CRITICAL WEEK

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 June 1925, Page 5

CRITICAL WEEK

BRITAIN AND THE PACT.

FREEDOM OF ACTION URGED.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.!

LONDON, June 14. The week premises to be momentous .n European Affairs. -The "‘.'French reply win be despatched 'to - Berlin, ifter which it will be''published 1 in ‘all parts of the world, thereupon wfe miti'y axpect a flood of new comment toxiie released, including the Germaii ’ b’piii*on, which .' has -bben strangely''silent, axcept for the first'Outburst based ilpon me' macciiriltc' forecast. ‘.. The most reliable information is :hat the French reply'will'-be suave ill tone, and'will'deal mainly in generalities. The chief, point will- be the acreptaneb of the ' The iiext 'step; will-be the German Gbitern incut’s • te'-affi'rmlitioh <!-[■ The- desire - co negotiate a'" p.-tet; 'followed by a conference th -aiTang'crf'i tW details, and Iraw.up tel'nis of' tlie'phct. b It is exa’ected i that Alr.-uChain’bei’lain will-Te-min' froiii SiMCzei'laiid,' where li.e'is iidiirla'yiiig,.-on •Wednesday,' ami' 1 ,’tlie Toinnioiis-''will’‘debette 'the reply on rhiirsdav, '.»)• jat/nn’y fate,' as sobn-as fossible uifter-! thfe'note is published, 1 Sir'-L'iii .'Haihilbhi, speaking’:rt South Norwood,' said : “We realise the/amoub lag? of like “pact.” “protocol;” “’defence,’-h and “security.” Ify you 'loiL you will fmde-at the loltom of the-saucepan;’ : an obligation io.figiit, which will be hung round'the necks of our youngsters. Don’t let is light in another man’s quarrel. If re light, lot it be our own war, agreed, ;o bv those about to die.

I -T l'ie “Sunday’Express” sayS: ■' The ist-mr.ding feature' about the ]>i-oposcd fact is that'if would pledge our blood and treasure to French' p'olicy without t settlement bf French debt. ••

Air. Garvin, in a lengthy article in he “Observer” Bn the proposed pact, - lily’s *• '“Nothing on earth -would ’induce die'British democracy to mobilise iin'ess'tho previous consultation had been ideqnate, ‘ ahd tlie action of France inderstood and approved by the decinoA li'rid' weight of British public dpin:on. We hope our friends across the Ihaiinel will never, forget_ this, condition.

LLOYD GEORGE’S'APPEAL

OCCUPATION • DENOUNCED.

LONDON, June 13. Air. Lloyd GeoVge, addressing’a Mehoeijst gathering at Scarborough said : ?he British Empire must not march rroiigh the ages bearing the brand .of Jain. ' It was odd that he had 'begun o plead for Germany, but lie wa:< (leading for justice and fairness, which vas the British way. The continual occupation of Cologne was a danger to voace. Breaches of disarmament vhich France had discovered were in•ufficient cause for the non-evacuatiori'. The present pedantic, illiberal, in•quitable, oppressive application of the 'reaty of A r ersailles was another perilrhe re were a dozen otli-'fer European lisputes which might lead to war, unless the League .of Nations was strengthened, The League must dominate any’ Anglo-French pact. ARBITRATION FAVOURED. LONDON, June 13. The '‘Sunday Times’s” correspond>ut at Paris says : France’s proposal is -o to -guarantee peace, both eastward md, westward, by arbitration treaties, chat in the contingency of a. Germai) violation, not France only, but the League of Nations would also take action against the assailant. Britain's liability would be limited io the-obli-gations already undertaken under the ■ovenant of the League of Nations. THE GERMAN REPLY.

LONDON.- Juno 13. The Exchange Telegraph Company’s special Berlin correspondent learns dial the German reply to the Disarmament Note will agree to carry out vertain demands, ami will ask.an exdanatioii of other demands. It rejects tile remainder ’as being beyond the -.cope of the Versailles’ Treaty. RUSSjIANS PERTURBED. LONDON, Juno 14. “The Times’s” Riga correspondent says: The Bolshevist chiefs are showing fresh alarm-at what they describe as Germany’s inclination to come to hminsl with the Allies. flhe Soviet Press is daily admonishing Germany

not to join the League of Nations or subscribe to the Pact, which would bo. tantamount to subjecting herself, and repudiating friendship - with Russia. She’’is warned that if she does not follow Moscow’s advice, the Soviet Govemement will seek alliances elsewhere.