October 3, 1939; Britain & France Won't be Threatned:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, OCTOBER 3, 1939:

JOHN BULL'S NEW FIGHTING ARMY ACCEPTS CHALLENGE HURLED BY HITLERISM

Preparing to Resist Land

and Air Offensive Expect'ed

Momentarily CAPTURED FORTS ARE BEING PUT TO USE

By JOHN MARTIN

(Associated Tress Staff Writer.)

PARIS, Oct. 3.—W) — Semiofficial sources reported today that French engineering units were digging in on German soil to resist a land and air drive expected to come with the fading of Adolf Hitler's "peace offensive."

French sources estimated they held about 150 square miles of German territory containing about 65 villages. the engineers, working against time and under the constant threat of German artillery, particularly in the Saar Valley sector, were said to be forming to their own use captured German fortifications on the fringe of the Siegfried line.

 

G.B. Is Ready To Examine Peace Scheme

Mere Assurances From, Present German Govt. Can't Be Accepted

NO ABANDONMENT OF PURPOSE PLANNED

By  F. SANDERSON

(Canadian Press Staff writer)

(C.P. Cable) LONDON, Oct. 3—Britain stands ready to examine any peace proposals Adolf Hitler makes but "no mere assurances from the present German

government could be accepted by us," Prime Minister Chamberlain announced in. the House of commons today.

NO ABANDONMENT

OF PURPOSE

He assured the house the. government would not tread lightly or with undue haste any peace proposals of specific detailed character.

Britain and France, the prime minister told a wildly cheering house, will not be threatened by vague hints of collaboration by Germany and Russia "to abandon the purpose for which we have entered upon this struggle."

Sweden Now

Worried As

Nazis’s Strike

Seek to Continue Sea Commerce

and Still Maintain

Neutrality

CONVOY SYSTEM IS

AGAIN CONSIDERED

By LYNN HEINZEKI.ING

(Associated pre«. Staff Writer)

STOCKHOLM, Oct. 3—(/P)— Sweden strove desperately today to continue her sea- commerce and at the same time maintain her precarious neutrality.

As Nazi sailors tightened their grip on the Baltic, apprehensive Swedish officials studied convoy systems of the last war. In those days, Sweden escorted

her ships to Norway, where Great Britain took over the duties.

May Use- Railways Consideration was given the possibility of shipping by rail to Gothenburg, on the Kattegat, an. arm of the North Sea, and completely avoiding Baltic Sea lanes.

Finland And

Lithuania To

Be Galled

Speculation Rife as to What

Baltic Country Will Enter

Deal Next

WILSON'S RETURN SEEN AS IMPORTANT TOPIC

By WITT HANCOCK)

(Associated Press Staff Writer.)

MOSCOW, Oct. 3—Informed observers, keyed to the recent swift pace of Kremlin diplomacy, speculated today that Soviet Russia might seek deals with Lithuania and Finland as next steps in strengthening her position in the Baltic.

Unofficial reports said the Lithuanian foreign minister would be summoned to Moscow as soon as conversation with Foreign Minister William Munters of Latvia, begun last night, are concluded.

Leaves For Moscow

A German news agency dispatch from Kaunas, Lithuania, said Foreign Minister Juozas Urbsys departed by plane today for Moscow.)

Some sources expressed belief Finland "would be next" In the series of rapid negotiations, which already have brought Russia increased trade concessions with Estonia and the right to establish naval bases on her.