GERMANY’S POLICY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 123, 24 April 1936, Page 9

GERMANY’S POLICY

' IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS. QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED. TO INCREASE CONFIDENCE. (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, April 23. The Times diplomatic correspondent says that, following preparatory work by the staff of the Foreign Office, Mr It. A. Eden is busy on a questionnaire for Germany relating to Herr Hitler’s peace plan, it is not expected that the document will be ready before next week.

the necessity of a questionnaire to Germany arises largely out of the scepticism felt botli in London and Pans regarding Herr Hitler’s good faith, says the Morning Post’s diplomatic correspondent. Wnat good, it is asked, can come of agreeing to 4 a plan which is liable to be denounced by Herr Hitler when it no longer suits his purpose ? The first essential question to be put to Germany is: “Is Germany prepared to abide by. treaties freely signed?” and the next will be : ‘)Does Germany still consider she is suffering from inequality?” Each time Herr Hitler has repudiated a contract whether under the Versailles or Locarno Treaties the excuse has always been that the clause in question represented an intolerable restriction of German sovereignty. Ihe Locarno Powers, therefore, want to know whether such restrictions still exist, and whether,, for instance, the status of German minorities abroad might not serve as a pretext for another Hitler coup. The third main question concerns Herr Hitler’s proposal for non-aggres-sion pacts between Germany and her neighbours. “Does this mean that if Germany attacked one of the latter tlie others would be prevented from going to her assistance under the Covenant by their obligation of lionaggression toward Germany?” Herr Hitler, according to the Daily Herald, will also be asked whether his offer to rejoin the League means that he is prepared, freely and without reservation, to accept all obligations under the Covenant, and especially whether he is prepared to submit all disputes either to judicial settlement or to the Council, and to accept an obligation to respect and guarantee the integrity of all member States._ He will also be invited to state precisely wliat he means by “colonial equality of rights.”

OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

MR EDEN’S WORK

(British Official Wireless.) •Received April 24, 11.40 a.m. RUGBY, April 23. In pursuance of the decision taken by the Locarno signatories other than Germany at the meeting at Geneva, Mr R. A. Eden is at present engaged on the questions which he is to address to the German Government in order to elucidate certain points contained in its peace plan. The suggestions which have been made that Mr iLden will himself visit. Berlin in connection with this matter are incorrect, and the procedure to be followed in regard to - the presentation of these questions lias not yet been announced.

A communique issued after the meeting of the Locarno Powers at Geneva stated that the representatives of England, France, Belgium and Italy noted that the German Government had not made a contribution to re-establishment of confidence which was indispensable for the negotiation pf new treaties. They considered it desirable, however, to explore all opportunities for coilcifiation for the purpose of elucidating a nuniber of. points in the Gernian memorandum, notably those to which attention was drawn in the French memorandum. A representative of the United Kingdom was to establish touch with Germany for that purpose, and would inquire particularly the meanr Germany attached to the proposed bilateral treaties and how they would fall within the framework of collective security and mutual assistance provided in the League Covenant.