THE AERIAL LOCARNO

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 32, 7 February 1935, Page 9

THE AERIAL LOCARNO

(To the Editor.)

' Sir,—The,vapparent anxiety- of; Sir JJoHn'Sirnoh; the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the present English' Cabinet, to emulate-the tragical 'European "heavy father" role, of Sir Edward Grey, .is plainly evident from recent cables published in your columns. Sir Joh.ru Simon wants France; to' agree to the re-arming of Germany, her. age-long enemy. A/Vhy he should want; any such.: thing, passes al^'-but, a dip-' lomat'& understanding. In furtherance of :this.; strange ambition he: invites the French Prime Minister (M. Flandin). and ,the French Foreign. Minister^M* Laval), to- Downing .:Street, London, and rtherq;-arranges' with - 'them., an "aerial locarno." ' : '■■■~

This aerial locarno. is based .upon the', abrogation of the most. sensible clauses of the Treaty of Versailles, viz articles 159, to 213,.that strictly limit the military, naval, arid air forces of Germany. 'He does not hesitate to' pledge" the lives of- his" fellow-country-men; women, and childeri,.in.the diplomatic process, and, with the apparent approval, of Cabinet, to, place the cities qf England,. including, vulnerable London,^ in- the;nrjng lin£ of the next Franco-German; war. This Seems to 'be largely 'the putcbnie: of . Sir, Austen Chamberlain's ' absurd .Treaty of Locarno, which imposed Immense, and entirely unreciprocated obligations' upon England to defend the frontiers of foreign countries. Surley the lesson of 1914-1918) was • severe enough to make British Foreign Ministers careful to avoid all' European military entanglements. ;.;, . .■-,.,•'. ••-■'' ' ■<■ - ; . I .am isurprised that thie 'Evening Post" should; consider- the "keep out of Europe's' quarrels" attitude' of.-the; London "Daily' Express," as ; being Billy. It seems to me that'the silliness lies with those who advocate the "but-ting-in" policy that is so popular with those diplomats^ and politicians who hold office in England at the present time.—l-am, etc.,

iSELWYNKING.