THE RHINELAND

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 132, 17 March 1936, Page 2

THE RHINELAND

HISTORY OF ARRANGEMENTS. LOCARNO PACT'S INFLUENCE. The demilitarisation of the Rhineland zone, following the Allied victory m the Great War, was imposed upon Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, ihe treaty came into force on January 20, 1920. Under it the whole left, or western, bank of the Rhine and the right bank to a depth of about 30 miles were to be demilitarised for ever. Fortifications were to be dismantled and no permanent works for manoeuvre or mobilisation were to be permitted. French, British and Belgian troops occupied the zone at the conclusion of the war and some of them were retainer! theie for nearly 12 years under the direction of the Inter-Allied Rhineland Commission. From March, 1922, to June, 1924, the British troops in the Cologne area were commanded by General Sir Alexander Godley, well known to New Zealanders. The Treaty of Versailles specified the zone in three parts, from which the Allied troops were to be withdrawn, if Germany fulfilled her obligations, in five, 10 .and 15 years respectively. However, the signing of the Locarno Pact at the end ofi 1925 cast a more favourable light on the post-war situation, and Germany, instead of having to wait until 1935 before resuming un° restricted civil power in the Rhineland, saw the Inter-Allied Commission and the last soldier depart on June 30, 1930. The three parts into which the zone of Allied occupation was divided were considered as having their centres at the bridgeheads of Cologne, Coblenz (about- 50 miles south-east of Cologne) and Mainz, associated with the lastnamed being the bridgehead of Kehl. Cologne and its area were to be evacuated in five years, Coblenz in 10 and Mainz in 15. The period for remaining in occupation of Cologne expired on January 10, 1925, but on January 5 the Allied Governments presented the German Government with a Note stating that Germany had not fulfilled her military obligations under the Treaty of Versailles. The occupation therefore continued.

As the year progressed the Pact of Locarno—a series of diplomatic instruments for peace and arbitration—came \ into being. Under it Germany, Belgium, France, Britain and Italy mutur ally guaranteed the peace of Western Europe and Germany undertook to arbitrate about disputes with France, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia. The Pact was initialled at Locarno on October 16, 1925, and signed in London on December 1. Coincident with the signing of the Pact orders were given for the evacuation of Cologne, by rhe Allied (British) troops, and their withdrawal to Wiesbaden, near Mainz, was commenced. The operation was completed in January, 1926. Many restrictive ordinances were abolished throughout the zone, and a German High Commissioner was appointed as coadjutor to the Allied Commission, at Coblenz, where some Allied troops were left, more or less as a reminder that the Treaty of Versailles was still in force. Subsequently the Commission also removed to Wiesbaden. An expectation which arose from the signing of the Pact was that the Rhineland would soon be completely evacuated by the Allies, but Germany’s suggestions that the evacuation be accelerated met with little response from France. Finally, in September, 1929, the evacuation of the British troops was commenced, and it was completed on December 12. The French troops who remained and the Allied Commission did not leave until June 30, 1930. With their departure the temporary barrier between the Rhine and the rest of Germany was finally removed. The evacuation was hailed in Liberal circles in France with relief, especially by those sections which looked to a Franco-German rapprochement as the best means for promoting peace m Europe. In more Nationalist quarters the evacuation, taking place four years earlier than, the date laid down at Versailles, was considered to he an act of generosity on the part of France. There have been several indications this year that Germany was probably contemplating military occupation of the zone. A message from Berlin on January 16 said the Secretary of State (Herr von Buelow) had assured the French Ambassador (M- Poncet) that Germany had no intention of occupying the zone. A message from Paris on the same date said M. Poncet strongly warned Herr von Buelow that if Germany attempted to do so France would be obliged to take military measures of the utmost importance. On February 4 another message from Pai is was published saying that General Serrigny, formerly Deputy-Chief of the French General Staff, had drawn attention to Germany’s alleged development of strategic roads and motor transport.