THE MURDERED KING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21937, 22 October 1934, Page 10

THE MURDERED KING

REACTIONS ON EUROPE CONTRAST TO SERAJEVO NEW SPIRIT OF NEGOTIATION By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 21, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, Oct. 20 The Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, in a speech at Northampton, made a short reference to the horrible event which had occurred at Marseilles ten days previously, and the attitude of Britain in relation to the immediate European situation. Sir John said:—"The uppermost thought of all of us, when we heard of this dastardly crime, was not of high policy or oven of the risks which, in some cases, accompany the splendours of royalty, but of the husband and father so tragically removed, of his sorrowing widow, and of the little boy, just starting his new torm like other little boys at an English school, and now suddenly called away to be plunged mto the vortex of the complicated affairs of his country. It is, as a Roman poet said, these mortal things that touch the heart. France's Tragic Loss "At the same moment by cruel means, France lost an eminent statesman, ripe in years and experience, whose high qualities of energy and resource I had learned, in the course of personal collaboration at Geneva, greatly to admire. "Assassination is not only the wickedest, but it is the most stupid, of political crimes. How seldom in history, from the assassination of Julius Caesar, to the assassination of Dr. Dollfuss, lias political assassination accomplished the intended result. "It was inevitable, when this shocking news first reached the ear of the public, that men should remind themselves of the murder at Serajevo 20 years ago, should ask ' themselves whether this was some portent of new and grave trouble in Europe. I cannot too strongly insist that the two cases do not provide a parallel, but a contrast. "Then, the event instantly provoked a fierce quarrel between a great State and a small one, in which other States rapidly ranged themselves on either side. Nothing of that sort can happen now. The antiquated method of bloodletting as a cure for national fever has been rejected, not only by conscience, but by experience. Value of the League "The value of the League of Nations must not be measured merely by making a list of its concrete successes and failures, but by realising how much it contributes to the cause of good understanding and the assuaging of sudden resentments by providing an outlet for, and encouraging resort to, the practice of inter-communication which it has made the ordinary habit of European statesmen. British policy has been steadily directed in these ways without incurring any new commitments of any kind, counselling patience and moderation in all directions. "For, as firm friends of peace, we feci sure it is in the interests of Europe as a whole to facilitate the difficult task which confronts the new Yugoslavian Government, and that a strong, united, prosperous and contented Yugoslavia is of major European interest."

NEW YUGOSLAV CABINET MINISTRY CLEARS THE WAY (Received October 21, 6.45 p.m.) BELGRADE, Oct. 21 Tho Yugoslav Government has resigned in order to allow the Regency to appoint a new Cabinet wifch unfettered choice. It will probably choose a Ministry of national concentration. LITTLE ENTENTE PROTEST SHELTER GIVEN PLOTTERS (Received October 21, 5.5 p.m.) BELGRADE, Oct. 20 A meeting of representatives of the Little Entente has issued a communique stating that the Marseilles crime was committed under influences working beyond the frontiers. Thus it comes within the domain of foreign policy. It is understood tho meeting decided to register protests with the Hungarian Government and tho League of Nations against the assistance alleged to have been given by the Hungarian authorities to the terrorist organisations which planned the assassination of King Alexander.