THE FUTURE OF MEMEL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22584, 14 December 1938, Page 15

THE FUTURE OF MEMEL

Folly of Versailles Recalled

POWER POLITICS AT WORK

Britain and France Not Committed

(TWITED PRESS iSHOCIATIOH—COPYRIGHT.) (Received December 13, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 12. “The Times” in a leading article says: “Europe is still paying in Memelland and elsewhere the price of the folly of Versailles in trying to settle Germany’s future without consulting powerful States whose weakness should have been recognised to be merely temporary. “The whole world, if such methods continue, must play the game of power politics. Never was the absence of a competent arbitrator between two contending countries more deplorable than now.” The official view is that the signature of the Memel Convention of 1924 does not place an obligation on Britain and France to defend the present state of Memel. These. Powers would only be committed by a definite act of aggression. The other signatories to the convention, Italy and Japan, have shown no interest in recent events. A British Official Wireless message says the Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain), in a. statement iii the House of Commons, said: “There is reason to think that after the elections for the Memel Diet, which took place yesterday, demands may be made on the Lithuanian Government by the majority parties in the Diet, which would not be consistent with the statute of Memel. His Majesty’s Government, as a signatory to the Memel Convention, cannot ignore this possibility, and in view of the special influence which the German Government is in a position to exert in these matters, the British Charge d’Affaires in Berlin has been instructed to join with the French Ambassador in expressing the hope that the German Government will use its influence to ensure respect fop the statute.” An official at the German Propaganda Ministry, commenting on Mr Chamberlain’s reply in the House, said that Germany had repeatedly declared that she would respect the Memel Statute.