AN OFFER TO GERMANY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22612, 28 December 1936, Page 8

AN OFFER TO GERMANY

Unofficially, but from two sources. lit is reported that Britain and France will shortly invito Herr Hitler to state the economic needs of his country with a view to offering aid—on conditions. One of the statements links the conditions fairly definitely with the cessation of activities in Spain, from which, it is being strongly hinted, Germany would be glad to withdraw on a suitable pretext. Regarding Britain's attitude to German economic difficulties, a good deal of light was thrown on the subject by Mr. Anthony Eden when he made a full dress speech on foreign affairs early in November. Ho told the House of Commons that the growing German tendency to cast on Great Britain all the blame for the country's hardships was wholly unjustified. Mr. Eden mentioned the financial agreement entered into by Britain, the United States and France, together with the invitation given Germany to be associated with it. The way, ho indicated, was still open. He added that Germany's co-operation was desired in the economic as well as in the political sphere, and there could be no question of Germany's encirclement in either. Considering the time and place of the speech, it was a fairly clear invitation, but it aroused little response. A straightout official request to state the position, if made jointly by France and Britain, cannot easily bo ignored. The suggestion that withdrawal from Spain will be a condition of the offer suggests a short range view of it. There are other possible aspects of the bargain. If Germany's needs are to be supplied, it must surely he a stipulation that resources made available will be used for the purposes of peaceful rehabilitation, not to build up warlike resources. On this basis the proposal seems a sound diplomatic move. It should dispose of the theory of encirclement and slow strangulation which has been carefully fostered by Nazi propaganda. What is equally important, the offer if accepted should help to lighten the hardships the German people have undoubtedly had to bear as a fruit of the present national policy.