FATEFUL LEAGUE MEETING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 80, 16 March 1936, Page 8

FATEFUL LEAGUE MEETING

France and Belgium Firm

NO DECISION ARRIVED AT YET

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association—Copyright] LONDON, March 14. The Council of the League of Nations met at St. James’s Palace to-day to consider questions raised by Germany’s remilitarisation of the Rhineland zone. M. Flandin, French Foreign Minister, and M. van Zeeland, Belgian Premier, stated the cases for their respective countries. M. Flandin asked the Council to bear witness to Germany’s breach, notify the Locarno signatories and put them in a position to fulfil their obligations of assistance. Firmness characterised the attitudes of both the French and Belgian statesmen. The Council adjourned without decision till Monday. Discussions over the week-end are expected to decide the form of the Council’s resolution. Germany is to be invited to future meetings.

The Bt. Hon. Stanley Bruce, President of the League Council, began the proceedings by thanking the King for placing the Palace at the League’s disposal, especially as it involved the transfer of the levee on March 18 to Buckingham Palace instead of holding It, by old tradition, at Bt. James's. Mr. Anthony Eden, British Foreign Minister, said: "I shall not have over-much to say. The future depends on the wisdom of the decisions. In Britain's view it is patent and inconteetable that a breach of the Versailles and Locarno treaties has been committed. If this conclusion is shared, it will be for the Council to endeavour to find a solution of the difficulties. Our Locarno co-signatories on the Council may count on Britain’s fullest co-operation in endeavours to establish peace and understanding on a firm and enduring foundation.”

M. Flandin said that the German troops in the Bhineland were not symbolic, but consisted of more than 30,000 regulars, not to speak of those enumerated from Berlin. France had not so much used a right as obeyed a duty. If it were only a matter of right, Loearno authorised her to take urgently decisive measures; but she was anxious not to add any element of trouble to the European situation. France, therefore, had abstained so as to give full meaning and respect to international law.

The exchange of Notes in May and June, said M. Flandin, had amply rotated the German arguments concerning the Franco-Soviet pact. Germany had not accepted France's declaration to remit the pact to the Hague Court. She had not sought common discussion with other signatories of Locarno, but instead had voided the treaty, which Herr Hitler admitted had been freely negotiated; also Article 43 of the Versailles Treaty, which Article 44 qualified as a hostile act.

In asking that the violation should be borne witness to, Franco simply invoked the application of the law. Once the evidence was established it would be tin business of the guarantors to furnish France and Belgium with the assistance which Locarno provided. M. Flandin impressed on non■ignatories the point that it was a question not only of general peace but of tbe«xistence of the League itself. It was a matter of knowing if a political system involving a practical fait accompli and unilateral repudiation of agreements freely and solemnly accepted were going to be put up *ith in Europe. ASSISTANCE PROVISIONS. M. Flandin asked the Council to bear Witness to Germany's breach, notify tbe signatories of Locarno, and put them in a position to fulfil their obligations of assistance. It would bo for the Council to examine how it was able to reinforce this action by recommendations to members of the League. There was no doubt, said M. FJandin, that Germany's decision had long been prepared. Germany’s arguments were nothing but a pretext chosen from among others which they had considered before. France was confident of the impartiality of the Council and confident that the Powers wished to fulfil the duties devolving on them. France was resolved to put at the disposal of the League all her material and moral forces to aid it to overcome one of the gravest crises in the history of peace and collective organisation. M. Flandin added that France had the right, according to Locarno, to take brutal and decisive measures. But she relied entirely on the wisdom of the Council. M. van Zeelaud said: “Demilitarisation of the Rhineland is one of the essential elements jf our security system, because Belgium has the longest common frontier with Germany. Locarno is the very basis of our international status; breach of it is serious for a country relying on the structure of international law for security. NEVER AN EXCUSE. “Belgium has never given an excuse for a breach, particularly in this case, but has applied the letter and spirit of Locarno with scrupulous attention. In our eyes these pacts are intended to protect those remaining faithful to them against those who do not. We realise that the international structure must be rebuilt, b%t none can deny that a severe blow has been struck, in the eyes of the world and perhaps of those of future at tha moral

value of this attempt to build on the structure of law, the weakening of which imposes new burdens and duties on humanity.

“Belgium is obliged again to appeal to the League with a feeling of profound sadness and some bitterness. I have the sad duty of asking you in her name to consider the breach in accordance with the text of Locarno.”

M. van Zeeland also stressed the fact that Belgium considered Locarno a perfect formula for the guarantee world peace. “It was not made for our benefit alone,” said M. van Zeeland, “but also for the advantage of Germany. There is no reason why Germany should in any way modify her relations with Belgium. ’ ’ Mr Stanley Bruce declared that unless his colleagues desired to speak immediately this was the appropriate time to adjourn. He declared that the Council would meet at 330 p.nw on Monday.

After the public meeting the Council met in private to decide whether to send a formal invitation to Germany under Article 17 of the Covenant. It was finally resolved to invite Germany to attend future meetings. It is believed that they were assured beforehand that Germany would accept. TEMPERATE LANGUAGE. The public session of the Council lasted only 45 minutes. M. Flandin and M. van Zeeland Used temperate language. The firmness of their declarations revealed the strength of the attitude they had adopted during their private talks with the four Locarno Powers. An embarrassed silence met Mr Bruce’s question whether other members desired to speak. During the week-end discussions an endeavour will be made to decide the form the League resolution should take, for M. Flandin’s and M. van Zeeland's declarations to-day were statements of the case rather than direct proposals to the League. Members of the Council lunched with Mr Bruce, when the solemnity of the occasion and the vastness of the issues at stake appeared to rest heavily upon the delegates. With regard to the invitation to Germany to attend the League Council, it is explained that a previous approach was made to Berlin, which constituted a “polite suggestion” that she should represent the Bhineland at the Council meeting. This Germany did not choose to regard as a direct invitation, hence the formal and direct invitation now made.

“The Times” says: M. van Zeeland submitted a report to the conference of Locarno signatories, a discussion on which occupied most of the conference’s time. It embraced: (1) Unanimous recognition of Germanys’ violation of fieely-accepted treaty obligations; (2) the unanimous agreement of the delegations that the crisis must not become a step on the road to war; (3) the question of the British contribution towards the security of the Western Powers, particularly France and Belgium, who are now isolated from Germany by her action.

OLYMPIC GAMES

French Paper Urges Ban PARIS, March 15. “Le Soir” suggests a boycott of the Olympic Games, from which Germany hopes to obtain £14,000,000 of foreign money. This would deal a heavy blow to Germany’s finances and pestige. The president of the French National Sports Committee states that unless circumstances change France certainly will bo unable to participate in the Games. Ho hopes, however, that the situation will change.