rs established a "voluntary censorship" at what amounted to an
order from Hitler relayed through England's Foreign Office. The
explanation the newspapers gave to their staffs was that the world
situation was too critical to refuse the government's request and,
besides that refusal would probably mean losing routine Foreign Office
and other government department news sources. The more than average
British citizen doesn't know even today how his government and
"independent" press took orders from Hitler.

In the latter part of January, 1938, the French Intelligence Service,
still not knowing of the secret deal Halifax had made, learned that
Hitler intended to invade Austria late in February and that
simultaneously both Italy and Germany, instead of withdrawing troops
as they had said they would, planned to intensify their offensive in
Spain. When the French Intelligence learned of it, M. Delbos, then
French Foreign Minister, and Eden were in Geneva attending a meeting
of the Council of the League. Delbos excitedly informed Eden who,
never dreaming that Great Britain had not only agreed to sacrifice
Austria and betray France but was also double-crossing her own Foreign
Minister, telephoned Chamberlain from Geneva.

The Prime Minister listened attentively, thanked him dryly, hung up,
and promptly telephoned Sir Eric Phipps, British Ambassador to France.
Sir Eric was instructed to get hold of M. Chautemps, the French
Premier at the time, and ask that Chautemps instruct Delbos to stop
frightening the British Foreign Secretary. But all during February the
French Intelligence kept getting more information about the planned
invasion of Austria and the proposed intensified offensive in Spain,
and relayed it to England with insistent suggestions for joint
precautions. Eden in turn relayed it to Chamberlain who always thanked
him.

The date set for the invasion was approaching but Eden was still in
office and Hitler began to fear that perhaps "perfidious Albion" with
all her overtures of friendship might really be double-crossing
Germany. If England could send a special emissary to offer to sell out
Austria and double-cross her ally France, she might be quite capable
of tricking Germany. Simultaneously the Gestapo stumbled upon
information that the British Intelligence had reached into the top
ranks of the German Army and was working with high officers. Hitler,
not knowing how far the British Intelligence had penetrated, shook u