PEACE OF EUROPE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 14 March 1936, Page 7

PEACE OF EUROPE

GERMANY HAS DONE HER SHARE

“WILL HONESTLY OBSERVE HONEST AGREEMENTS”

(Received 14th March, 8.30 a.m.) BERLIN, 15t-li March.

“Germany has done her share for the pacification of Europe. She now expects others to do theirs,” epitomises the coinment of Berlin morning papers, in which the German official statement is given, prominence, especially the Government’s determination “rather to choose honourable isolation than to continue to live as a nation discriminated against in the community of peoples.” The “Berliner Tageblatt” says the Government's statement is “a last appeal to the conscience of politicians assembled in London.” It adds; “Germany lias shown she is ready to make sacrifices for the ideals of European cooperation and in this serious hour assures tiie world she will honestly observe honest agreement.”

“Kveutz Zoitung” strongly appeals to Britain, saying it is hardly imaginable that the British people could support the French, especially after Mr Anthony.' Eden’s statement in the House of Commons that there is no reason for the assumption that the German action 'contained a hostile threat.

The London correspondent of the “Boersen Zeitung” says that Britain must, now decide whether she favours, the system of the. European policy which is for the keeping down of Germany, or the system of independent European Stales with equal rights. General Gocring, Minister for Air, in a speech at Konigsberg, said: “Come what may, Germany will stand together like one man to the last breath. We have offered world peace, but peace must come from both sides.” INTERNATIONAL TENSION NO SIGNS OF EASING CLOSEST ANGLO-FRENCH COLLABORATION URGED 4 (Received 14th March, 10.40 a.m.) PARIS, 3.3111 March. There are no signs of the easing of the international tension, some observers even declaring that Hitler’s speech made the situation more acute. The fact that Britain considers the latest German proposals unsatisfactory, however, produced an excellent impression in Paris, where it is considered a peaceful solution can only be obtained by close Anglo-French collaboration-, newspapers pointing out that France has not refused comprehensive conversations with Germany. On tiie contrary. M. Poncct had, been entrusted with a mission to solicit an understanding on 2nd in.st. FRONTIER FORTIFICATIONS MANNED BY FRENCH TROOPS MILITARY EXERCISES BEING CARRIED OUT (Received 341 h March. 19.30 a.m.) LONDON, 13th March. The “Sun-Herald” says scores of thousands of French troops have com-

pletcd the manning 0 f the Maginot Line, which with the “turrets of death” and a chain of underground fortifications of steel and concrete, constitutes the strongest defences in history. They cost nearly £100,01)0,01)0. The “Daily Mail’s” Metz correspondent reports the French are carrying out military exercises at the bases on plans covering a month in which the full resources of the defences will he' tested. A network of communications keeps the batteries, informed of the movements of oncoming warplanes. Military experts are convinced the line at- present- is impregnable and cannot be crossed either by land or air. REPEATED CONVERSATIONS MUSSOLINI AND AMBASSADORS

(Received 14th March, 10.30 a.m.) ROME, 13th March.

Signor Mussolini had repeated conversations with the French and British Ambassadors, but no inkling of the Italian attitude was allowed to leak out.

STRENGTH OF TROOPS

VARIOUS ESTIMATES GIVEN

REPORTED WITHDRAWAL OF LARGE CONTINGENTS

LONDON, 12th March

“The Times” political correspondent says tin: Germans maintain there are 2.S,()()() to 30,000 troops in the remilitarised zone. The highest French estimate has been 90,000. The British Government lias no grounds on which to make an estimate, but the number generally is taken to he about 00,000. The “Daily Mail’s” Metz correspondent says French observers on the Maginot line report the withdrawal of large contingents of German troops which since Saturday had been close to the frontier.

“The Times” Berlin correspondent says the number of Rhineland troops is regarded as small considering the large area of territory occupied. It is true the German Government at first intended to send still smaller detachments. hut the niTTiuiry authorities represented it as inconvenient to send small bodies in widely separated districts and therefore it was decided not to divide the formations into smaller strengths than a battalion.

SUGGESTION TO RELIEVE TENSION

The German public is fully convinced that Locarno has already been ended by French action and all that Hitler lias done has been to register its demise. It lias been suggested in authoritative quarters that slight alleviation of the tension might he induced if French and German troops nowhere a nproarked within five kilometres of the Franco-German, border. H is stated that the French fortifications are along a strip five to fifteen

kilometres from tlie frontier. Tlie arrangement would mean that no troops would be quartered nearer than the nearest fortress. SOVIET DISAPPROVAL The ‘'Daily Telegraph's” diplomatic correspondent says the Soviet marked its disapproval of Hitler’s policy by cutting off its negotiations with Germany for 500,000,000 marks credits for Russian purchases of German goods during the next ten years. CATHOLIC OPINION IN AUSTRIA “The Times” Vienna correspondent says surprise was provided by the “Reichspost.” the organ of powerful Catholic interests, which welcomes Hitler’s offer. It says Austria should not place, an obstacle in the way of a return to ordered neighbourly relationship with its kindred Reich. The “Reichspost’s” attitude is illuminating to those who think Catholic opinion is solidly anti-Nazi. Official quarters disclaim the article. DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY IN ITALY NO SANCTIONS AGAINST GERMANY ROME, 12tli March. Beneath an outward appearance of calm reserve, intense diplomatic activity is progressing. The press, apparently from official sources, states that Italy cannot, apply .sanctions against Germany since she imports so many essentials from Germany. Nevertheless, Italy will do everything possible to assure European peace, though her own position as a sanctioned country impels important reservations.