France Will Stand by Czechs

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 65, 18 March 1938, Page 7

France Will Stand by Czechs

Russia’s Definite Assurance BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE RESERVED Received Thursday, 9.40 p.m. LONDON, March 16. The Times correspondent at Paris says: “M. Paul-Boncour, French Foreign Minister, on receiving the British Ambassador, expressed fears of early German aggression against Czechoslovakia and reaffirmed most categorically France’s determination to honour her treaty obligations to Czechoslovakia.” A Paris message states that M. PaulBoncour conferred with the Soviet Ambassador. It is understood that the Ambassador confirmed the assurances given by the Soviet spokesman that the Soviet will immediately help Czechoslovakia in the event of attack. Asked in the House of Commons whether he could yet state if the Government had given or intended to give any guarantee to Czechoslovakia that her independence would be respected in the case of action against her similar to that taken against Austria, Mr Chamberlain reported that, as the Chancellor to the Exchequer had informed the House on February 21, the obligations of the British Government towards Czechoslovakia were those that every member of the League of Nations assumed towards its fellow-members. He had nothing to add to that statement in the present position, which would continue to have the most careful consideration. The high Soviet official’s statement that the Soviet will fulfil its pledges to Czechoslovakia provided France does the same can be accepted as the expression of a decision finally and irrevocably reached, says the Moscow correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. It is no secret that frequent and prolonged conversations occurred between the staffs of the Czech and Russian armies. The Soviet authorities deny any movement of troops but the Defence Commissar, M. Voroshiloff, has repeatedly declared that the great garrisons of Western Russia were being kept in a state of preparedness both in training and munitions.