BROKEN PLEDGES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 59, 10 March 1936, Page 7

BROKEN PLEDGES.

GRAVE BRITISH VIEW. Invasion of Rhine Condemned By Mr. Eden. DANGEROUS SHORT CUT. United Press Association. —Copyright. LONDON, March 9. The political correspondent of "The Times" says that Mr. Eden told ; the German Ambassador, Dr. von Hoeseh, that Britain was bound to take a very serious view of the German violation of solemn pledges. The sending of troops into the Rhineland must be condemned. Germany Had every right to state her objections to the Franco-Russian pact, but action could have been along the lines of the Locarno Treaty. Moreover, although the realisation of Germany's constructive aims is desirable, it is felt that the short cut of easy> complacency toward. Heri' Hitler's violation of pledges might be the longest and perhaps the most disastrous road. "The Times," in a leading article, says: "Herr Hitler's invasion of the Rhineland strikes at Locarno's weakest joint. The demilitarisation of the Rhineland was not destined to bo per- ; nianent. There is a distinction between the present occupation and carrying fire and sword into a neighbour's territory." The "Daily Mail," in a leader, deprecates regarding the Rliineland occupation ' as a crisis, and recalls, that the late ■ Marshal Foch regarded it as eventually ; inevitable. The paper urges the rejection of sanctions against Germany, and ' adds that her stroke has cleared the air and has not seriously affected France's

safety. The "News-Chronicle/' in a leader, says: "Herr Hitler's invitation must be taken up without delay. European civilisation is unsafe while Germany suffers under a sense of grievance. Refusal means war, while peace based on a contented Germany is better for France than a frontier manned in terror of invasion." The Berlin correspondent of "The Times" interprets Herr Hitler's speech as an attempt to placate Britain and throw the responsibility on France for Germany's action, which, however, does not entail the mere rectification of a one-sided clause of the Treaty of Versailles, but the repudiation of the whole of the freely-negotiated Treaty of Locarno, which Germany spontaneously signed and Herr Hitler repeatedly reasserted, declaring that he regarded the demilitarised zone as a contribution toward the appeasement of Europe. Hitherto, Herr Hitler has boasted that lie has never broken a personal pledge; that assertion is now invalidated. The "Manchester Guardian" Geneva correspondent says the overwhelming opinion in diplomatic, journalistic and official circles is that Herr Hitler's word and signature alike are valueless. Few Governments will consider concluding any agreement with Germany in future. Herr Hitler himself reaffirmed the Locarno pact in 1935, and his repudiation of it is the application of the maxim in his book, "My Struggle," that- treaties should be repudiated wherever it is convenient.