Notes on the News Franco-Russian Pact

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 29 November 1938, Page 3

Notes on the News Franco-Russian Pact

Diplomatic circles consider that a | Soviet denunciation of the Franco- j Russian Pact is probable in the near | future. There seems to be little doubt that | = the foreign policy pursued by the | Soviet Government since 1933 was | largely the result of Herr Hitler’s § threats. He made it clear in liis book || that he meant to enlarge Germany at hi Russia’s expense. Strength was given j to his designs, in Russian eyes, when ; he endeavoured to cultivate friendly relations with Poland and Japan. The Moscow Government thereupon resolved to safeguard Ihe western frontier by diplomatic means.

As it happened, France was ready to meet Russia more than half-way. M. Bartliou, who was Foreign Minister of France at the time, felt that concessions to German aggression were as futile as giving way to a blackmailer’s menaces, and revived a plan to encircle Germany by a ring of Powers united to resist aggression.

lie toured eastern Europe in an effort to restore France’s alliances and recap!uro the friendship of Poland. He was successful in Czechoslovakia, Rumania and Yugoslavia (the Little Entente countries), but unsuccessful in Poland. Next lie prepared and accomplished the admission of Russia into the League of Nations. He visualized a new structure of security in which France, Russia, Italy, Poland, the Little Entente, the Baltic and Balkan States should be bound to assist each other in the event of German aggression. He was beginning to bring the Little Entente and Italy together when he was assassinated.

M. Laval succeeded M. Bartliou. When the latter’s scheme collapsed, M. Laval turned to a Pact of Mutual Assistance between France and the Soviet Union.

The Franco-Soviet Pact, which was j initialled in May, 1935, and ratified in j March, 193(5, in the wake of the German reoccupation of the Rhineland I zone, amounts in practice to a defensive military alliance against German ! aggression. It hinds the signatories to come to each other’s assistance with- j out waiting for tlie League 16 estab- | lisli the fact of German aggression I Germany protested from ilie first | against the Franco-Soviet Treaty. ! German Colonies It is officially stated that Ilerr Hitler j and Ilerr von Ribbeutrop informed Mr. Pirow that the colonial problem at present was of no immediate couse- | quence provided tin* Powers recognized j the justification of Germany's claims and her ability to administer colonies properly. Germany, of late, lias been demand- | ing, with insistence, the return of her | colonies. She liars met with some de- ; groe of sympathy in England and in j South Africa; also with a great deal j of opposition. Authorities have expressed the , view that the return of African terri- 1 tones—South-west Africa (now ad- | ministered by the Union of South i Africa), and Tanganyika (now under ; British colonial administration), would present extraordinary difficulties. South-west Africa is not, of itself, considered to be of very much value, but the South African Union would not welcome the revival of German in- 1 lluence on its borders. Also, the mandated territory of Tan- ! ganyika now forms in practice an in- ! tegral part of British East Africa, i which had assumed great importance | in view of the Italian occupation of i nearby Abyssina. Opponents of the restoration of the colonies to Germany point out Hint were the Germans to return to Tanganyika the two remaining British I colonies, Uganda and Kenya, would be practically encircled by German and Italian territories, and the danger to the British trans-African route would be multiplied. Tanganyika lies across tlie Cape-Cairo air route, and its principal port, Dar-es-Snlaam, could be used as a formidable submarine base from which British shipping in the Indian Ocean might be raided. It is generally considered that if ever Britain gave Tanganyika and South-west Africa to Germany, she would expose the Empire in Africa to incalculable dangers.