SECRET SESSION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 81, 17 March 1936, Page 7

SECRET SESSION

LEAGUE COUNCIL TALK ON GERMAN REPLY Important Issue Raised BRITISH CABINET MEETING (By Telegraph—Prni Asin., Copyright.) (Received 17, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, March 16. The League Council assembled at 3.30 p.m. for a private session and then, at 3.50, began a secret session. A communique stated that the private meeting of the Council again considered the French and Belgian communications dealing with the Locarno Treaty. Mr. Stanley Bruce, president of the Council, read the invitation to Germany and also the German reply.

Mr. Bruce suggested that before holding a public meeting the Council should consider the two questions raised in the German reply. He asked whether the proposals made in Herr Hitler’s speech should be discussed immediately or in the near future. The Council decided to consider -the German reply immediately at the secret meeting which is now in progress.

A special meeting of Cabinet was held this morning to consider tho situation in the light of the week-end developments and in particular the reply of the German Government to tho League Council’s invitation. There was a full attendance of Ministers.

Before attending the meetings Mr. Anthony Eden, Foreign Minister, was in consultation with officials at the Foreign Office. In view of the terms of the German reply to the invitation special interest attaches to the Cabinet meeting now proceeding.

OUTCOME OF SESSION

Council Again Awaiting Hitler’s Word TERMS OF REPLY DISCUSSED (Received 17, 3.0 p.m.) LONDON, March 16. The League and the Locarno Powers are again awaiting Herr Hitler’s word: that is the position to-night. The Associated Press is assured that nothing but the form of the invitation to Germany was discussed at to-day’s private session of the League Council. The Council decided that it was incompetent to deal with the second section of the German reply; it was a matter for the Locarno Powers to discuss his long-term European peace proposals. Should Germany accept, the position would be that the votes of France. Belgium and Germany as guaranteed Powers under the Locarno Pact would not count in calculating unanimity, but the votes of Britain and Italy, as guarantor Powers, would count. The closest parallel to bringing Ger many before the Council is the ease of tho Mosul boundary dispute in 1923. when Turkey, then a non-member, was assured by the League that there was no reason to fear the nature of her reception from the Council. The only other feature of the pro* ceedings was M. Flandin’s formal demand that the Council should record Germany’s violation of the Locarno Treaty, whereupon Mr. Bruce delayed the discussion.