News Brief

Reich Minister of Propaganda Paul Joseph Goebbels was to preside tonight at the first of a series of big anti-Semitic rallies scheduled for the Berlin Nazi Party district during the winter months. The theme of the meetings are “One People, One Will, One Aim.”

Tonight’s rally took place at the Kroll Opera House, with a speech by the Propaganda Minister and the presentation of an anti-Semitic film scheduled as feature attractions. Present were Nazi leaders from the Berlin zone who were to be given instructions for conducting future rallies.

The beginning of the anti-Semitic rallies in Berlin came less than 24 hours after the granting of authority to Nazi officials in Austria to confiscate all property and goods of persons or organizations “hostile to the people and to the State.” In giving this authorization, the Government said confiscation would be directly supervised by Arthur Von Seyss-Inquart, Governor of Austria. The Minister of Interior will determine what constitutes “hostility” to people and State, the ordinance said. All confiscated goods become the property of the Austrian provincial government, it was further stated.

NEW U.S. NOTE TO BERLIN

(The United States Government late Monday presented a note to the Foreign Office asking formal assurances that the decree ousting Jews from business enterprises did not apply to American citizens, according to the Associated Press and United Press. The note said the Washington Government assumed the decree did not apply to American nations and requested a reply as to whether this assumption was correct.)

The German Labor Front and the Berlin Chamber of Commerce at present are conducting an investigation to determine which Jewish retail concerns in Berlin will continue functioning under “Aryan” management after Jan. 1, 1939. Newspapers estimated that only one-third of an estimated 33,767 such concerns will be permitted to continue their activities. Tailoring, hairdressing, fur and watchmaking establishments are among those included in the estimate. Those enterprises which have not been “Aryanized” by Jan. I will be provisionally closed down and reopened after their “Aryanization” has been completed, it was said.

The recall of Dr. Hans Dieckhoff, German Ambassador to Washington, to report on the United States’ attitude toward Germany was mentioned for the first time in a German newspaper today when the Danziger Vorposten published an article from Berlin on the matter. After pointing out that the German press thus far “refrained” from mentioning this recall, the Danzig organ, which often reflects the views of the Wilhelmstrasse, said: “One must not expect Dieckhoff’s return to Washington before (Hugh) Wilson, United States Ambassador resumes his post.”

Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s statements regarding settlement of Jews in the British Empire were greeted with irony and considerable irritation by the press. Warning that such declarations will not tend to hasten a solution of the Jewish problem, newspapers were indignant over the possible use of the former Reich colony of Tanganyika as a Jewish haven.

However, competent German quarters said they knew nothing of rumors abroad regarding a possible recall of Herbert von Dirksen, German Ambassador to Great Britain, to report to Berlin on developments across the channel. Observers pointed out that the absence from Berlin of British Ambassador Sir Neville Henderson, who returned home three weeks ago for an operation had not provoked any speculation in German quarters on Britain’s attitude in spite of the fact that London’s moves on behalf of Jewish refugees have drawn brisk criticism in the press here. The view is prevalent that the Reich, for the time being, does not wish to attach any political significance to Sir Nevile’s absence.