Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9, 1936. BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 9, 9 December 1936, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9, 1936. BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

A special article in a leading' German newspaper, the keynote of which was the maintenance of friendship between Germany and Britain, was the subject of a cable message which was published recently. The article deserves more than passing notice. In a dictator country with the Press under strict control it could not have appeared without the approval of tiie authorities. We are inclined to go further and say that it is an article authorised by the German authorities, and if oue were free to credit it at its full value it means much. But bearing in mind that Germany has treated solemn agreements as scraps of paper, hesitation to attach any special importance to a statement even though it may have been inspired by Herr Hitler himself, may be pardonable. The article says “it is a fundamental axiom of German foreign policy that there shall never be a second AngloGerman war.” If this is the fundamental belief why does not Germany come to a definite agreement with Britain on the same lines as France and Belgium? It is open to her to take that course; in fact, Germany has been invited to do so.

Speaking at Leamington on November 2U, tbe British Foreign Secretary (Mr It. A. Eden), in pointing- out tliut .British armaments would never be used for any purpose inconsistent with the League Covenant, or the Kellogg Pact, added that “they might, and if occasion arose, they would be used for the defence of France and .Belgium against unprovoked aggression, in accordance with Britain’s existing obligations. A similar obligation would arise toward Germany if a new European settlement could be reached.” Germany does not seem disposed to join in a European settlement, and would have the world believe that she is obsessed with the fear of the Bolsheviks. But the world is incredulous. However, if we accept the German newspaper statement at full value, there should be no armed hostility on the Western Front. If Germany attacked France, then Britain would come automatically into the matter. Germany’s aims are not in the west, but the east. There, however, she is held in check by the Fran co-Russian Pact, and she has been endeavouring for some time past to have this agreement denounced, and thus separate France and Russia. The agreement with Russia is essential to France so as to hold Germany in check, and thus maintain the peace of Europe. Herr Hitler could materially ease the tension by joining Britain in the promotion of a Locarno Pact among the Western European Powers.