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Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 113, 6 February 1935, Page 9

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Efforts Toward Peace in Europe LONDON AGREEMENT Results Welcomed on All Sides HOPE OF GERMAN RESPONSE (British Official Wireless.) Kugby, February 4. The results of the Anglo-French Ministerial conversations, which are precisely defined -in a communique s issued last night, are warmly welcomed and on all sides it is felt that a procedure has been agreed upon which, if carried through, will give Europe a fresh start. The significance of the conversations was emphasised in broadcast speeches made last night by Sir John Simon to British listeners, and M. Laval to the French people. The French Foreign Minister expressed an earnest hope that Germany would respond to the pressing call they were making to her. The Declaration of London, he said, emphasised the good spirit common to both France and Britain and the solidarity of their interests. “It is our common hope to assume and 'to achieve methodically the organisation of the-security of Europe. We have worked hard for peace.” Proposed Air Pact. Sir John Simon devoted a great part of his speech to the proposal mentioned in the communique for an agreement between certain of the Western Powers by which the signatories to that agreement would undertake immediately to give the assistance of their air forces to any of them which might be the victim of unprovoked aerial aggression by one of the contracting parties. In addition to this most important and novel suggestion relating to security against air attack, he said the communique dealt with:— (1) The League of Nations and the undoubted achievements it had secured for the benefit of the world in recent months, of which the Saar settlement was an example. (2) The agreement at Home between the French and Italian Governments, and (3) The problem of peace and security in Europe, particularly as it was affected by the claims and position of Germany. Dealing in greater detail with the air danger, he said that,-assuming the Western Powers, parties to the proposed new agreement, were France, Ger- ■ many, Belgium and Britain, the only cases in which Britain might be called upon to take part under the proposed agreement were those in which she was already bound to participate under the Treaty of Locarno, but it would give precision to a promise at present expressed in more general terms. “We think the right course is to consult some other countries who wo imagine would be interested in the project and willing dispassionately to consider it, and we have communicated today with Italy, Germany and Belgium, i Germany in this matter is being treat- i ed as she ought to be treated, on a level with everybody else, and invited to discussions. We hope that these other < countries will examine the project and let us know in due course whether they do not think it offers great possibilities for promoting security and the peace i Position of Italy. Referring to the position of Italy, < he observed that under the Locarno . Treaty Italy and Britain .were not j beneficiaries. They did not get the ] shelter of the roof of Locarno, but j were rather like two buttresses out- j side the building, helping to sustain . the roof, but exposed to the weather. For practical reasons it might be ( doubted whether the geographical posi- ] tion of Italy was not such that it might f be better to conceive possibly not one , regional agreement, but perhaps more s than one. ’ The terms of the joint communique f resulting from the Anglo-French communications were conveyed to the Ger- s man, Italian and Belgian Governments f yesterday, and in each case prompt a and careful consideration was pro- s mised. No Immediate official comment was expected or desired, for the document obviously required careful j study. So far as can be judged from n the Press, the first impressions of this important document have nowhere been a unfavourable. p Invitation to Powers. a In the House of Commons to-day Sir C John Simon mentioned that before the communique was issued steps had been 1 taken to inform other Locarno Govern- , r ments—the Italian, Belgian and Ger- 1( man—of the trend of the Anglo-French discussions and to explain that they G were now invited to join with the ri French and British Governments in -equal consultation. 'Sir John Simon p added that as regards the scheme for Sl providing in Western Europe a deter- " rent against unprovoked aerial aggres- 11 sion by one country on another, it was v agreed between the French and Bri- c tish Ministers that if the scheme were adopted Britain’s commitment would Si not extend to cases beyond the class of case' already covered by her Locarno obligations. I’ During question time the Leader of 6 the Opposition,’ Mr. Lansbury, express- ? «d his recognition of the importance of 3 ' the communique which was to-day is- d sued in a Parliamentary White Paper, and Sir Herbert Samuel, the Liberal 7 - Leader, provoked cheers when he con- ■ gratulated the Foreign Secretary on J. the measure of agreement so far , achieved and expressed the common „ hope that it would lead to useful re-' g bults. Sir Herbert asked for an assur- j ance that the pursuit of the objects embodied in the communique would not y lead to the slackening of the efforts of jthe Government to secure a general dis- ]' armament convention for which those I proposals were, of course, not substi- r tuted. B To this Sir John Simon replied: “I have no hesitation in giving that assurance.”