WIDE DIVERGENCE

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 96, 24 April 1928, Page 7

WIDE DIVERGENCE

WAR OUTLAWRY PACT.

Franco-American Differences

Disappointing.

BRITISH VIEW.

(Australian and N.Z. Press Association.)

LONDON, April 23.

The diplomatic correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says some surprise and a great deal of disappointment is felt in British circles at the wholly uncompromising character of the French alternative draft treaty for the outlawry of war.

The proposals of Mr. F. B. Kellogg, United States Secretary of State, and the reservations of M. Briand, French Foreign Minister, emphasise the wide divergencies between Washington and Paris, and cut the heart out of the American project.

The prospects of Britain or another third party being able to secure an agreement with Washington and Paris are very slender.

The paper says the opening sentences of Article I are evidently intended to remind the Locarno Powers of their special obligations under the Versailles Treaty and the Rhinclaiid Pact in respect to the vioMltion of the demilitarised Rhineland zone. It shows how ineradicable is the French distrust of Germany and explains why the German Press has taken immediate umbrage.

WAY TO PEACE.

U.S.-GERMAN TREATIES SIGNED

(Australian ana N.Z. Press Association.)

(Received 9.30 a.m.)

WASHINGTON, April 23.

An arbitration treaty and a conciliation treaty with Germany will be signed in a few days by Mr. P. B. Kellogg and Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Prittwitz, German Ambassador to America. TII2 former is similar to those already signed with France and Italy, and the latter is patterned after the Bryan treaties of 1914. Negotiations for similar treaties with Rumania liave been instituted.

SHOULD BE SIGNED.

OPPORTUNITY FOR POWERS. ("TiiiK-s" Cables.) LONDON, April 23. 111 the course of a leading articlc the "Times" says there is nothing to prevent the various Governments from seizing the opportunity which the French and American Notes have unexpectedly given of advancing the cause of pe&cclt is not true that Europe generally is hesitating and reserved toward the proposal of the United States. The acceptance of the pro]>osed pact would not imply the weakening of the covenant of the League of Nations, and of the Locarno Pact. Indeed, the most important commitments would not conflict with Mr. Kellogg's suggestions. France may have to consider offensive and defensive alliances, says the paper. For example, she must assist Poland in> case of attack, but if Germany, Poland and France signed the pact the risk of an attack on Poland would be seriously diminished. Although it is harder to bring the persistent Russian anomaly within the scope of a general renunciation of war, there is not the slightest reason why the Powers, untrammelled by commitments, should not at the earliest posible date signify their agreement to enter into negotiations. Such action is their plain duty.

LITVINOFF'S OPINION.

REPORT TO SOVIET.

(Australian Press Assn.—United Soviet.) MOSCOW, April 23.

The Soviet deputy Foreign Commissar, "Litvinoff, in reporting to the Central Executive Committee upon the activities of the Russian delegation to Geneva, said that for the first time in history the Soviet had obtained a discussion in an international arena upon a full general disarmament plan, which had emerged from the debate unimpaired and unprejudiced. Referring to the American Government's offer to concludc treaties to outlaw war with a scries of States, he said that to apply prohibition only to war as a means of national policy suggested that other wars retained their legality. Litvinoff said that under cover of pacifist phraseology political combinations on the pre-war model were again appearing. Supplementary agreements were being made, not only between Foreign Ministers, but with the army and navy headquarters of several States.