THE RESTORED RHINELAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20624, 24 July 1930, Page 10

THE RESTORED RHINELAND.

As a consequence of the disaster at Coblenz, apparently, President Hindenburg has cancelled the remainder of his triumphal tour of the Rhinelaud. This should bring, by a convenient way, an end to the celebrations which this month have provoked a good deal of criticism in France. As Foreign Minister of France, M. Briand made representations to Germany suggesting that the President should postpone or abandon his intended tour of the liberated region. He pointed out that, when the German army withdrew from the French Eastern Departments after the war of 1870, no such triumphal visit was paid to the restored area by any President of France, and urged that nothing bo done to risk unpleasant incidents which might impair the renewed friendly relations between the two countries. It was then known that the leaders of the Steel Helmet organisation in the Rhineland were contemplating military exercises as an integral part of the rejoicings. As this organisation has been prohibited by Germany from operating in the Rhineland, the President announced that he would not lend countenance to its activities by visiting the region. However, when [an undertaking was given by the organisation that it would make no military display, he agreed to make the tour. There has been enthusiastic rejoicing as lie has passed from point to point, with a resulting arousal of German national ardour and French resentment. The rcjoioing has been natural, but M. Briand's fears have been proved to be well based. It would have been better to allow the occasion to be marked by a purely local celebration, preparatory to certain political elections now necessary, instead of making it an official interest of the German Government. If the very regrettable tragedy should induce a quieter frame of mind in the Rhineland and be the occasion of an official expression of French sympathy, some consoling good should be reaped from the sorrow. It is very desirable that international friendship should abound in this particular borderland.