Dr. Goebbels at Danzig Despite the Vatican's efforts at mediation,
the deadlock in Danzig continues. The Papal Nuncio in Poland left Warsaw for Rome on Sunday ; he can only report that so far neither Germans nor Poles show any signs of abandon- ing their irreconcilable positions. In a series of speeches at the annual rally of the Danzig Nazis at the week-end, Dr. Goebbels repeated the assurance that Danzig will return to the Reich ; in Herr Hitler's words, which he quoted, " Danzig is a German city and will come to Germany." Poland's reply is no less clear ; she will surrender neither political nor economic rights in the " Free City," and any attempt to realise Herr Hitler's promise will involve Ger- many in war. The most hopeful element in the situation is that Germany has set no time-limit for the realisation of her claim to Danzig ; the urgency of the demands will vary with the strength or weakness of the Peace Block. At the same time she is strengthening her position in relation to Poland. The non-aggression pacts with Lithuania and Latvia are steps in the " encirclement " of Poland towards the North ; the process may soon be further advanced in the South by the occupation of Slovakia, which will be a direct threat to Poland's industrial areas. It is hardly necessary now to emphasise that these tactical moves increase the urgent need of a Franco-British-Soviet alliance as the only means of giving Poland immediate assistance in an emergency.
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