MISLEADING THE WORLD

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12161, 11 June 1925, Page 7

MISLEADING THE WORLD

FRENCH PROPAGANDISTS BLAMED FOR GENEVA REPORT BRITAIN NOT PLEDGED TO WAR NO ALLIANCE AGAINST GERMANY: PACT MUST BE MUTUAL The report, circulated throughout the world, that Mr Chamberlain, at Geneva, pledge d Britain to defend the Rhine with all her forces is believed to be a piece of French propaganda. The Canadian Prime Minister promptly declared that Canada was not a party to any such pact. Britain, it is now believed, will not agree to any pact unless it involves equal responsibilities for France and Germany.

Published in “The Times.” The “Times” political correspondent savs that when the Note which the French Government is sending to Berlin regarding the security pact is published it will be seen that Mr Chamberlain has made no concessions to France. Concessions were unnecessarv. because M. Briand everywhere met the British objections half-way. What is now wanted is a formal declaration that Germany is favourably disposed to the League. This is the more necessary since the French and British Governments are unanimous that entrance into the League is an essential condition, not only of the pact, hut of the whole settlement of Europe. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. The “Daily Telegraph” emphasises that no draft of the security pact exists. Its terms will require the closest consideration by all parties, and at present Britain is engaged in consultation with the dominions. The proposed pact is not presented in its right proportions when it is described as if ft were an agreement to enter into an alliance against Germany. The essence of the proposal is the mutuality of the guarantee, and no British Government will be a party to any pact which does not assume the good faith of all the signatories. Until the terms are disclosed it will be best to refrain from building an edifioe of hopes and assumptions where the foundation has ret to he laid. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, June 9. It is authoritatively announced that the London statements, based on inspired information from French sources, that Britain has entirely reversed her traditional policy of isolation, and has pledged the whole of her armed forces to war if the Rhine frontier is violated, are an exaggeration, as negotiations have only just been commenced with the sending of a Note to Germany. The suggested pact defines but does not increase Britain's responsibilities. It is also not true that any violation by Germany of the territorial or military clauses of the Treaty of Versailles will be a casus belli for Britain, which reserves the right to make her own decision in such an eventuality. The fact that France has the right to cross the demilitarised zone of the Rhine without seeking the sanction of the League of Nations if Poland or Czeeho-Slovakip are attacked, has caused the greatest difficulty in the discussions between Britain and France, and is now announced in the general terms for discussion with Germany. French opinion is losing sight of the fact that the pact will be a mutual one with Germany, and that in the event of a Franco-German Clash it will be an obligation on the British Government to assist Germany if France is

judged to be the aggressor. Moreover, the British point is that the stipulations and covenant of the League of Nations must have precedence over all else. “ORGANISATION FOR WAR” Mr Ramsay MacDonald, interviewed by the “Daily Herald,” 6ays that the whole of the Labour Party will oppose the agreement as the beginning, not of a general understanding to maintain peace, but by individual pacts and alliances it creates an organisation for war. It is an attempt to supersede the League of Nations as a treaty-making medium. Mr MacDonald has sent a message to Mr Dollan, the Labour candidate for the Ayr Burghs by-election, denouncing the Government’s handling of affairs and declaring, inter alia, that the Lab-

our Government’s work for the pacify ing of Europe has been largely undone “We will steadily decline once more,” he writes, “into that network of militarist diplomacy which require* armies for its support and eventually brings them to battle.” NOTHING SETTLED YET A careful review of the messages from the mo6t reliable London correspondents at Geneva and the comments of diplomatic writers suggests that judgment should he withheld regarding the Geneva developments until the terms cf the French Note to Berlin have been published. It is considered unlikely that the Note will be of such a nature that in the equally unlikely event of Germany’s immediate and unqualified acceptance, Britain, France, and Belgium would all be fully committed u> its terms. On the contrary, the Note is likely to result in prolonged negotiations, and obviously the final plan must be approved by the Parliaments concerned as well as the dominions, A diplomatic correspondent emphasises that Britain so far has given no absolutely binding pledges, but haa been content to make a tentative offer, accompanied by practical suggestions, subject to the endorsement of the Empire as a whole. So far as the terms of the agreement between Mr Chamberlain and M. Briand are concerned, the Ministers jointly received the Press representatives, but while stressing a hope for tbe most favourable issue, resolutely refused to discuss the proposals, saying it was not customary to discuss the contents of a Note until it had reached its destination. In the meantime the ‘'Daily Express” states that the Rhine becomes a .British frontier. This is a sensational historic change in British policy. The “Daily Herald” diplomatic correspondent calls the agreement “a blood pact.” FRENCH COMMENT VARIED Heater's Telem-nm PARIS, June 9. The newspapers emphasise the importance pf the agreement between M. Briand and Mr Chamberlain. The “Petit Parisien” says the proposed pact is superior to the preceding drafts, inasmuch as it is no longer a question cf Britain assisting France and Belgium, but one of the firm determination cf Britain to defend her own security cn the Rhine and the Scheldt. The “Petit Journal” foresees a similar pact between. France, Italy, and Austria, «the pact to guarantee the frontiers of those countries. It eavs that Mr Chamberlain and M Briand rre working to obtain the adhesion of Italy to the Anglo-French' Entente. In the “Echo de Paris.” “Pertinax” criticises the proposed pact, and declares that if such a system is confirm-

ed it. will be the end of any indepen dent, far-seeing French policy. CANADA NOT A PARTY tustralfan and N.Z Cab!. Association OTTAWA, June 9. Answering a question in the Canadian House of Commons, the Prime Minister. Mr Mackenzie King, stated that Canada is not a party to any security pact in connection with the Rhine. (Sydner "Sun" Cable.) (Received June 10, 7.55 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. The first German comment upon the pact is: “If it is true that France obtains any right to march through gerßapy* the pact is impossible,”