THE RHINELAND

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 7 September 1928, Page 5

THE RHINELAND

DEMAND FOR EVACUATION.

GERMANY’S RESTLESSNESS

THE GENEVA CONVERSATIONS

'United Press Ast-ueiatlon —By Electric Tetegrapn Copyright.; (Australian Press Association.)

LONDON, Sept. G

l üblicists and the i ress throughout r.urope are closely watching Germany’s restlessness over the Rhineland occupation. They saw a deep significance in the meeting of M. briand and Derr Mueller at Geneva.

Curiously, M. Briand was at pains to deny that Bhineland negotiations had begun, but in a statement to the press lie admitted that the Rhineland was naturally mentioned among the questions being preliminarily reviewed <»« possibly arising between France and Germany.

Curiously, also, a British official' wireless message circulated after the interview referred to the interview only as a process of arranging, but seized upon the exact argument anent evacuation which M. Briand used. One hundred and fifty journalists waited in the hall of the Hotel des iiergues to, hear Herr Mueller's* v ersion from his own lips, but Herr Mueller, instead of talcing the lilt as expected, walked down the staircase and out of the hotel, and had readied his motor-car and gone before the journalists grasped the situation. Therefore only a brief statement was available from the German delegation.

It has been learned that M. Biiand intends to return Herr Mueller’s visit. A remark by Herr Mueller makes it clear that he is hopeful that a roundtable meeting will ultimately be Held, attended bv himself. M. Briand, and representatives of Britain, Belgium, and Italy. . In view of the. British official wireiess message and iMi. Briand’s statement it would appear that the matter rests with Belgium and Italy. It is regarded as certain that Herr Mueller will now acquaint Lord Cushendun and other representatives with the German viewpoints, while M. Briand is communicating with Paris. The British Government’s attitude to the German demand for evacuation of the Rhineland before the time limit fixed by the Allies was indicated in the House of Commons by Sir Austen Chamberlain shortly before Parliament rose. The Foreign Secretary then said that, the British Government sympathised with the German demand, but earlier evacuation, could only be the result of an arrangement between the occupying Powers oil the one hand and the German Government on the other. The other Powers had to be consulted. The British Government was ready to give friendly consideration to any proposals which might be put forward.