France’s Security

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 80, 12 March 1924, Page 5

France’s Security

The Yellow Book

MR. BONAR LAW'S IDEA

REGIONAL UNDERSTANDING WITH GERMANY

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.]

London, March 11. The "Daily Telegraph’s" diplomatic correspondent, discussing the French Yellow Book and the problem of French security, says: “It is not generally known that but lor the French occupation of the Ruhr Mr. Bonar Law would have advanced in the spring of 1923 a, scheme for a mutual pact of guarantee between the Western Powers and Germany, which would have practically constituted a regional understanding within the meaning of the League of Nations covenant-

Th ideas of the MiacDonald administration. as far as they have crystallised. differ but slightly from Mr. Bonar Law’s. A broad belt of Rhenish territory would be de_ militarised and neutralised in perpetuity, th© League of the Powers concerned or both guaranteeing the future. No troops or military works would be stationed there, no troops to cross the area, whether from Germany France or Belgium.” The correspondent emphasises that Britain is unlikely to consent to any security pact unless Germany can participate on a reciprocal or neutral basis.

The “Daily Express’s” Paris correspondent recalls that Mr. MacDonald’s recent letter to M. Poincare alluded to large armaments in Western France It is rumoured that this refers to guns, asid to have a range of 90 miles, placed at two points on the French coast com manding the channel- The War Ministry denies that the guns have such a range and are so placed, but there has been a denial that France does possess a gun with a longer range than the notorious German Big Bertha, secret trials whereof were carried out in the Gulf of Lyons when War Office experts and representatives of Messrs. Schneider were present.—(A. and N.Z-)