SPIRIT OF RECONCILIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19140, 5 October 1925, Page 9

SPIRIT OF RECONCILIATION.

FRENCH FOREIGN POLICY. OLIVE BRANCH TO GERMANY. PAINLEVE'S EARNEST APPEAL. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 7.5 p.p.) Reuter. PARIS. Oct. 3. The Premier, M. Painleve, in an important speech at Nimes. said France's foreign policy was to liberate and to reconcile. This was still France's ideal, but for reconciliation to become possible in Europe it. must first be realised on the Rhine. A Franco-German reconciliation would be the corner-stone of European civilisation. Such a reconciliation was possible, in spite of century-old grudges, 'f the two peoples would wipe out mistrust and believe mutually in each other's sincerity. It was in this spirit that the French Government, as the faithful interpreter of the nation, was about to make at the Locarno security pact conference the most enterprising attempt to secure real peace which anyone had dared to make since the armistice.

CONFERENCE ON PACT.

DELEGATIONS EN ROUTE.

SOVIET PLOTTING MiSCHIEF

(Received 7.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. —Reuter. LONDON. Oct. 3. The Secre ary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Austen Chamberlain, left London to-day to attend the conference at Locarno on the proposed European security pact. Prior to his departure the Minister said: —

"Wish me well. Do not expect too much."

A message from Berlin says the Papal Nuncio, and the British, French and Italian Ambassadors to Germany were among those who saw the German delegates depart for Locarno. This is the first occasion since the war on which foreign diplomats have been present a£ the departure of any German delegation. Extraordinary precautious were taken to keep the time of the despatch of the special train a secret.

Another despatch from Berlin indicates that the activities of M. Tchitcheriu, Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs, in Poland and Germany are aimed at "spiking" the proposed security pact.

The Soviet fears a pact wonld lead Germany to look westward instead of eastward.