24 MAY 1935, Page 3

The Week in Parliament Our Parliamentary correspondent writes : Members

are sharply divided on the significance of Herr Hitler's speech. There is a minority who see in it -nothing but a very astute move to play off England against France. They contend that the Fiihrer has accurately gauged the extent of pro-German sympathy in this country and has been at pains to play up to it.. They further argue that he has been warned by his General Staff that Germany is not ready for war and that his speech indicates merely that he is playing for time. The great majority, however, are prepared .to accept the pronouncement at its lace value. To them it appears an advance on anything which Hitler has yet said. They attach particular importance to his declaration that he will not violate the demilitarized zone, and they point out that he has abandoned his original intention of claiming an air force equal to that of both France and Russia, and now pro- claims himself as content with parity. with his strongest Western neighbour. They are insistent that the Govern- ment must do everything in their power to prevent these proposals receiving the same fate as did those of April, 1934, and being instantly sabotaged by France. The. view of the majority of the House is that in all the circum- stances Hitler could hardly have made a more conciliatory or more helpful speech.

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