He spoke several times of his repeated offers of friendship to England and their invariable and contemptu-Ous rejection. I referred to Prime Minister's efforts of last year and his desire for ce-operation with Germany. He said that he had believed in Mr. Chamberlain's good will at the time, but, and especially since encirclement efforts of last few months, he did so no longer. I pointed out fallacy of this view but his answer was that he was now finally convinced of the rightness of views held formerly to him by others that England and Germany could never In referring to Russian non-aygression pact he observed that it was England which had forced hira into agreement with Russia He did not seem enthusiastic over it but added that once he made agreement it would be for a long period. (Text of agreement signed today confirms this and I shall be surprised if it is not supplemented later by something more than mere.non-aggression.)
I took line at end that war seemed to me quite inevitable if Herr Hitler it In the old days Germany's word had the same value, and I quoted a Passage from a German book (which Herr Hitler had read) about Marshal Blüchers exhortation to his troops when hurrying to the support of Wellington at Waterloo: "Forward my children, I have given my word io my brother Wellington, and you cannot wish me to break it.
Herr Hitler at once intervened to observe that things were different 125 years ago. I said not so far as England was concerned. He wanted, I said, Britain's friendship. What value would he place on our friendship if we began it by disloyalty to a friend? Whatever. some people might say, the British people sincerely desired an understanding with Germany, and no one more so than the Prime Minister. (Herr von Ribbentrop remarked that Mr. Chamberlain had once said to him that it was his dearest wish.) Today the whole British public was behind the Prime Minister The recent vote in the House of Commons was an unmistakable proof of that fact. The Prime Minister could carry through his Policy of an understanding if, but only if, Herr Hitler were prepared to ce-operate. There was absolutely no truth in the idea sometimes held in Germany that the British Cabinet was disunited or that the country was npt unanimous, It was now or never, and it rested with Herr Hitler. if he was prepared to sacrifice that understanding in order to make war or immoderate demands on Poland, the responsibility was his. We offered friendship but only on the basis of a peaceful and freely negotiated solution of the Polish question.
"Willing to Negotiate"
Herr Hitler replied that he would be willing to negotiate, if there was a Polish Government which was prepared to be reasonable and which really controlled the country. He expatiated on misdoings of the Poles,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.