LEAGUE COUNCIL MEETS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21733, 16 March 1936, Page 11

LEAGUE COUNCIL MEETS

Breach of Treaties Denounced STRONG ACTION ASKED FOR GERMANY INVITED TO ATTEND (united press association—copyright.) (Received March 15, 8 p.m.) LONDON, March 14. The special correspondent of the Associated Press at St. James’s Palace states that members ,of the council of the League of Nations, who on January 24 agreed to hold the next meeting away from Geneva only if the international situation was calmer, found themselves today assembling, through a sudden change in the direction of the crisis, in Queen Anne’s stately crimson and gilt drawing room at St. James’s Palace.

It was the first meeting of the league in London since 1922. Events have developed so rapidly. since January that pressing invitations from M. Nicholas Titulescu (Rumanian Minister for Foreign Affairs) and Senor Vasconcellos (Portugal) to meet in Bucharest and Lisbon respectively were forgotten in the general agreement that London was the most desirable venue for the present session. There were many evidences of haste in the preparations, which were so inadequate to accommodate 200 representatives of the • world’s press, that few of them gained places in the actual meeting room. The guard room of the Palace, where Charles I. spent the night before his execution, was hastily converted into headquarters for the cable companies. The makeshift character of the arrangements was shown by the inexperience of the temporary officials, one of whom sought the credentials of M. Pierre Flandin (French Minister for Foreign Affairs) as he arrived at the door. Heavily framed portraits of British monarchs looked down upon the cosmopolitan assemblage, as, after half an hour’s private meeting, Mr S. M. Bruce (president of the League Council) and the other delegates filed in to Queen Anne’s 'drawing room and took their seats at tSie oval table beneath the magnificent antique chandeliers. Mr Bruce began proceedings by thanking the King for placing the palace at the league’s disposal, especially as it involved the transfer of the levee on March 18 to Buckingham Palace. Journalists crowding round the doors to get a glimpse of the open-, ing ceremony accidentally set a fire extinguisher in motion. The speeches were amplified into the adjoining rooms. Great Britain’s Position Mr R. A. Eden said: “I will not have overmuch to say. The future depends on the wisdom of the decisions. In Great Britain’s view it is patent and incontestable that a breach of the Versailles and Locarno treaties has been committed. If this conclusion is shared, it would be for the council to endeavour to find a solution of the difficulties. Our Locarno co-signatories on the council may count on Great Britain’s fullest co-operation in endeavours to establish peace and understanding on a firm and enduring foundation.” :i. Flandin said that German troops in the Rhineland were not symbolic, but consisted of more than 30,000 regulars, not to speak of those enumerated from Berlin. France had not so much used her right as obeyed her duty. If it were only a matter of right, the Locarno treaty authorised her to take urgently decisive measures, but she was anxious not to add any clement of trouble to the European situation. Therefore, France abstained, so as to give full meaning the” respect to international law. ■ French Claims “The exchange of notes in May and June' amply refuted the German arguments concerning the Franco-Soviet pact. Germany had not accepted France’s declaration to remit the pact to the Hague Court. She had not sought common discussion with the other signatories of the Locarno Treaty. Instead she had voided the treaty, which Herr Hitler admitted had been freely negotiated, and also article 43 oi the Versailles Treaty, which article 44 qualified as a hostile act. Help Asked For “In asking that the violation should be borne witness to, France simply invoked the application of the law. Once the evidence was established it would be the business of the guarantors to furnish France and Belgium with the assistance which the Locarno Treaty provided.” M. Flandin impressed on the nonsignatories of the treaty that it was a question not only of the general peace, but of the existence of the League of Nations itself. It was a matter of knowing if a practical fait accompli, and a unilateral repudiation of agreements freely and solemnly accepted, were going to be put up with in Eurppe as a political system. Ho asked the council to bear witness to Germany’s breach, to notify the signatories of the Locarno Treaty, and to put them in a position to fulfil their obligations of .assistance. It would be for the council to examine how it would be able to reinforce this action by recommendations to members of the league. No doubt Germany’s decision had long been prepared. Germany’s arguments' were nothing but pretexts chosen from others which had been considered, by the league before. France was confident of the impartiality of the council, and confident of the wishes of the powers to fulfil the duties devolving on them. France was resolved to put at the disposal of the league all her material and moral forces to help it to overcome one of the gravest crises in the history of peace and collective organisation. He added that France had the right, according to the Locarno

Treaty, to take brutal and decisive measures, but relied entirely on the wisdom of the council. Belgium’s Weakness M. Paul van Zeeland (Prime Minister of Belgium) said: “The demilitarisation of the Rhineland is one of the essential elements of our security system, because we have the longest common frontier with Germany. The Locarno Treaty is the very basis of our international status. A breach of it is serious for a country relying on the structure of international law for security. Belgium has never given an excuse for any breach, and particularly in this case has applied the Locarno Treaty in the letter and the spirit, with scrupulous attention. “In our eyes these pacts are intended to protect those remaining faithful to them against those who do not. We realise that the international structure must be rebuilt, but none can deny that a severe blow has been struck in the eyes of the world, and perhaps in those of future generations, at the moral value of an attempt to build on a structure of law, the weakening of which imposes new burdens and duties on humanity. Belgium is obliged again to appeal to the league. With a feeling of profound sadness and some bitterness, I have the sad duty of asking you in her name to consider the breach in accordance with the text of the Locarno Treaty.” M. van Zeeland also emphasised that Belgium considered that the Locarno Treaty provided a perfect formula guaranteeing world peace. It was not made for Belgium’s benefit alone, but also for the advantage of Germany. There was no reason why Germany should in any way modify its relations with Belgium. Adjournment Taken Mr Bruce declared that unless his colleagues desired to speak immediately this was an appropriate time to adjourn. He announced that the council would meet at 3.30 p.m. on Monday. After the public meeting the council -met vc-. private to decide whether to send a formal invitation to Germany under article seventeen of the Covenant. It finally resolved to invite Germany to attend future meetings. It is believed that it was assured beforehand that Germany will accept. ,

The public session of the council lasted only 45 minutes, M. Flandin and M. van Zeeland used temperate language and firmness. Their declarations revealed the strength of attitude they adopted during the private talks with the four Locarno powers. .

An embarrassed silence met Mr Bruce’s question whether the other members desired to speak. During the week-end discussions an endeavour will be made to decide what form the league resolution should take, for M, Flandin’s and M. van Zeeland’s declarations to-day were statements of a case rather than direct proposals to the league. Members of the council lunched with Mr Bruce, when the solemnity of the occasion and the vastness of the issues at stake appeared to rest heavily upon them. About the invitation to Germany to attend the council of the league, it was explained that a previous approach : was made to Berlin, which constituted a “polite suggestion” that she should represent the Rhineland at the council meeting. This Germany did not chtose to regard as a direct invitatiorWConsequently a formal direct invitation was now made.