The Return of Memel The return of Memel to the
Reich must be accepted as inevitable after Sunday's elections, in which the Germans, organised in the German Culture Union Party, claim to have won 28 out of 29 seats. The Party's programme, it was announced, would be published after the elections ; but the Germans' demand for complete autonomy has been altered to the slogan of "Back to the Reich." Two German divisions have been assembled on the Memel frontier ; and Lithuania has neither the will nor the power to resist the reversal of the act of injustice by which Memel was occupied by Lithuania in 1923. The guarantors of Memel's present status, which include Great Britain, France, Japan and Italy, who watched the wrong committed will not be greatly troubled at seeing it righted. Lithuania's only concern is to secure free use of the port of Memel ; this is likely to be granted, both as a reward for her weakness and because Memel's prosperity depends on the Lithuanian hinterland. The only doubt left is the precise date of the return to the Reich ; it is suggested that it will be chosen to allow the Memel deputies to attend the meeting of the Greater German Reichstag in January. Perhaps, on that occasion, Hitler will repeat, as after the Anschluss with Austria, and after Munich, that he has no further territorial demands in Europe.
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