Paris, Dec. 3.
It was the last conversation at Bertesgaden between Reichfuehrer Hitler and M. Andre Francois-Poncet, then French Ambassador to Berlin and now envoy in Rome, that led to final negotiations upon the Franco-German "non-aggression" Declaration which is to be signed here on Tuesda; The idea of a declaration similar to that signed by Herr Hitler and the British Premier, Mr. Neville Chamberlain on September 30 was then and there studied by the two men. And the text of the projected declaration was practically agreed upon when Herr Ernst von Rath, Third Secretary in the German Embassy in Paris, was murdered.
Following the von Rath killing and the anti-Semitic wave of persecution in the Reich, an atmosphere little favourable to further parleys was created. But the arrival in Berlin of M. Robert Coulondre, new French Ambassador, resulted in a resumption of parleys.
The declaration is embodied in three points, which constitute a pact of non-aggression, assuring mutual frontier guarantees, and which foresee consultations between the two countries in the event of the threat of war arising between them. Furthermore, each country may continue to maintain its present system of alliances.
France Adheres to Points of Policy France is continuing to base her policy upon collaboration with Britain and is retaining her treaty with Soviet Russia and Poland. German remaining faithful to the policies of the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo triangle The Reich's Press now claims th to calm Italian apprehensions in some quarters in Rome, C should make her stand clear upon the last-named point, Political quarters declare that the declaration is important above all because of its psychological significance, since it registers the two countries' desire for appeasement rather than any reversal of former policies.
Herr von Ribbentrop, who is to sign the Declaration, will stay in Paris slightly more than two days. He will have a suite of several State officials Lengthy conversations with French Ministers are expected.
Competent quarters believe that the Government will also try to discover whether the Reich intends to support Italian claims in the Mediterranean, and other informed quarters declare that Herr von Ribbentrop, on his part, will seek to take up economic ques tions outstanding between France and Germany since the Reich is now trying to organise "the extension of markets for German goods in Central Europe-"—Havas.
5,000 Out of Catalonia by Next Week Geneva, Dec. 4.
By the end of next week, over 5,000 volunteers will have left the Catalan zone in Republican Spain, according to estimates, published today, by the International Military Commission appointed by the League Nations.
"Members of the Commission have ascertained that volunteers, in com-nce with the Spanish Govern-orders, have been leaving in units since early October and have been grouped in various centres according to natiónality The Commission, having practically finished its investigations in Catalonia, is. going to the Valencia zone shortly, leaving French members of the Commission behind to verify the departure from Catalonia of other volunteers, including a number of wounded.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.