GERMANY'S WAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22579, 18 November 1936, Page 12

GERMANY'S WAY

The British Foreign Minister, in expressing his Government's regret that Herr Hitler's denunciation of I the waterways clauses of the Versailles Treaty had thwarted the friendly negotiations already proceeding with a-kindred purpose, has pointedly condemned the German method of doing things. Again, as he says, Germany has abandoned negotiations and turned to unilateral action. By this action, something far worse than any possible jeopardising of others' trading interests has been done. The German Note, indeed, disavowed this intention, but its announcement that Germany took the law into her own hands will make much more difficult the conducting of international negotiations. These, to be of real service, must rest upon the good faith of the parties. It would be idle to enter into conference on any matter, particularly those of vital national importance to one or more of the Powers concerned, if there was no assurance that the discussion ostensibly meant to promote agreement had honest intent and if the agree- j ment reached was in danger of being suddenly destroyed by one of the ! Powers in conference. Germany's repeated abandonment of negotiations, some of them on the eve of completion, in order to supersede them with a unilateral repudiation of the bond under review, is a grave menace to the whole system of international discussion. The question thus raised is not whether Germany has or has not a legitimate grievance, but whether it is worth while, especially where Germany is involved, to enter into conference at all. If there had been any disposition on the part of others to refuse or obstruct negotiations,"the German habit might be justified. That disposition has not been manifest. In i the present instance, others have ; promoted negotiations in evident j sincerity—and Germany has sum- j marily ended them.