Amsterdam, Mar. 1.
Foreign observers have emphasize that, while the visit of the American Under-Secretary of State, Mr. Sumner Welles, is unofficial, German government circles are according him considerable ceremony in his reception and treatment. The German press destined both for home and foreign consumption, tends to minimize to a considerable extent the importance of the visit. The Berlin press, in particular, gave only two lines to the event, and made no comment. The news service destined for abroad, while a little more detailed, gave only a brief report of the visit, and expressed the willingness of the German leaders to fight to the end.
Berlin evening papers, however, in sharp contrast to the earlier editions, devoted vantage space to the arrival of Mr. Welles in the German capital, and made as much as twenty lines of type out of the meeting between the American Under-Secretary of State and German officials.
The "Berliner Boersen Zeitung" drew a significant parallel between the vital German doctrine of "lebenstaum" and the American Monroe Doctrine, and recalled the arguments that were disseminated in America by the German propaganda attempting to prove the legitimacy of the aggression against Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland.—Havas.
Berlin, Mar. 2.
The meeting with Herr Hitler, according to neutral observers here, 18 not expected to bring peace any nearer.
A clue as to what Herr Hitler told Mr. Welles today was, it was thought, provided by an inspired statement issued here last night. This statement, quoted in the Dutch newspaper "Algemeen Handelsblad," said: "Germany's attitude has briefly been made known by various public speeches, which leave no doubt that after rejection of her peace proposals last October, Herr Hitler has definitely accepted the challenge of the Western Powers, "Herr Hitler indeed may be expected to repeat to Mr. Welles the demands he outlined in his speech last Saturday, namely, firstly a free hand for Germany in central and eastern Europe, and secondly tne end of the British terror on the seas."
Newspapers have been comparing Germany's attitude towards the east and the control of Europe with the American Monroe Doctrine.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.