LEAGUE COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 72, 25 March 1936, Page 7

LEAGUE COUNCIL.

MEETING ADJOURNS.

Locarno Powers to Continue

Exchanges.

GERMAN ENVOY ARRIVES. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 24. The League Council secret meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be held at Geneva when summoned by the president, Mr. S. M. Bruce. Meantime the Locarno Powers will keep the Council informed. The Council's session has not been wound up but adjourned, leaving in Mr. Bruce's hands the date of the next meeting. Members of the Council have already been in London much longer than was expected owing to the German delays. Mr. Bruce sounded the delegations before to-day's meeting, obtaining general agreement that there was no point in their standing by in London pending the Locarno Powers having further measures to recommend. Herr von Ribbentrop, the German envoy, arrived at Croydon too late to attend the League Council's meeting. Instead he will go to the Foreign Office and communicate the German counterproposals direct to Mr. Eden. Herr von Ribbentrop stated that the German people were behind Herr Hitler. There is a strong feeling in League circles in favour of discussions through diplomatic channels. French Report Denied. In regard to the report that M. Flandin, French Foreign Minister, had stated that so far as France was concerned the Locarno Powers' proposals must be accepted in their entirety or rejected, an official of the Foreign Office at Paris emphatically denied that M. Flandin said anything categorical. He simply replied good liumouredly to an interrogator, stating: "If the question of German counter-proposals arises I cannot at present go to London as I am going to Yonne for the election campaign." The Paris correspondent of "The Times" says the French Government's view after the London meetings was that the Powers' proposals must - be accepted or rejected as a whole. M. Flandin deliberately emphasised this in his speech in the Chamber on Friday and now has reaffirmed it. M. Flandin said he was going to his constituency to-day and the date of his retui'n would depend upon the nature of the German reply. Reason for Stiffening Attitude. The Government's stiffening attitude is due to the feeling that the line must be drawn somewhere in the process of concession under pressure, says the correspondent, and that French moderation regarding the violation of the Rhineland would now be repaid by an unmistakable token of German good will. Complete acceptance of the Powers' proposals would, from the French point of view, satisfy this test. The "Daily Telegraph" diplomatic correspondent says M. Flandin's statement is interpreted in London as meaning that he does not wish to be identified at present with any further bargaining with Germany. He feels that France has made enough concessions. M. Paul-Boncour is reported to have intimated that if M. Flandin does not return to London he will be reluctant to remain here as he does not desire to assume responsibility for entering upon a discussion of German counterproposals which Paris may ultimately reject. The "Daily Herald" says that M. Flandin's attitude it. a direct contradiction of the impression prevailing in London that both France and Belgium are ready to consider sympathetically any reasonable German counterproposals.

CHURCH SUPPORT.

LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER,

British Official Wireless. (Received 1.30 p.m.)

RUGBY, March 24.

An assurance of general support of the Government's policy with regard to the European situation is conveyed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Cosrho Gordon Lang, to the Prime Minister, Mr. Baldwin, in a letter written on behalf of a number of leaders of Christian churches who recently met at Lambeth Palace.

The conference laid especial emphasis on .the necessity for statesmen to look forward, not backward, and to use to the full the present opportunity from the beginning to reconstruct the peace system of Europe on a basis of international equality and justice.