GERMANY AND RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 167, 11 April 1935, Page 7

GERMANY AND RUSSIA

Attitude Toward Proposed Pact IDENTIFYING AGGRESSOR (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, April 9. Herr Hitler was not prepared in the present conditions to contemplate the inclusion of Lithuania in any pact o. non-aggression. Germany also suggest-, ed that if. in spite of this pact of nobaggression and consultation hostilities should break out between any two contracting 'Powers, other contracting Powers should-engage not to support the aggressor in any way. Herr Hitler dwelt on tlie difficulty of identifing the aggressor Asked as to his view if some ot t lie other parties to such a pact entered into an agreement of mutual assistance as among themselves. Herr Hitler stated that he considered this idea was dangerous and objectionable as. in ins opinion, it would tend to create special interests in a group within the wider system. . „ , At Moscow the Lord Privy Seal. Mt. Eden, learned that the Soviet Government considered that the present international situation made it more than ever necessary to pursue an endeavour to promote the building up of a security system in Europe as contemplated in the London communique and in con- • formitv. with the principles of the League. The Soviet Government emphasised that in its view the proposed Eastern Paet did not aim at the isolation or encirclement of any State, but at the creation of equal security for all participants, and it felt that the participation of both Germany and Poland in the pact would afford the best solution of the problem. At Warsaw the Lord Privy beal learned the view of the Polish Government on this question. M. Beck, the Polish Foreign Minister, explained that Poland had, by her existing agreements with the Soviet Union on the one hand and with Germany on tae other, established tranquil conditions upon her two frontiers, and the nuestion Poland was bound to ask herseir was whether any new proposal would improve or trouble the 'good atmosphere thereby established. • The question of the Eastern Pact was also briefly reviewed in a short interview which Mr. Eden had with JI. Benes at Prague. Central European,Pact. As regarded the idea of a Central European Pact which was more particularly the topic of the FrancoItalian meeting at Rome, the British Ministers understood at Berlin that the German Government did not reject the idea of such an arrangement on the grounds of principle, but did not see its necessity and saw great difficulty in defining “non-interference” in relation to Austria. Herr Hitler intimated. however, that if the other Governments who should wish to conclude a Central European Pact could agree upon the text the German Government would consider it. At Warsaw JI. Beck told Mr. Eden that Poland was prepared to adopt a friendly attitude toward a Central European Pact and considered that the proposed arrangement might lead to appeasement and to a growth of confidence in that region. JI. Benes, at Prague, expressed the hope that further progress might be made on this subject at Stresa. Germany and Armaments. In regard to land armaments Herr Hitjer stated that Germany required 36 representing a maximum of 550,000 soldiers of all arms, including a division of SS (Guards Troops) and militarised police troops. Germany, he said, claimed to possess all types of arms possessed by other countries and was not prepared to refrain from constructing certain types until other countries ceased to possess them. If other countries would abandon certain types, Germany, he said, would do the same. As regarded naval armaments, Germany claimed, with certain reserves, 35 per cent, of British tonnage, and in the air parity between Great Britain, France and Germany, provided that the development of the Soviet air force was not such that a revision of these figures would become necessary. If any general agreement as to arms limitation could be reached. Germany would be prepared to accept and work a system of permanent and automatic super, vision on the understanding that such supervision applied to all Powers equally. Herr Hitler said that the German Government favoured the suggestion contained in the London communique of an air pact between the Locarno Powers. Ou the subject of the League of Nations, Herr Hitler referred to the assertion he had made in May, 1933, that Germany would not continue to participate in. the League, if she was to re-

main what he described as a country of inferior rights, and alleged by way of example that she was in a position of inferiority if she had no colonies. Sir John Simon continued: “I have confined myself to an account of what was said by others, but it must not be supposed that the British Ministers did not indicate strong disagreement on certain points and, indeed, at the end. of the Berlin interview I expressed our disappointment at the difficulties disclosed in the way of agreement.” Sir John added that his statement was purely objective, and. ip view of the fact that comments Of the leading newspapers in Britain were sometimes supposed on the Continent to represent Government opinion, it was desirable to state that his Majesty’s Government, faithful to its assurance that it would take its part at Stresa without previously reaching defined conclusions, had not yet formulated its attitude to these interviews and he hoped the opinion aroused would await the official utterance of the Government before drawing inferences from any unauthorised comments and pronouncements.

(Note on Pago 5.)