FRENCH MAN FORTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 59, 10 March 1936, Page 9

FRENCH MAN FORTS

GERMANY AND VERSAILLES

FURTHER BREACH SAID TO BE INTENDED

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

(Received March 10, 11.30 a.m.) ','.'.- LONDON, March 9. It is reported from Paris that specially-trained troops are taking up positions on the formidable Maginot line of fortifications. The War Ministry, however, emphasises that they do not represent war strength, and that no troops have been brought to the Rhine from other parts of France.. Regiments from garrisons at Metz and Thionville have moved up to complete the manning of the fortifications. All other troops in the vicinity of the Rhineland are still confined to barracks. It is now revealed that the plans for the reoccupation of the Rhineland were carried out with typical German thoroughness, but observers are struck by the extreme youth, of the soldiers, the average age being twenty years, many of them being almost schoolboys. It is reported from Berlin that it is reliably learned that Germany intends to break another section of the Versailles Treaty and to renationalise the Rhine, the Danube, the Oder, the Elbe, and the Moselle. Germany has already informed the interested Governments that with the reassumption of full sovereignty of German territory she will no longer be able to recognise the jurisdiction of the river commissions. French newspapers say that well-informed circles in Germany are surprised and dismayed at the world-wide disapproval of HenHitler's action, as they were placing hopes in< Britain as an outside arbitrator. Powers' Attitude to* Locarno. The League has communicated to Germany the French appeal for the League Council to be convoked, asking whether Germany desires to participate in the Council's debate on the subject. It is announced in Rome that Italy has not decided her attitude towards Locarno, which will depend largely on the withdrawal of sanctions. It is reported from Warsaw that the French Ambassador has been assured that Poland adheres to the Franco-Polish Alliance of 1921, under which she agrees to assist France if she is attacked. The Polish Senate is considering a proposal for a £20,000,000 re-armament loan. , , The Balkan Little Entente has notified its full support of France in upholding the Locarno Treaty. The Belgian Government has sent a brief Note to the League drawing attention to Germany's violation of Locarno.