A WAY OUT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 302, 22 December 1933, Page 7

A WAY OUT.

GERMANY AND FRANCE

Sir John Simon Outlines British

Efforts.

WHAT DOES HITLER MEAN? (British Official Wireless.) (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, December 21. i The House of Commons adjourns ; to-day for the Christmas recess and . will reassemble on January 29. ' The Acting-Labour Leader, Major C. i R. Attlee, asked the Foreign Secretary, 1 Sir John Simon, if he could give any information as to the progress which had , been made with the supplementary and , parallel conversations which had taken . place with France and Germany. He , also asked what was the attitude of the Government regarding the suggested alteration of the constitution of tins i League of Nations. Sir John Simon remarked that there i had been very prompt and vigorous efforts from more capitals than one. Since. Germany's withdrawal from the Disarmament Conference one of the most important things that had happened was that Herr Hitler had been making some declarations by wireless and by other T means, which, whatever we might think of their contents, were of very great . moment to the world. One declaration was of special interest to France. Almost at the same time as Germany withdrew Heir Hitler said: "ft would be of first importance for the two nations if Germany and France could r once and for all ban the use of force . from their common lives. No territorial r conflict exists between the two coun- _ I tries so far as Germany is concerned ' once the Saar has been returned." 1 What Was the Real Purpose? The British Government, Sir John , said, had 'been concerning themselves . actively with what was the real purpose j of those declarations. They had made , it plain that in making such inquiries they were not expressing approval of some proposals which had been thrown 3 out or indicated. But it did appear to 2 them that it certainly was their duty 1 to do their utmost to clarify the situa--1 tion and find out what was really behind ■ it. It appeared that on the political , side of tlie technical question ot armament Herr Hitler had made propositi t ions which were certainly intended to be formal proposals, and that the information which had been published, that he was suggesting non-aggressive pacts between Germany and her neighbours, was justified. As> the Government understood it, the proposals under that head did not confine themselves to • one particular neighbour, but were put 1 forward for consideration by all of Ger- ' many's neighbours. r In dealing with the matter the r Government had been very careful to i indicate that • they had not forgotten . the obligations which rested on the ; members of the League of Nations, and therefore the form in which such pacts of non-aggression might be cast would have to be considered in view of the undoubted obligations which the covenant put on the parties to it. The Government had also been in very close contact with those best informed on the French attitude. Inquiries and discussions between the various Governments and capitals had been going on, and were now continuing. Sir John stated that he would «ee . the French Foreign Minister in Paris, " possibly to-morrow. They were in constant communication, and it was ex--5 tremely important that they should get ! as closely together as they could in ! understanding how the suggestions put forward by Germany stood in regard to the policy and requirements of Germany's neighbours. It was impossible to make any explicit declaration when the conversations were being pursued. , There was, however, a moment coming when undoubtedly these different inquiries must be gathered together to see what result they had produced. It was , hoped to resume the Disarmament Conference in January, when a statement must be made as to their results. He could not regard at this stage the bilateral communications as other than ! in an intermediate or preliminary stage > which ought to lead to wider application. Britain Stands By League. . Regarding inspection of armaments, . he understood that the German Government, as part of their general scheme, were prepared to contemplate the establishment of international inspection and control of armaments of all countries periodically and automatically. In this '■ respect there had undoubtedly been an • advance in public opinion generally. Regarding the League of Nations, Sir ' John reiterated that the British policy was unswervingly to stand by and support the League. Whilst they observed declarations made by foreign countries indicating a desire for revision of the League constitution, they had no reason i to suppose that any definite proposals were being advanced. He did not know of any.