The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1920. TREATY ENFORCEMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10559, 9 April 1920, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1920. TREATY ENFORCEMENT

It is not surprising that the French troops on, the Rhine bridgeheads have advanced into Germany. The story is of the simplest outline. The German Government asked permission to disobey the clause of the Treaty forbidding the march of German troops into the neutral zone; the Allies refused; the German Government sent its troops forward into tlic neutral zone, nevertheless ; therefore the French troops marched forward into Germany and occupied certain cities under all the conditions of hostile military occupation. The Gusman side of the incidental controversy is.that the need was vital for German troops to put down revolution in the neutral district, and that such service of troope was not forbidden by the Treaty, which barred only military service menacing to Franco. The French Minister’s reply is not that the request for permission destroyed the German argument, but that the Gorman conduct was fraudulent, the German intention being to consolidate a largo force against the French frontier under the pretence of putting down revolution. To this declaration the Minister, although there certainly was some rebellious conduct in the Ruhr Valley, adheres throughout.

Britain and Italy are reported variously; America is reported ?s agreeing with, them; but until wo know what they have agreed to, the information must lack definiteness of direction. The reports about Britain are that the Government has strongly objected to the French action; that it has withdrawn its objection, but declined to share in the advance into German territory. Tho latest report about Italy is that the Government has approved of the French action, but intimated that it will not go beyond moral support. Tho reports reflect two uncertainties—tho British and the Italian. Tho first is tho uncertainty that belongs to meet political coalitions, aggravated by the divisions in the public mind about the treatment of Germany; tho second is due to the difficulty of deciding before a Parliament almost dominated by extreme Socialists, and a people still respectful towards that political mountebank who oscillates between brigandage and a sort of benevolent monarchical autocracy at Fiumc. But, however undecided these Governments may be, no one would accuse either of doing anything hut accepting tho “fait accompli.” It is obviously impossible to oppose force to France, obviously impolitic even to make public objection;, obviously fatal to retire from the En r tente Alliance. These three obvious negatives are strengthened by one obvious positive, which is that the French action really saves the hesitating Governments from the necessity of a deck sion. There is an enormors difference between agreeing beforehand and acquiescing after a thing is done. To the benefit of this difference Italy and Britain are reasonably entitled, and America will quite naturally claim a share. The alternative is the crumbling of the Entente like a house of cards. The alternative is the dominant.

After all, tho matter concerns the French more than any others. Franco is tho nearest to Germany of all the Powers; has been the special object of Germany’s aggressiveness for many years; is so now; and has suffered more from Germany than any other Power. France was, therefore, more concerned about defence against Germany than any other Power. At the Peace Conference, France asked for a better frontier against Germany, and was refused ; was promised the security of an Anglo-American-French Alliance, and already Britain has demobilised her war armies, and American assent is very- doubtful. Moreover, the Gorman Reichstag has recently passed, by an overwhelming majority, a resolution consolidating tho German Empire under one Parliament by abolishing all the States. ■ This has been described as tho Prussianisation of Germany, not in tho pre-war sense, but in tho postwar spirit. But after tho recent military rising, and in face of tho many opinions expressed that tho march into the Ruhr district is a recrudescence of that conspiracy, it behoves France to be careful, circumspect, and prompt. It is for Franco to act upon her opinion, not to arguo about it with anybody. Therefore, tho French troops are in Frankfort, Hanau, and the rest of tho country commanded by their bridgeheads. Tho mere statement of all the circumstances is ample justification for the French action. After all, if tho Treaty had been, properly enforced in, tho matter of the armed forces of Germany none of this trouble would have arisen. France ought not to suffer for that, and tho Allies of Franco are, therefore, hound to support the notion she has taken in sheer defence. After the disasters suffered .by Serbia and Roumania through dependence on wavering diplomats, tho only defence possible to Franco was the invasion of Germany. Franco is safe there, and will stay there with tho help of Allies whose uncertain hands she has quite properly forced. Everything went smoothly with tho French advance at first. Quito correct and smooth, the accounts emphasised, in the description of a departure clearly somewhat risky.’ But the sud-

dcnly-invaded population, we were assured, showed no resentment in its great surprise. All seemed well, and the account closed yesterday with signs of the retirement of the Gorman forces from their invaded region. To-day comes the next chapter, opening with the proverbial cloud no bigger than a man’s hand on the horizon. But tho cloud has a lining. The lining is not the proverbial silver. Unfortunately, it is blood. The German tension of the surprise seems to have grown. Tho Frankfort population did something which provoked tho French troops of the famous Moroccan division, Much had fought like demons in the great battles of the war. They opened on the crowd with machine-guns, and there’was a'toll of dead and wounded. Then follows a surmise that a British force may have to move up in support. The surmise goes on to say that if the German troops continue their retirement, all may yet be well. But the fact remains that the cloud which has arisen, has a lining of blood. What will happen next ? The second part of the above surmise, looks like a hint to the German command that the British troops will support the French in a certain event. Moreover, it js confinned by Lord Derby’s specific statement. It is a hint that there will be no going back on onr side. Will the German command take the hint, which clearly means that the Treaty as interpreted by the French must be observed at any cast? That is the great question of a not-too-comfortable situation, of which the prompt firmness of the French Government is tho most satisfactory feature.