WORLD'S ILLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22391, 11 April 1936, Page 11

WORLD'S ILLS

efforts to cure BLUE BOOK ISSUED EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT DIPLOMATIC PARLEYS QUESTION OF TREATIES py Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ' . (Received April 10. 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, April 9 A , Blue Book of nearly 100 pages, illustrating some aspects of the diplomatic discussions directed toward a European settlement upon which the British Government was engaged between June, 1934, and March of this year, was published yesterday. The discussions covered negotiations for an Eastern pact and the proposal for the Franco - Soviet Treaty, also the subsequent exchanges regarding the validity of the proposed pact with the Treaty of t Locarno. . Also included were the negotiations for an air pact and limitation of air forces.

With regard to the Eastern pact, two important points emerge. The first is that original French proposal was considered inadequate by tho British Government in that the suggested guarantees were not given on equal terms to Germany, and that this defect was remedied as a result of the conversations between France and Britain. British Efforts to Secure Progress The second fact is that it was on learning at Stresa, from a communique published in Berlin on April 14, 1935, that the German Government would enter into 'an Eastern pact of nonaggression notwithstanding the fact that some pf the other parties might conclude arrangements for mutual assistance that the French Government decided that there was no further reason why it should not proceed with negotiations for the Franco-Soviet pact. The text of ~ this treaty and the German objections, together with the French reply on the compatibility of the treaty with the League Covenant and the Locarno Treaty, and the British, Italian and Belgian answers accepting the validity of the treaty, were published in the Blue Book. Also it contained a communication from the German Government of August 1, 1935, noting with satisfaction the declaration of the Locarno guarantors that their rights and 'duties could not be prejudiced or altered by tho act of another signatory. A series of documents recorded the repeated and persistent efforts of the British Government to secure progress with the negotiations for an air pact and a limitation of air forces as the first stage in establishing confidence and security in Europe and co-operation between France and Germany in the work of consolidating peace. Removal of Misconceptions

Action was taken, it transpires, both in Berlin and in Paris, but so far as Germany was concerned difficulties of one sort and another successively intervened to prevent the German Government giving definite replies to the points raised from London. The Blue' Book will help to provide the public with the background in recent history to the various proposals which figure in the present discussions.

Th 9 story of the negotiations revealed in the documents is one of the constant exercise bv the British Government of its good offices with a view to hastening an agreement on the main points of the programme of settlement. The newspapers comment that it should have the effect of dispelling many misconceptions,' both at home and abroad, such as the suggestion that Britain has been inactive in face of the growing deterioration of international relations in Europe.

GERMANY'S METHODS ti ' FAR-REACHING BLOW WORLD ORDER MENACED RUGBY. April 8 The Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords, Lord Snell, raised the question of the international situation to-day. The Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House, Viscount Halifax, intervening, agreed with Lord Snell that the League, whatever the limitations on its effectiveness due to various causes, could not be said to have failed. Turning to Europe, Lord Halifax ''said the method chosen by Germany to force her claims on the world's attention had dealt a shattering ahd farreaching blow at the foundations on which international order had been raised. It might be true that this was an era of grievances but that afforded no justification for action which left in doubt whether, when that era was closed, resort might be had again to the method used by Germany.

There could be 110 hope of a settlement unless they could be absolutely and positively sure that no such method .would be resorted to again.

In any circumstances there could not be any hope of peace by a return to the pre-war/ system of alliances. However, regional understandings .which would reinforce the obligations of the Covenant would aid its object of guaranteeing, in advance, resistance, by all disposable means to any wanton disturbance of the peace. With the single object of securing peace the Government had engaged in an examination of the German memorandum of April 1. Lord Halifax said he hoped that France and Belgium would be not less ■willing than Britain to give full recognition, to rightful claims. Also ho hoped the German government would recognise its responsibilities to Europe.