentrated in the Adlon Hotel next door or in the Embassy itself.

September 2 was a day of sus- pense. The Poles were, it wDE TO- brave re- ported, putting up a sistance in the face of surprise and overwhelming numbers,

No reply was received from the German Government throughoul the day to the British and French warnings.

Italy's last

lat peace effort

re-

In accordance with Hitler's usua!. technique everything was then done by the German authorities to prove to the German public that It was the

the Poles who had been the aggressors instead of the aggressed. Goering sent me a message to say that the Polts had begun the war by blowing up the bridge, across the Vistula ut Dirchau, while Hitler himself issued a proclama- tion to the German army declar- ing that the Polish State had fused the settlement which he offered and had appealed to arms. Every German newspaper re-

husl The Italian Ambassador peated the lie that it was the Poles

come to see me at midday on his who had begun the fighting.

Finally, at 10:30 m, Hitler mel-way to-the-Ministry for Foreign.

had

been which the Reichstag. summoned for that hour, and similarly announced to sembled Delegates been "forced to take up arms in defence of the Releh."

the that he had

It was a deliberate travesty of the facis, and never can there have been, or ever be, a case of more premeditated and carefully planned aggression.

10

Late that same evening I was Instructed by Lord Halifax notify the German Government that the latter by their action. had treated conditions which called for the implementation by the Govern- ments of the United Kingdom and France of their undertaking to come to Poland's assistance.

A day

of

suspense

Unless His Majesty's Govern- inent received satisfactory assur- afices that the German Govern- ment had suspended all aggressive action and would be prepared to withdraw their forces from Polish territory. His Majesty's Govern- ment would, without fulfil their obligations to Poland.

In the meantime the Italian Government was making one last effort to save the sliuation.

Affairs.

Signor Attolico told me that he must know one thing immediately. Was the communication which I hud made the previous evening to Herr von Ribbentrop an ultimatum or not?

I told His Execilency that I had been authorisexi to tell the Minis- ter for Foreign Affairs If he had asked me-which he had not done that it was not an ultimatum but a warning.

I mentioned to Signor Attolleo that I understood that the Batian Government were putting forward a suggestion for the censation of hostilities and the immediate sum- of the moning of n conference Interested Powers,

In this connection I said that 1 felt bound to express the opinion that such a proposal would never be entertained unless at the same time all the German troops were withdrawn from Polish territory. I urged him to press for this.

Only two

hesitation, solutions

I was instructed at the same time to request an immediate reply, and was authorised, if asked, to explain that this communication was in the nature of a warning, and was not to be considered as an ulti- matum.

I handed this communtention In writing to the Minister for Foreign Affairs at 0.30 that evening.

Ribbentrop received it without other comment than that the sole blame rested on the Poles,

He made no inquiry as to the communica- exact nature of the tion, but merely said that he must Bubmit it to the Fuchrer.

I told him that I realised that this would be available at whatever hour he might be in a position to the Reichschancellor's give me reply,

The French Ambassador, who

to mike had been instructed similar communication, did so Im- mediately after me and received A reply on the same lines.

Early in the afternoon

ot that

Í hnd in accordance with Lord Halifax's Instructions, am- clally requested the United States to be good Charge d'Affaires enough to take charge of British Interests in the event of war.

All ciphers and confidential do cuments were burnt, and the whole

The Ambassador retorted that I could not speak for my Govern- but ment. I admitted that fact, said that I could not imagine the possibility of ourselves, and much less of the Poles, agreeing to any lesser course.

There had never been, in fact, for Itter but the two solutions: the use of force, or the achieve. ment of life aims by the display of foret.

ber

Late in the afternoon of Septem- 10 the communicated 2 I Secretary of State for the infor- mation of the German Government the verbatim report of the Prime Minister's speech in the House of Commons on that date.

Therein Mr. Chamberinin stated that while His Majesty's Govern- the to not agree ment could proposal of the Italian Government for a conference while Poland was being subjected to invasion, they would be willing, if the Germon forces were withdrawn from Polish ferritory, to regated the position as being the same as before the forces had crossed the frontier.

It was the last chance of avalding the great catastrophe of war at the last minute, but the

Government German silent.

remained

I present our

ultimatum

was

At 4 aan. on September 3, 1 was accordingly Instructed by His Majesty's Government to arrange for a meeting with the Minister

am. for Foreign Affairs al

There

some dimeulty in the with contact establishing Ministry at that hour, but I was Anally informed that Dr. Schnidt was authorised by the Minister to accept on His Excellency's behalf my communication which I might make to him.

Dr. 1 "accordingly hunded to Sclunit at 9 a.m. precisely, the Bnal ultimatum from His Majesty's Government, pointing out that over twenty-four hours had elapsed since I had requested an immediate answer to our warning communien-- tion of September 1,

As no reply from the German Government was vouchsafed by 11 u.m., the German representative

our special train as far as Rotter- durn.

13

My fast official communication to the Germon Government. was note which I presented on the of His Majesty's instructions Government inquiring whether the German Government would observe the provisions of the Geneva Pro- tocol of

1025

prohibiting the use in war of asphyxinting, polsunous or

her at warfare.

and of bacteriological methods

The German Government later repiled to this through the Swiss Minister in London giving the re quired assurance on the under- standing that His Majesty's Govern- ment would similarly observe the provisions of the Protocol.

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

TO-MORROW

The curtain falls -

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in Londen was informed in due MEDICATED JELL

course at that hour that a state of war existed between. Britain und Germany.

By ten minutes past 11 am. every British consular offer in Germany had been advised by the staff of His Majesty's Embassy at Bertin that this was the case.

History will judge

Shortly after 11 an. I received

u final message from Ribbentrop usking me to call upon him at unce.

I did so at 11.30, and he lost no time in giving me on this peen- slon a lengthy document to read, beginning with a refusal on the part of the German people to accept any demands in the nuture of an ultimatum made by the British Government, and stating that any aggressive action by Eng- land would be answered with the same weapons and the same form. The rest of the document was pure propagandu, destined pre- sumably for home and neutral

view

at- to consumption, with a tempting to prove to the German people and the world generally that it was Britain alone which was to blame for everything which hud happened.

My only comment on reading this completely false representa- ilon of events was: "It would be left to history to judge where the blame really lay."

Ribbentrop's answer was to the effect that history had already proved the facts, and that nobody had striven harder for peace and good relations with England, thari Herr Hitler and done.

His last remark to me was that he wished me personally good, to which I could only reply that I deeply regretted the failure of all my efforts for pence, but that I vore no grudge against the German people,

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·a

EVERYWHERE

These extracts were taken from the bool: by Sir Nevlle Hender

cntitled "Folture of Mission, published by Mesurs: Hodder & Stoughton, Ltd.

Saturday, May 10, 1940.

DANDRUFF

was

checked -hair stopped

coming out

Dandrull? Do careful—that's the first sign of approaching hale starvation. And fair slarva. tion sooner or lator lends to hair falling. *thinning out top”—and bak·Horse. Check the trouble at the afact-giro your hair the natural food it is erving. Olive It Silveria.

How Silvikrin grows hair Bilvikrin is the result of years of patient research by the famous biologist Dr. Weldner. Ha found that the hate's natural food (which it should got from the bloodstream) consists of fourleen distinct organic compounds. And ho

those fourteen, aurecoded in putting up exactly Nature's proportions, in Silviksin. When

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they were enthusiastic. They proved that Suvikrin does grow hair-clears up dandruff. prevents hale falling, and if the Foot is alive, actually takes now hair grow. Una of the most famous doctors who tested it was Professor Potland, the Austrian dermatologiet of Craz University whose report was sweeping in its praise, and is quoted la the booking with overy Bilvikrin bottle.

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Figlit out the

DOS DE VODI ĮVAI

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this thei

shirikia L

Deus Mr. Forth's letter belase, i photograph above shows what Silvikrin has done for his hair.

Dear Bir

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