PEACE GUARANTEE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 68, 16 February 1935, Page 7

PEACE GUARANTEE

ANGLO-FRENCH PROPOSALS. GERMANY’S REPLY EVASIVE. FURTHER REJECTIONS PROBABLE. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. \ Received February 7 16, 10.20 a.m. LONDON, Feb.'ls. The News-Chronicle’s Berlin correspondent says that a semi-official statement declares that Germany’s reply 7 to the Anglo-French proposals shows that Germany adopts a “positive attitude’ to efforts to prevent an armaments race and banish all danger of war. It emphasises Germany’s desire for peace and pays a warm tribute to Britain’s endeavours to achieve a settlement. . . . Baron Von Ncurath (Foreign Minister) personally explained Germany s views to Sir Erie Phipps and M. Poncet, the British and French Ambassadors, and handed them an aide memoire which is understood to be a brief document of only two typewritten pages, the contents of which are, in French opinion, favourable to the initiation ol negotiations. A later message states that Germany’s reply 7 has obviously 7 evaded many issues. Britain lias consistently maintained that the Anglo-French proposals cannot bo partially accepted. She will not regard the reply as a rejection, blit will temporise, resulting in further negotiations. Germany’s attitude to the air pact admittedly is favourable, but the- air pact cannot bo excluded from the proposals as a whole. A FRIENDLY REPLY. CONCURRENCE WITH VIEWS. EXHAUSTIVE EXAMINATION PROMISED. (British Official Wireless.) Received February 16, 12.25 a.m. RUGBY, Fob. 15. The German reply 7 to the AngloFrench declaration was issued in Berlin to-night. Brieflv summarised, the reply welcomes the spirit ol friendly confidence animating the discussion between the individual governments which had found its expression in the Anglo-French talks. The communication say's tlio German Government will make an exhaustive examination of the entire complex problem which is laid before them in the European questions raised in the first part of the London communique. Tlie proposed air convention is also welcomed and the German Government express readiness to seek as soon as possible, in a free agreement with the governments concerned, ways and means whereby such a convention. as guarantees the greatest possible security of all tlie signatories can become a reality 7. Tlie German Government consider it desirable nrst to clarify in separate conversations with the governments concerned a number of preliminary questions of principle, and would be glad if tlie British Government, as that partner of the London conversations which is at the same time the guarantor of Locarno, were to begin when ready to enter into a direct exchange of views on the subject with the German Government. Concurrence is expressed with the opinion that the air convention would bo an important step towards the solidarity of the European. States, calculated to lead to a solution of other European problems satisfactory to ah States. The text of tlie German reply is at present under careful examination in London. The German Government to-day communicated it also to the Italian and Belgian Governments. MR EDEN’S VIEWS. Mr 11. A. Eden, in a speech at Rugby, said he would restrict his remarks on the Gorman reply to general observations. The Anglo-French. Loudon conversations were being followed up, and would be followed up. Coming as they did in succession to the FrancoItaiian conversations at Rome and the important meeting of the Council of the League last December, they might well mark a new and more encouraging phase in European reconstruction. The objective of that phase must be the restoration of confidence in Europe. It was precisely for the creation of such confidence tnat the League of Nations and the collective peace system, to which it gave expression, existed. Although still in a state of evolution, the League was definitely stronger now than six months ago. The conception of collective peace systems had surely come to stay; it was the only substitute for a balance of power which, however nicely adjusted, could never be a final guarantor of peace. The experience and influence accumulated bv the League would make it steadily better able to shoulder the responsibilities placed upon it until at length it gained that universal membership with the aid of which a peaceful settlement of all disputes might become not merely an ideal but a fact.