NORTHERN DAILY ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper. SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 1924. NEW ALLIED POLICY.

Northern Advocate, 28 June 1924, Page 4

NORTHERN DAILY ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper. SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 1924. NEW ALLIED POLICY.

I —-— — I If the "New Leader's" report of an interview with the Prime Minister of Prance is correct —so far it has not been questioned—M. Herriot is ready for a remarkable development of European policy. Not only does he apparently waive his country's objections to the admission of Germany to the League of Nations, but he is evenwilling to make an ally of Germany. He proposes that the Allies shall enter into «. pact under the Covenant of the League of Nations and that Germany shall be permitted to become a party to the pact. The members are to give mutual assistance to each other under Articles 10, l(i and 21. Article 10 provides that the members undertake to respect and preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of S.H members of: the League. Article 16 deals with the procedure to be adopted in the event, of a member resorting , to war in disregard of its covenants. All other members of the League must sever all relations with the offending member, mutually support each other in the economic and financial measures considered necessary, and contribute \\:\ directed by the Council of the League to the armed forces considered necessary to protect the rights of the League. Article 21 is a saving clause, its purport being that the Covenant

shall not affect the validity of "international engagements such as treaties of arbitration or regional understandings like the Monroe Duc'trine, for securing the maintenance of peace." To bring Germany into a pact based upon these provisions would be to change completely the attitude that France has hitherto adopted. M. HerriotV policy is to trust Germany rather than to bludgeon her into submission. This means that Germany must be placed on the same footing as her neighbours and permitted to become a member of the League. Some little time ago, of course, it was reported that Mr MacDonald would endeavour to secure Germany's admission to the League, and the German attitude towards this proposal was expounded by the Chancellor, Dr Marx, in answer to an American interviewer who asked whether the German Republic would join the League. "It will join, ,, he said, "as soon as it is permitted to join consistently with what it conceives to be its rightful position among the nations. Otherwise it could not join with Jwiy prospect of serving itself or mankind. We should want a permanent place on the Council, for we are not a minor Power. Besides, we should not want the League, with our support, to be identified with ex parte points of view respecting postwar adjustments. We should like its outlook upon affairs to be uninfluenced by passion, prejudice, and political expedients with tap-Toots in the war. This stream of world power, which, as Republican Germany hopes, may become a mighty and resistless stream, should not be poisoned at its source." These sentiments are admirable enough proi vided they do not contain a suggestion of an effort on Germany's part to use the League as a means of escaping her obligations. M. Herriot's latest statement, however, indicates that he is not afraid of Germany, but is inclined to think that the time has come to "trust the enemy. ,. If his policy is adopted the results will be awaited with keen interest.