VERSAILLES TREATY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 272, 13 August 1938, Page 17

VERSAILLES TREATY

Nothing Now Left Except

Colonies

CUM ULATIVE EAI LURES The drive in Germa ii.\ in favour of the return of tiie Reich’s lost colonies lias an importance reaching far her ond tin? colonies I hemselves, says I’. W. Wilson in Hie “New York ’l imes.” A precedent i.< created. Though there have been ninny abandonments and repudiations of provisions of the peace treaties—economic and strategic—this is the first time that the Nazis have advanced a challenge to the geographical .settlement.

The failures to carry out the Treaty of Versailles are cumulative. First came the omission to enforce “penalties.'’ The victorious powers declared that they would “publicly arraign William II of Holienzollern” for "a supreme offence against international morality and the sanctity of treaties” and five powers —the United States, Great Britain. France, Italy and Japan —undertook to set up “a special tribunal” to “fix .the punishment” appropriate to the former Emperor’s misdeeds. A similar judgment by "military tribunals” was to be passed on persons guilty of “criminal acts” during the war.' The provisions were mainly a dead letter. Reparations Gone. Second, Germany ami her allies were made to accept responsibility for “all the loss and damage” suffered by ttn; victorious powers, which liability was expressed in terms of reparations far in excess of Germany’s capacity to pay. Reparations were cut down according to the Dawes and Young plans and payments were suspended. The entile obligation, with certain more or less contingent indebtedness, is now repudiated. After the war Germany was disarmed on land, at sea and in the air. The object of this measure was "to render possible the initiation of a general limitation of the armaments of all nations.” Interallied commissions exercised “control” over these provisions. Germany no longer respects the treaty stipulation that she leave her western frontier unfortified and unoccupied by armed forces. The German Rhineland is now in process of militarisation. The German Excuse. Germany's plea is that other powers refused to carry out their pledges to disarm. There was force on one side, she says, and none on the oilier. If the maps are to be redrawn Eli- | rope can hardly be indifferent. The colonial problem is now associate.! with Germany’s further desire that all territories where Germans Jive in any numbers be added to the Fatherland. By Article 80 of the

Treaty of Versailles, Germany “acknowledges and will respect strictly the independence of Austria*,” which "independence shall be inalienable, except with the consent of tiie Council of the League of Nations”: yet the Nazis classify Austrians as Germans. Austria Is Now an Integral Part of Germany. Similarly, under the treaty. Germany recognises Czechoslovakia and agrees that “German nationals habitually resident in this new country will 'obtain Czechoslovak nationality ipso facto and lose their German nationality.” Germany is now claiming that tlie.se ex-Germans still belong to iter. In the case of the seaport, Meinel, on the Baltic, the same issue arises. The treaty imposes a settlement which Germany accepted “particularly in so far as concerns the nationality of the inhabitants." Yet the Reich has not given up the idea of a German Memel. Nazis in Danzig. With regard to the treaty port of Danzig the League appointed a commission to which was entrusted the duty of “providing against any discrimination . . . to the detriment of citizens of Polafid and other persons of Polish origin and speech.” To-day the Nazis control Danzig. It is stated that they intend to respect tiie rights of minorities in the "free city.” On the other hand, the treaty lays it down that no change in the Constitution of Danzig can be put into force without the approval of the League. This provision bears upon the movement among Nazis for reuniting Danzig with Germany. By Article 116 of the treaty “Germany acknowledges and agrees to respect as permanent and inalienable the independence of all the territories which were part of the Russian Empire on August 1, 1914.” That provision appears to be called in question by statements on behalf of Germany that her economic necessities require penetration into the Ukraine,