COLOGNE ZONE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 29 December 1924, Page 5

COLOGNE ZONE

EVACUATION IN JANUARY* IMPOSSIBLE ALLIED NOTIFICATION TO GERMANY (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) lEeuter’fl Telegrams.; PARIS, Dec. 27. The Ambassadors’ Conference unanimously decided to notify Germany of the impossibility of evacuating the Cologne zone on 101-h January. IN I )K!NATION IN GERMANY ' BERLIN, Dee. 26. The whole of Germany is astonished and indignant, at the French announcement that Cologne is not to bo evacuated mi lOth January. In official circles it. is stated that 1800 inspections have been carried out, and have not revealed any arms either for the Rcichswehr or for the police, in excess of the. authorised limitPARIS, Dec. 26. The Allied Council of Ambassadors, meeting here to-morrow, is expected to confirm the decision of the British and French not to evacuate Cologne on lOt-h January and to send a memorandum to Berlin'explaining the decision. There is an inclination in political circles to anticipate that the final British decision after the receipt of the complete report of tho Military Control Mission will be to evacuate, while M, Hcrriot, whose personal inclinations are known. to be in the same direction, would encounter great difficulties in Parliament if ho approved the evacuation in luce of tiro Mission’s recent discoveries. TWO ARGUMENTS FOR POSTPONEMENT PARIS, Dec. 27 Tho collective note which the Allies, including Italy and Japan, will present, to Germany regarding the postponement of the evacuation of Cologne invokes a double argument—first, that they arc awaiting receipt and consideration of tho filial report of the Control Commission, which is expected at the end of January ; secondly, that evidence has already been received of Germany’s nonfulfilment of the disarmament clauses of the Treaty. DISCOVERY OF ARMS DEPOT PARIS', Dec. 26. The Echo dc Paris learns from an incontrovertible informant in Germany that Die inter-Allied Control Mission discovered in Berlin a. depot for rifle and machine gun barrels. An inventory is now being taken and has listed 40,000 barrels, and it is expected the total will reach 100,000, POSTPONEMENT CAUSES SENSATION - CLASH OF BRITISH AND FRENCH 1 VIEWPOINTS LONDON, Dec. 28 The postponement of the evacuation, of Cologne, although foreshadowed, created something like a sensation in Britain, France and Germany. The tlireo countries are again embroiled in differences ' resulting from strongly divergent views. The present position is that following on the decision for postponement, a note wifi V;e prepared for despatch to Germany, the terms of which were decided upon at a meeting of Ambassadors on Wednesday. The participation of Marshal Foch in the Ambassadors’ conference yesterday naturally aroused attention. The Observer’s diplomatic correspondent says the British Government genuinely desires the evacuation of Cologne, but. France, for reasons well understood in Berlin. is'desirous of the maximum prolongation of Allied occupation. ."So long, therefore, as France is able to present a, case showing that Germany has defaulted in carrying out the disarmament clauses o.f the Treaty of Versailles, whether the defaults are, sc-iiousi or not serious, the British Government is handicapped. The report of the Allied inspectors is not yet available,, therefore it is argueabl'e that the delay primarily is due to German obstruction during the past two years. Technically the postponement of the Cologne evacuation is attributed to delay in receiving the inspectors’ report, but’ it should be recognised in Berlin that the respite gives the British Government an opportunity of settling the question of Cologne as one aspect of the larger question of security. It is hoped in British official circles that Germany will endeavour to facilitate some arrangement whereby France will be guaranteed against unprovoked aggression, after which the whole question of the evacuation of the Ruhr and Cologne can be quickly settled.'’ Tlie'Sunday Express says that accord ing to a higli official in the Foreign Office, tho French view is that there is serious German default, calling for sanctions and a clash between the French and British viewpoints is inevitable. MANUFACTURE OF ARMS PARIS, Dec. 28. Lo Matin declares that Germany is manufacturing machine guns, rifles and automatic pistols faster than at any time during the last four years. NO SECRET FACTORY BERLIN, Dec. 28. Herr Gesslor, Minister of Defence, anticipating the Military Control Commission’s report, has published details of the Commission’s discoveries. Herr Gassier denies that there, is any secret arms factory in Germany, and insists that the anus discovered were previously known of by the Commission, and also that many wero obsolete.

REG RETTABLE CONSEQUENCES FEARED (Published in The Times.) LONDON, Dec. 28. Dr. Marx, in an interview with the Berlin correspondent of the Cologne Volkszcitung, declared he was afraid the Allied decision riot to evacuate Cologne on lOili January would have regrettable consequences. Belief in Allied loyalty to the Treaty would be destroyed and the feeling’would undoubtedly rise that the sacrifices involved in accepting the Dawes scheme had been made in vain. Dr. Marx added that this grave decision means, purely and simply- a return to the policy of sanctions. What is it but sanction when the Allies continue the military occupation of a great area of Germany merely because they have one-sided allegations that Germany has not complied with every detail of the disarmament demands?-' The recent German note to the League showed that Germany stood militarily powerless amidst a Europe armed to the teeth. No one could deny that Germany had complied with every disarmament demand of importance. Certain residuary points were alone involved, and these, he declared, could only be settled by mutual agreement.. The German Government had dealt frankly, with the Allies, and ho would not abandon hope that before 10th January a solution would he found that avoided the dangers that. a. return to a policy of sanctions would bring. It was impossible to foresee what would happen were a state of conflict to replace the loyal co-operation which had been the aim of his whole policy.