GERMANY REOCCUPIES THE RHINELAND ZONE

Northern Advocate, 9 March 1936, Page 5

GERMANY REOCCUPIES THE RHINELAND ZONE

Hitler’s Swift, S

TROOPS CHEERED AS THEY ENTER COLOGNE

DRAMATIC MOMENTS AT SPECIAL MEETING OF REICHSTAG

[United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright.!

(Received 10 a.m.)

LONDON. March. 27.

TYESPATCHES from Berlin state that German troops marched in to the demilitarised Rhineland zone this morning'. Crowds cheered the troops as they entered the city of Cologne at noon. They halted in front of the main post office, while the Lord Mayor, in his official robes, welcomed them and handed a bouquet of flowers to * their commander.

Troops also arrived at Deutz, south of Cologne. Numbers of military planes flew over Cologne. The diplomatic representatives of the Locarno Powers had been informed that the re-occupation is symbolic and confined to a few battalions, and that the Government does not intend to carry out re-occupation in force. There were dramatic moments during a specially summoned meeting of the Reichstag to hear Herr Hitler’s statement of foreign policy. Herr Streicher, organiser of anti-Jewish boycotts, sat next to the Leader-Chancellor, behind whom General Goering, Air Minister, sat contemplatively stroking his chin.

Herr Hitler was frequently checked in his speech by applause. The whole assembly rose and cheered for half a minute when the re-occupation of the Rhineland was announced. The session ended with a triple “Heil Hitler,” and the singing of the Horst Wessel song, and “Deutschland Über Alles.” i

The Berlin correspondent of “The Times” says: “Before Herr Hitler had uttered a word, Germany had flouted-the Versailles Treaty and German troops had entered Cologne.” Return to League Suggested. The “Daily Mail’s” correspondent says the summoning of the Reichstag was preceded by a two-hours meeting between General Goering, General von Blomberg, Minister of War, General von Fritsch, Commander of the Army, Admiral Raeder, Commander of the Navy, and other officers of high rank, / Commentators in Rome express the opinion that Germany’s return to the League would be valuable as a counter-balance to Britain and France, who overdominate the Council. Moreover, it is believed it would be a mortal blow to sanctions.

The Rome correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Company says it is now revealed that Germany during the week, approached Italy, with the view to her joining in the denunciation of the Locarno Treaty, but Signor Mussolini refused. ' „