BELGIUM’S DEFENCE

Grey River Argus, 16 October 1936, Page 7

BELGIUM’S DEFENCE

PRE-WAR NEUTRALITY With Stronger Army (Aus, & N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received October 15, 7.35 p.m.) BRUSSELS, October 14. A strong plea for Belgium to re<vert to her pre-war pol'cy of neutrality was made by King Leopold, when presiding at a meeting of the Cabinet for the first time flinee< his accession. "This policy must aim at resolutely p’aeing us out-ide of.conflicts w’th our neighbours, ” he said. The King urged the reinforcement of the army to an extent euffie lent to keep war from the>r territory. The King said that the reoccupation of the Rhineland by Germany w:r upsetting the Locarno agreement. It /had placed Belgium in almost the 'same international portion as before. He added: "As our md'itary organisation can no longer meet the possi b'litios of a rapid invasion the pos'tion compe's Belg'um to maintain a military machine which will dissuade her neighbours using her territory to attack another State. Those jwho doubt such a policy should consider the proud examp'e of Holland and of Switzerland.' ’

K'ng Le.opo'd's speech contained some important unpl'eat’ons, including its bearing on the Locarno Treaty.

French Consternation

LONDON PAPER’S STATEMENT. (Received October 15, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, October 15. King Leopo'd’s speech has caused consternation in Paris;, where it i s inteTpjeted to mean that Belgium detsYes to remain neutral in the event of another European war. "This is regarded as a blow to France,” tha London "News-Chron-icle’s” Paris correspondent says, "though it is not. yet clear how this so-ca'led neutrality can be r woneiled with Begum’s League Covenant obligations. ’ ’

Belgium’s Stand

CLEARLY NEUTRAL. (Received October 15. 11.40' p.m.) LONDON October 15. The "Daily Telegraph’s” Paris correspondent says: Al. Spnat. the Belgian Foreign Alinister, recently informed the French Premier. Al. Blum, and the Bu'tish Fore'gn Alinister. Air Eden k that in the event of a new Locarno Conference. Belgium woulfl be wiping to accept British French, and German guarantees, but Belgium would not herself enter into any guarantqcs. Tho meaning of this is that, if France is attacked and Belgian territory is spared, Belgium would not join Eng”anfl and Franco in defence of the French frontier.