The Hawera Star SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1935. EUROPEAN UNREST.

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 23 March 1935, Page 4

The Hawera Star

SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1935. EUROPEAN UNREST.

Delivered every evening -by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Kaupokonui, Otakeho. Oeo, Pibama, Opunake. Eltbam, Ngaere, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Te Kiri, Mahoe, Lowgarth, Manutahi, Kakaramea, Alton. Hurleyville. Patea, Whenuakura, Waverley, Mokoia. Wbakamara, Ohangai. Meremere. Fraaer Boad and Ararat*.

The establishment of conscription by Germany has thrown over Europe a dark cloud through which some of that country s neighboui’S can see only one thing the menace of war. It was not to be expected that the other signatories to the Versailles Treaty would take Germany s de feetlon lightly, but a majority ot the tolerant British public will fail to see why certain foreign countries should be so persistent in expressing horrified surprise at her action. The stand being taken by France is highly dangerous "for it is one calculated to whip up war hatreds. Germany has never left any room for.doubtin D- that she would refuse to observe the peace terms designed to leave her in unarmed isolation in a Europe which has denoted itself, since the peace, to arming itse to the teeth. But because Germany is arming now, it does no necessarily mean that she has hei eye on Belgium, Pans or Poland. Undoubtedly, Germany has her war-mongers and her war chiefs whose pleasure or duty it is to plan the trend of Germany s policy. It, is not impossible to make fairly close approximations of Germany’s actions hr the event of war, and such deductions make a very alarming story. “Revelations” based on such deductions, read in conjunction with Germany’s latest action, can prove sufficiently startling to throw the world off its balance .and cause ft to think of nothing but the possibilities of war with Germany. But there are other factors to be taken into consideration. One is the probable benefits which would accrue to Germany in challenging the whole world again. They are difficult to discern. On the other hand, Germany has as much right as other nations —except for the Peace Treaty—to claim that she can be an effective voice m the cause of peace only as long as she is strong enough to support her words with actions; and as far as the peace terms are concerned they are dead to the new Germany which has as large a proportion of people as other ex-com-batant nations who do not hold themselves responsible for the folly of the last Great War. Properly handled, and divorced from war-bred hate and hysteria, the new situation can still be made the basis of discussions designed to obtain some measure of security for the peace of Europe. But insistence by France upon the maintenance of Germany s position o servility, and ponderous Notes directed to Germany upon the heinous nature of her crime m denouncing the Versailles Treaty, are dangerous stuff of the worst kind. If Europe indulges in too much diplomatic conversation of this kind it will not be long before the whole discussion centres upon the destruction of a “scrap of paper” signed at Versailles sixteen years ago and loses sight of all that has happened in the world since then —and that might lead to tragedy.