FATEFUL DAYS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 150, 20 March 1936, Page 11

FATEFUL DAYS

Many Causes of Anxiety Remain GREAT BRITAIN’S GOAL Permanent Settlement In Western Europe (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, JI a reh 18. Although the immediate deadlock in the European crisis was broken yesterday aud a more hopeful outlook developed when it became known that as a result of exchanges between Loudon aud Berlin the German Government had decided to send a representative without delay to take part iu the present proceedings of the League Council, there are still many factors in the situation which give rise to anxiety. What is in many respects the most delicate phase of the discussions has sow been reached, and the efforts of British statesmanship iu endeavouring to secure agreement on a programme which will open the possibility of securing a permanent settlement in Western Europe are being pursued earnestly and unremittingly. In this task it is recognised that unity among the Locarno Powers other than Germany is at the present stage essential. This unity is not to be interpreted as being directed against Germany. It is regarded as necessary solely because it is felt that unless the Locarno signatories. and particularly Britain and Eranee, are agreed ou a programme of negotiations progress toward a settlement that will include Germany must inevitably be retarded, if not defeated Locarno Powers’ Meetings. It was with this over-riding interest in view that the recent meetings of the Locarno Powers at present in London have been undertaken. There were two such meetings yesterday, one in the morning aud the other late at night. Tlie latter meeting. which lasted two hours and a half, did not disperse until 12.31) a.m. On the British side the Foreign Secretary and Lord Halifax were joined in these discussions by Mr. Ramsay MacDonald and Mr. Neville Chamberlain. Another meeting of the Locarno Powers began at noon’to-day. As is usual on such occasions, the discussions have been based on various draft memoranda submitted by various Powers. In view of the present fluid condition of the situation, these diafts have naturally been kept private, although their broad outlines have become known. The British proposals are understood to provide in their present form for the establishment of a temporary neutral zone between Germany ou the oue side and Eranee and Belgium on the other to be policed by an international force pending settlement of the immediate problem raised by the remilitarisation of the Rhineland. Three stages on the road to final settlement are at present foreseen. The first is the League Council stage now in progress, the second is an interim stage, and the third, still some time ahead, would be the stage of formal negotiations. Britain Must Uphold Guarantee. On the British side it is fully recognised that throughout the period preceding any final settlement Great Britain must uphold to the full the guarantee of the French and Belgian frontiers which she gave at Locarno. In the efforts which are being made to find an agreed basis for settlement of the present difficulties various suggestions are being brought under review, and from time to time each delegation was advancing proposals for consideration, but the attribution of specific drafts to one or more delegations, with speculative accounts of their contents, lias led, and is liable to lead, to considerable misconception. Tlie negotiations cannot be said to have reached a stage in which any scheme under discussion can be regarded as more than tentative.

The German delegate to the League

Council, Herr von Ribbentrop, accompanied by his staff, arrived in London this afternoon too late to attend today’s meeting of the League Council, but he will be present when the Couiiei! reassembles at 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. At to-day’s public session Mr. Anthony Eden spoke, and lie was followed by (be Spanish, Italian and Rumanian delegates. The German representative is expected to speak early in to-morrow’s proceedings.