THE FRENCH REPLY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 111, 11 April 1936, Page 9

THE FRENCH REPLY

TO GERMANY’S PLAN. A PRESS SYMPOSIUM. “DOOR NOT' CLOSED.” (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 9. Editorial comment in the leading newspapers on the French reply to the German memorandum of. April 1 and proposals for the consolidation of peace by the organisation of security, mutual assistance and arms limitation, as well as bv widespread economic and financial reconstruction, is unanimous in recognising the conviction in favour of organised security which inspires the trench plan, but apprehension is evident lest an undertaking on the scale envisaged would not inevitably bp frustrated in inconclusive discussions.; o

'iliis fear is most explicit in the Da-ily Telegraph, which toinks the plan has an unwise elaboration and detail, and this idea is echoed by the Manchester Guardian, which declares that Mr R. A. Eden (Foreign Secretary/ was right to advocate a restricted programme for this yea.r’s negotiations. Both the Times and the Daily Telegraph find the proposals wholly impracticable in many parts, but the Telegraph makes the point regaiding the growing number ot “peace plans’* that “if all these projects were thrown into a common pool statesmanship would be undeserving of the name if it could not extract.from them something that would give a better guarantee than we have now of peace.” The Daily Express thinks that before joining in. the reorganisation of Europe the Empire should be bound into a single framework, and it urges Britain to .turn to its .own task first, while regarding Europe’s efforts to rebuild with all goodwill. The caustic French comments on the more plausible arguments in the German memorandum are generally appioved for their substance, if not for their tone. At the same time both the Daily Herald and the News-Chronicle contrast the French proposals for improving and strengthening the guarantees of securits - of the Covenant and obligations to respect treaties with the French attitude to the flagrant violation of the Covenant in Abyssinia. Their attitude is succinctly summed up bv the Times, which says, with reference to Yesterday’s proceedings at Geneva: “I’he conviction will no doubt be heard that the moment when France is submitting proposals to build upon the Covenant a more sure edifice of international security, and when Germany has offered to rejoin the League and to accept 4 the obligations of the Covenant, is certainly not the moment to confess that the Covenant is worthless.” , . The fact that the French reply does not close tlie door to negotiations, is recognised and welcomed, while the wide diverence which still exists between the French and German positions is admitted. On this the Times exoresses the prevailing sentiment: “l"he task of reconciling the opposing views cannot be abandoned. So , Tar from having ended in failure it has hardly begun.” BREACH OF TREATY. GENEVA, April 9. M. Flandin declares that the refortification of the Rhineland would constitute a new breach of, the Versailles Treaty. France might then seek more energetic action. FRENCH SECRET NOTE. CONSIDERATION BY SIGNATORIES Received April 11, 9.25 a.m. GENEVA, April 10. The Locarno signatories met at 3 p.m. and considered M. Flandin’s sec-' ret Note to Mr Eden and M. Van Zeeland for the enforcement of sanctions against Germany if she fortifies the Rhineland. RUSSIAN SUPPORT. FOR FLANDIN’S PLAN. Received April 12, 10.35 a.m. MOSCOW, April 10. The Izvestia, editorially, says that Russia supports M. Flandin’s plan as a means of checking a catastrophe which might bring an untold disaster to Europe. M. Flandin exposes Germany’s true aim to create the most favourable conditions for her_ to make war if Britain favours collective security. She must adopt the French plan, or propose another. German munitions. HIGH-SPEED MANUFACTURE. LONDON, April 9. The Berlin correspondent of the Morning Post says Herr Hitler’s unpublished reply to the demands not to fortify the Rhineland has been an order for the further acceleration of the manufacture of arms and munitions. Since March 28 factories, including those of Krupp. Rhemmetall and Siemens, have been employing four shifts of six hours each, and are •also working on Sundays. It is an open secret that the Olympic village ot Doebertiz. in which competitors will be .housed, will become a German Sandhurst after the games.