SECURITY PACT.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18461, 15 August 1925, Page 13

SECURITY PACT.

FRENCH REPLY TO GERMANY. SUCCESS OF PRELIMINARY NEGOTIATIONS. (BT CABLE —TBESS ASSOCIATION'—COPYRIGHT-) (eel-tee's TJSLEGBAMS.; LONDON, August 13. The text of the French reply to Germany with regard to the Security Pact will l>c communicated to the Belgian, Italian and Japanese Governments. and then sent to the German Government, after which it will he published, possibly next week. It i- s le arll ~ ed that the Note is distinctly conciliatory. and suggests a conference, including Germany.

M. Briand, French Foreign Minis-1 tor, went to Paris this morning in exce'lcnt spirits, and obviously delighted with the result of his visit. The Paris newspapers generally comment soberly on tho London conversations. "Lo Petit Parisien" is impressed by the rapidity of the disappearance of difficulties. '"L3 .Journal" says that France jealously maintains tho right of helping her East European allies in the event of their being the victims of unpiovoked German aggression, but does not refuse to await the decision of the League of Nations if the aggression is only threatened. "Lo Gaulois" says that- Germany cannot now count on serious disagreement with Pr.ris and London. "Le Echo de Paris" states that Mr Austen Chamberlain, durir.'g the last few weeks has been able to judge the unpopularity of the idea of the Pact in Great Britain and tho Dominions, and realised that lie had gone too far in promises to France. M. Briand can therefore be convinced thr.t tho guarantee pact offered by Great Britain may be called a non--guarantee pact. "L'CEuvrc" says that the Entente is now more than cordial. It is real. "Lc Eclair" says that Anglo-Ameri-can finance is endeavouring to dominate Europe. France will be asked to make sacrifices as regards her security, because international financiers liavo so decided. GERMAN OPINION. AMERICAN INFLUENCE TOWARDS SETTLEMENT. (AUSTHALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received August 14th, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 13. Mr Chamberlain and M. Briand have reported to their respective Cabinets. British Ministers expressed satisfaction and confidence that the conversations would reach important results. The diplomatic correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" emphasises the difficulties confronting the German Government in moulding public opinion to acquiescence to the application for League membership without reservations and conditions. It is believed that American influences in Berlin will be discreetly exercised for the purpose of inducing Germany to seek League membership without delay, though it is now too late to expect entrance at the September assembly. The correspondent affirms that similar American influences latterly have been exercised in London for the purpose of ensuring tho truly bilateral character of the pact and averting the drawbacks of another "dictated peace." It is difficult for tho French mind to accommodate itself to the bilateral idea. It was left to British experts to formulate the reciprocal clauses, and it proved by no means easy to persuade the French that Germany should be authorised' to act in certain flagrant emergencies without a League decision, as the French would in similar circumstances. PEACE PROTOCOL. INDIA'S OBJECTIONS. (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received August 14th, 7.15 p.m.) GENEVA, August 13. The Indian Government, in a message to the League of Nations, states that it is forced to the conclusion that the Peace Protocol would he inimical to India's interests, as it would, in the peculiar circumstances existing in Asia, mark her down as a nation on which tho League, under tho Protocol, would ordinarily call to apply immediate sanctions against recalcitrant States in the East. This would be a heavier burden than India could bear.