■ -? ^ sfj?. Good evening, everybody:- let»s see what's happening at Danzig* Events at that old Baltic seaport might cause war to flare out at any hour. It's the immediate cause of the quarrel, and right now Danzig is the focus of danger. ^Today the Danzig Nazis elevated their leader, Albert \ Forster, to the official position of Fuehrer^ HeTs been called \ the Danzig Fuehrer all along, but that was something of a figure of speech. Now he takes the official position, and that may be construed as a beginning of a possible anschluss. Itfs cjuite possible that Hitler will start with no armed move in the direction of Danzig. The city itself might take action in joining Germany, Would that civic action mean war? Poland says it would. Warsaw was breathing defiance today, and announced that any Danzig -Anschluss would start the fighting. There were immediate Polish protests against the elevation of the Danzig Fuehrer, troops crossed the Polish border. However it seems to be no more than a case of frontier violation*, such as might cause troubke.^ It is reported that at one point a German patrol marched a mile into Polish territory, and occupied an agrarian estate. There Another bit of news has a most menacing sound German LEAD-2 are other incidents of reported shooting at Poles. The Warsaw Government has sent a diplomatic complaint to Berlin protesting against these incidents. ^he Germans in turn charge that Polish patrols have crossed the border into Germany/^ The picture is one of armed activity, the sort of feverish excitement that often precedes war. ^France is virtually mobilized?^ More reservists were called to the army today, the mobilization of millions of troops carried out as fast as transportation will permit. And the French Government today advised people to get out of Paris as far as possible, telling them to leave whenever they can--before military movements monopolize the railway service. This is taken to be the beginning of an evacuation of Paris, which will be KK&iE made as complete as possible if war should break. There are five million people in the area of greater Paris—and a tremendous exodus it would be. In London today a permanent blackout was ordered, lights out every night. They won't wait for the air raiders to come. Night will be pitch-black as a regular wartime thing in LEAD-5 London. ihe ominous likelihood of war is seen in an order given to British ships of every description, mobolizing passenger boats, cruise steamers, all sorts. Why are they being gathered? To transport a British expeditionary force to France on short notice. The British fleet is in war position, blocking the entrance of the Baltic. Britain is determined to fight if Hitler should take any action in the Danzig affair. That was made clear in London \ tyi/V today TajL-jerrerated’ sfratoaonto*-—world-wide radio address by Foreign Minister Viscount Halifax.... !I8 declared with the utmost A A emphasis that Britain will back up Poland to the extent cf war* C HAMBER LA IN- WAR PERIL xhe menacing state of world affairs was presented in formal and stately fashion in London today—in the solemn and portentous proceedings of the British House of Commons. Parliament so hastily summoned to special session to face the crisis, met today in an atmosphere of the gravest tension. And immediately the Prime Minister rose and related to the Commons the'' dark and threatening danger. He used four ominous words— 9 began "imminent peril of war"./ He^tagsao^ his address by telling the Parliament that at this moment Great Britain stands—in imminent peril of war/ No less ominous was his statement of what Hitler wantsf* a free hand in Eastern Europe/ The Nazi Fuehrer in a tense scene with the British Ambassador in Berlin made the outright and drastic demandi** "Great Britain has no business in eastern Europe," he shouted. "If any nation interferes with German action in eastern Europe, that nation will be responsible for tne outbreak of war,he told the Ambassador. He said Germany would act as it pleased toward Poland, British guaranty or no British gmami guaranty~a free hand. This, declared Chamberlain, Great Britain could not allow—being pledged It CHAMBERLAIN-WAB P3RIL-2 to defend Poland, pledged in such solemn fashion there could be no backing down. Chamberlain added another foreboding statement_ ready for war. These are his words—"In a condition of complete readiness for war." The aged Prime Minister, speaking In tones of emotion, faced the war peril squarely, visioned It in all its sombre horror. He spoke of it in these phrases:- "a struggle which is bound to be fraught with suffering and misery for all mankind, and the end of which no man can foresee." He referred to Danzig, the immediate point at Issue—the question of that city threatening a world catastrophe. "We shan't be fighting for the political future of a far away city in a £ hx ± foreign land," he protested. "We shall be fighting," he said, "for the preservation of those principles, the destruction of which would involve the destruction of all possibilities of peace and security, for the peoples of the world." And he added this most pertinent declaration: "We have a united country behind us," cried Chamberlain. That statement seemed to be accurate Indeed. The parliamentary opposition dfc hitherto so bitterly critical of n HAMBER LA IN - WAR P3RIL - 3 Charaberlain policies, lined up solidly with the Prime Minister today -- and that was parliamentary evidence of a United Great Britain confronting Nazi Germany. ^There was little y opposition to the bill the Prime Minister introduced — a bill with the gravest of meanings, Parliament asked to decree emergency pov/ers for war,yvirtually a wartime dictator- ship. quickly voted those dictatorial war powers. And the bill was also immediately passed by House of Lords. Then the King placed the great seal All done with astonishing speed. the on the bill. CI iAMBER LA IN RUSSIAN-FQLLOW GIIAKBKR T. A T w y/AR PERIL One part of the Chamberlain address to the fcMSMMxaf House of Commons today touched upon that most delicate if not embarrassing subject—the German Soviet treaty, that colossal surprise, one of the most dramatic bits of double-dealing in history* Chamberlain told the Commons about it in grave, reserved words, words that it is interesting to repeat. He used the terras—"unpleasant surprise” and "bombshell," Here’s what he told the Commons; "I do not attempt to conceal from the House," said he, "that the announcement came to the Government as a surprise of a very unpleasant character." He spoke of the long negotiations for a British and French military alliance with the Soviets, and said that the British and French military missions had been sent to Moscow at the suggestion of Soviet Premier and Foreign Minister Molotov. "The British mission arrived on August seventh," Chamberlain related. "They were warmly received^in friendly fashion. The discussions were actually in progress on a basis of mutual trust," he continued, "when this bombshell was flung." The Prime Minister added that it was highly, disturbing to learn that Stalin was negotiating with the British and French missions out CHAH3EKLAIN RUSGIAN-FOLLQW CHAIv'IBERLAIN YfAR PERIL“2 ■ in the open and at the sane time was secretly making a deal with Hitler. But he restrained his indignation and was cautious and reserved in talking about the great double-deal. "I do not propose this afternoon,” he told the Commons, "to pass any final judgment on this incident." ^The terms of the Hitler-Soviet treaty, the -ftewp gives are even stronger than had been supposed. There ’ s.non- A ■aggression, as we * * Soviets agreeing--net to attack^oneh^ otAter,. But the clauses of the treaty go so far as to provide that neither nation shall join with any group of powers opposing the other, even with diplomatic co-operation^^Nobody seems able to guess how closely Hitler and Stalin are now linked^ |one graphic scene was witnessed today ^ in Berlin. A crowd of German Nazis, dozens of them, went to the Soviet Embassy and rang the doorbell. They were admitted and walked in solemnly. In the anti-chamber they shouted all together "Heil Moscow."^ Then they turned and silently departed. You could hardly symbolize more vividly the strange transformation, which still has the world mystified INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL KRTVIT3KY Several times during recent weeks I have mentioned a sensational series of articles in the Saturday Evening Post.*- The revelations of General Krivltsky, a former commander in the Red Army, Tonight the General is sitting beside me. He has only been in this country a few months. He fled here, fled from $% x ± m Stalin. Only a ago he was one of ,y -A Rt^i^n £&nes*ic§ in charge of Military Intelligence In Europe, one of the heads of the Stalin Secret Service. Now, a hunted man. Here are just a few of the highlights from his career: A member of the Communist party In Russia since 1919. At the age of twenty he was put in the Secret Service. In 1923 Ruhr;—arrd-^o“Germany^^/f In X926 he-was given the rank of commander of a brigade* In 1928 give** special honors by Yice-Commfear of rfar^. Kamenev, AFor years he did Secret Service work in Ea?s^e>--Sw4^®e«*4h»4T--5%a4y--cnd^ In 1931, rai-e«d^o^he-^raiik-^ Commander of a Division. Two years later m#** Director of^Russian War Industries Institute, And since 19S5 he had been one of the top ranking Generals INTRO TO GENERAL KBIVITSKY 2 "" ^ . ■ of the twwua- Russian Kost of you have reafi his startling articles. And now, for the first time he is going to sneak, over the radio, not in Russian, T.hone. /v. L.T.: General KriTitsky, how is your English? GENERAL KRIYIT3KY; Not so good^Mr. Lowell Thomas. Or,not so ^ hot, as you say over here. But, I hope your vest radio audience will be able to understand me. L.T.: General, did the news ■& of this non-aggression pact between Hitler and Stalin come as a surprise to you? GENERAL KR1YITSKY: In the first place, I would not call it a "non-aggression pact". It Is much nearer *± an alliance than that. And, It is the most menwntia>»document since the A* A signing of the Versailles Treaty. L.T. You mean it really will bring about a fundamental change In the balance of power? Gl'NERAL KKITTTSKY: It will indeed. And here is something that may surprise you: This pact has been in preparation for years. Ever since Hitler came into power Stalin is. has been trying to INTRO TQ GENERAL KFiyiTSinr - 3 come to terms with him* It is the fullfiIlment of *s old ambition -- to bring Germany and Russia together, L jl IL il * you mean that Stalin has beec misleading the civilized world all this time? GENERAL, KRI TIT SKY: That must be dear now to 'everybody, 'The Swaocracies had been judging Stalin by his words. Hitler and Mussolini wisely had been judging hi® by his deeds. They Rtiew that he was building fascism in Russia. Now, alas, everybody knows that Stalin is really a totslarian Dictator, Recently Stalin realized that his power, his hold on Russia, would be destroyed in ease of a major war. This agreement with Hitler gives him a new grip on Russia, fxl Furthermore, Stalin thinks he has everything to gain from Hitler. He exrects now that Germany * s technical aid and efficiency will lead the muddled Stalin economy out of its blind alley. L,T. ; So, you look u^on this non-aggression pact, as a great deal more t!:^n a political instrument, General F'rivitsky? INTRO TO GENERAL KRIVITSKY - 4 GENERAL KBIVITSPIY: I do. In fact, this pact is a platform of Stalin - Nazi collaboration*, a plan for Germany and Russisato work together In all fields and for s long time to come, it would be sn exceedingly grave mistake If the peoples of the world were to under-estimste this historic event. L.T.: Many thanks to you General Krlvitsky for giving us your slant on the news that Is now the topic of conversation from one end of this earth to the other. PEACE In all tiie clamour of threatening war, the word peace was^heard today. There was little of it in tte Prime Minister’s address to the Commons, Just one fervent phrase: "We .stilly hope that reason and sanity will find a way to reassert themselves," said Chamberlain almost in the tone of a prayer. nations involved in the And;that word peace was flashed by the President of the United States, in an appeal to the sovereign head of one of the tb [ ^Italy, |President Roosevelt sent a personal message to King Victor Emanuel in behalf of the maintenance of peace, asking the Italian Monarch to use his good offices to avert war"It is my belief and that of the American people," said the President, "that ^ bhx Your Majesty and yarwr-sr Your Majesty’s Government can avert the outbreak of war." The President, addressing the Italian King, then enunciated a doctrine. One wonders how this presidential thEKXjc theory will sound to the ears of Victor Emanuel’s own Mussolini and Germany’s Hitler. "We accept the fact," said the President, "that nations have an absolute right to maintain tneir independence if they so desire." (Page Haile Selassie of Ethiopa, PEACE-2 King Zog of *iac Albania, Sohussnigg of Austria and Benes of C zecho Slovakia President Roosevelt made a direct plea for Italian intervention in these words:- "Were it possible/' said he, "for Your Majesty’s Government to formulate a proposal for a pacific solution of the present crisis, you are assured of the earnest sympathy of the United States.” the Yatiean. J For months Pope Pius the Twelfth has been laboring to avert this very crisis which is at hand. Today the Pontiff spoke out by radio to the peoples of this troubled globe: ”A grave hour is about to sound for the great European family,” said he. And he implored the nations in these terms: "Wars of the future will only be causes for bloodshed and the destruction of our fatherlands. ^We pray, said Pope Pius, "that the rulers may make their utmost efforts for peace#" He spoke not only to the rulers but to all men who may have any Pontiff spoke over the air waves, "the politicians, soldiers A call for peace was addressed to the whole world from writers, radio announcers and all others who may have PEACE-3 | authority over thoughts and actions of their brothers,"') It was I X ) a solemn appeal in a solemn hour—and may the prayer £xx of the Roman Pontiff be answered, ^ i ■ j| r : r r ' O