AN ILLUSORY PACT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 303, 11 December 1922, Page 3

AN ILLUSORY PACT.

ASSURANCES FOR FRANCE. REPLY TO MR. LLOYD GEORGE. Ixmdon, Dec. 9. M. Poincare, replying to Mr. Lloyd George’s criticisms oi the French policy, in which he asserts that an important party in France is desirous of annexing the left bank of the Rhine, states: - Such a party does not exist except in Mr. Lloyd George’s imagination. There is not a. Government Minister, not even a deputy or senator, who would put forward such a foolish design. Mr. Lloyd George says he offered M. Clemenceau, in 1919, a British pact of guarantee in order to help j him against the Chauvanism of his compatriots. 1 am sure this does not correspond with M. Clemenceau’s idea. In any case the pact proposed atCannes was entirely illusory. It excluded anything in the nature of an alliance and was offered for a decade only, which is shorter than the period of the Allied occupation of the left bank of the Rhine and, therefore, would probably end at the time when it would be useful. Ho\vever, the pact did not meet a case of indirect aggression, such as a German atack on Poland. Mr. Lloyd George now pretends that we asked for a real military convention. It is true France wanted a convention analag.ius to that existing before the war. When this was refused France agreed to continue the discussion, stipulating that the pact should provide a .permanent contact between the military staffs. Mr. Lloyd George, however, gave us to understand that this must I be delayed until an agreement was reached at the Genoa conference on I the Eastern question and the question of Tangier, but Genoa did not fulfil all Mr. Lloyd George’s uishes, because his views were incompatible with realities. Likewise Eastern affairs have not taken the course Constantine, Gounaris and Mr. Lloyd George hoped they would. Nothing has been more fortunate for the peace of the world. Lausanne proves that complete accord is henceforth possible between England and France regarding the Eastern policy. Unfortunately that accord did not exist a few months ago.”—(A. and N.Z.)