PEACE TREATIES

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 17 October 1925, Page 7

PEACE TREATIES

READY FOR SIGNATURE.

THE CLOSING SCENES.

MUCH CORDIALITY DISPLAYED. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LOCARNO, Oct. 15. It is expected that five treaties will be initialled to-morrow and signed in London in a fortnight’s time. The texts will be published probably next week. A special assembly of the League will be called after signature to admit Germany to the League, probably in December. Dr. Benes said to-day: “At last the Versailles Treaty becomes a workable, living pact.” Mr. Austen Chamberlain (British Foreign Minister) added: “The relations of European countries have been founded at Locarno on the basis of absolute equality, goodwill and mutual consideration, which will have an immediate re percussion in international pacification.” After luncheon there was a general exodus to the villa quarters of Signor Mussolini (Premier of Italy),, who acknowledged the greetings of the crowd. Mr. Chamberlain later formally called on Signor Mussolini. It is noteworthy that after the luncheon Dr. Luther (Germany) thanked Mr. Chamberlain for all he had done and clinked glasses with him. M. Briand (French Foreign Minister) also congratulated Mr. Chamberlain. Polish, Czecho-Slovakian and German jurists, assisted by British and Anglo-French experts, reached an understanding on the eastern arbitration treaty. Mr. Chamberlain and M. Briand conferred the whole evening on the German proposals for the evacuation of the Rhineland and the demands regarding the Saar, which may slightly delay the initialling of the pact, though they constitute no serious obstacle. CONCESIONS TO GERMANY. A LAST HOUR REQUEST. LONDON, Oct. 10. Dr. Luther and Dr. Stresemann, the German delegates to Locarno, are apparently fighting at the eleventh hour for a written document regarding concessions. It is also understood that the Germans refuse to accept the Poles’ demand for the application of the principle of arbitration to territorial questions. Last night’s meeting of Mr. Chamberlain, M. Briand, Dr. Luther, Dr. Stresemann and M. Vanderveld lasted for four hours.

The Locarno correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, presumably cabling before last night ’s meeting, said the questions on which the Germans received assurances would be the subject of a further l conference in London shortly. A diplomatic correspondent discloses that the western pact is without time limit, and any two signatories may denounce the pact upon giving lengthy notice. Two years is mentioned, but the League Council may decline to allow denunciation.

The Locarno correspondent of the Morning Post states that the final draft of the pact contains ten articles, the most important of which is Article 2, in which Prance, Belgium and Germany pledge themselves not to attack or invade the others’ territories. This, however, does not apply in two cases, first, in the event of the above pledge being violated, and second, in the event of Articles 42, 43 and 44 of the Versailles Treaty being violated. Article 42 prohibits the establishment of German fortifications within the neutralised area of thirty miles eastward of the Rhine. Article 43 prohibits the concentration of troops or military manoeuvres in this area. Article 44 refers to paragraph seven of Article 16 of the League covenant, dealing with the individual action of nations when the council cannot prevent war. Articles 3, 4 and 5 concern the procedure before the council of the League in the case of hostilities and/or the intervention of the guaranteeing powers. This intervention must be immediate in the event of aggression, and is obligatory if the League Council declares that there has been a violation of Articles 42, 43 and 44 of the Versailles Treaty. Britain enters into Article 2 through the latter connection, though Britain is. not specifically mentioned in the article.

The Times editorially states that the British commitments should be strictly limited and conditioned when any crisis occurs by the recognition of the British Government that a case for intervention has arisen. The conference afforded further evidence that, the cause cf arbitration is making real headway in Europe.