THE SECURITY PACT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19617, 22 October 1925, Page 9

THE SECURITY PACT

ACHIEVEMENT OF LOCARNO. EUROPE RECONCILED. WAT OPEN FOR DISARMAMENT. rr*aa AmocUUo»— By Telegraph—Copyr.«W PARIS, October 20. Mr Austen Chamberlain, addressing the pressmen, said that the only victory won at Locarno was a victory of peace over war. The conference succeeded because no one imposed his own particular conditions. The results achieved were important, because they brought nearer European security and a general disarmament conference. A disarmament conference could now be called much sooner than had been anticipated. The Locarno Agreement would be recorded in history as a decisive step towards peace. Ever since ho had been Foreign Minister he had realised that Europe was divided into two camps lacking a peaceful atmosphere. If that continued it might in a few years have brought a catastrophe worse than the Great War. Mr Churchill said he was glad that the initiative of the Locarno Conference had come from Germany. It reflected the greatest credit on the wisdom of Dr Stresemann and Dr Luther. The recon filiation of the European peoples—the Allies and the Allies’ enemies of yesterday—could only be based on a stronger Anglo-French Entente and an absolute confidence, leading to an enduring friendship closely binding the Governments and the peoples.—A. and N.Z. Cable. ME CHAMBERLAIN’S RETURN. A REPRESENTATIVE WELCOME. LONDON, October 20. Mr Baldwin and the whole of the Cabinet welcomed Mr Chamberlain a ic on Station on his retuni from Locanio. ae Kinc was represented by Lord Uicmer. The French and German Ambassadors and most of the diplomats were present.—Reuter. ■ MR LLOYD GEORGE GRATIFIED. A HINT TO AMERICA. LONDON, October 20. Mr Lloyd George, spanking at a Free Church demonstration m the City lempxe, rejoicing at the success of the Locarno Conference, which, he said, marked a great step forward. The paramount duty was to establish peace. “We took risks in time of war,” be continued. _ Why not, then, in God’s name, take risks for peace? If the Free Church m America would help to bring America into the League of Nations it would make the League triumphant as an instrument for world-wide peace.” —A. and N.Z. Cable. FRANCO-CERMAH OPINION. VIEWS OF LEADING JOURNALS. PARIS, October 20. The Petit Parisien says that the most exacting critics must be satisfied with the results of the Locarno Coherence. The Echo de Pans says : The complexity and contradistinctions in the agreements-, are disquieting. The possibility of an Anglo-French defensive accord no longer exists.” _ Le Journal Gaulois says: The Entente Cordiale is reborn, ami is again the pivou of European equilibrium.’’ BERLIN, October 20. The Tagelische Rundschau says that German conceptions triumphed completely, and a peaceful revision of the Versailles Treaty is not altogether out of the questloGermania says: “The Locarno Conference has proved that Germany is again regarded as a world Power. The Berliner Tageblatt says: The Western Pact is the Magna Charta of the life of European nations. Never before has Great Britain so bound herself.” Vorwaerts says: ‘The idea of a lasting peace is realised. The Diplomatisch Pohtischc Correspondent, which is the official mouthpiece of the Government, emphasises the importance of Article XX of the Arbitration Treaties, which, in its opinion, makes almost all the provisions of the Versailles Treaty subject‘to arbitration. Even the Nationalist journals acknowledge that much has been achieved at Locarno,, though they condemn the details of the treaties. —Reuter. GERMAN EXTREMISTS. POLICE PROTECTION FOR DELEGATES. LONDON, October 20. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily Mail savs that the Volkische Beobachter, the National Socialists organ, directly incites the murder of Dr Stresemann, and urges a bitter fight against the agreement of Locarno, and declare that the Frenchman who was signing such a pact on behalf of France would be slaughtered like a dog when he returned to Paris. The police are protecting Dr Stresemann and Dr Luther. —Sydney Sun Cable. DISARMAMENT OF GERMANY. DEMOBILITTON OF KEUPPS BEGUN. BERLIN, October 20. (Received Oct. 21, at 8.20 p.m.) A great step has been taken towards the Allies’ disarmament requirements. The demolition has begun of Erupps gunmakinrr machinery at Essen, which the interAllicd Control Commission had vainly demanded during the past five years. Reuter. RUSSIA AND THE TREATY. GERMANY’S ACTION RESENTED. LONDON, October 20. While M. Briand, according to Reuter’s Paris correspondent, told an interviewer that it was for Soviet Russia to come to an arrangement similar to that reached at Locarno —and he would be only too anxious to return to Locarno on such an occasion—M. Krassin, according to the Moscow correspondent, described the Security Pact as the means of drawing Germany into the sphere of anti-Soviet policy, and preventing her rapprochement with Russia.—Reuter. AMERICA AND THE PACT, ABSENCE FROM NEGOTIATIONS. UNDERCURRENT OF CHAGRIN. LONDON, October 20. The Morning Post’s well-informed Washington correspondent says that it is not difficult to detect an undercurrent of chagrin that a major agreement was reached at Locarno without the United States being oven represented as a friend of Europe. This comes in the ‘nature of a Shock. It is felt that the Locarno Agreement has leagued the former belligerents for tho protection of their interests where they dash with those of America. The correspondent points out America’s <ttreng advantage in virtually controlling

the world’s exchanges, which henceforth will be the biggest factor in political and economic relations. A well-informed friend of President Coolidgo says that its now for Europe to accept the President’s Disarmament Conference or let it die through inaction, but if it is held at Geneva or elsewhere under the auspices of the League of Nations the United States could not participate. Tho correspondent gathers that a large body of opinion regards the abstention as unworthy of America—A. and N.Z. Cable. THE PRESIDENT’S HOPE. WASHINGTON, October 20. President Coolidge believes that a European conference for the limitation of European armaments would bo very useful, and hopes that the nations concerned will call such a conference. He says that a reduction of armies is peculiarly a European problem, and he hopes that the Pact will expedite the holding of a conference. It will be necessary to include the United States in any conference on President Coolidge’s suggestions for naval limitations.—A. and N.Z. Cable. DISARMAMENT ISSUE. AMERICA’S LOST LEADERSHIP. POINTED CRITICISM FROM WITHIN. NEW YORK, October. 20. The Evening World, which has consistently championed President Wilson’s policies, under the heading, “The President is Wise,” says: “It appears that President Coolidge has no intention of calling a disarmament conference, as the result of the agreement was reached without our assistance, or any suggestion from, our unofficial observers at Locarno. This is the most sensible conclusion —if not the only one —we could well reach without making ourselves ridiculous. We have done little since the armistice to advance the cause of world peace, and we have concerned ourselves consistently in efforts to discourage the functioning of the only reallv serious organisation in history perfected for the purpose of reducing the possibilities of war and finding peaceable ways of settling international disputes.” (Received Oct. 21, at 5.5 p.m.) Tho Evening World adds: The nations of Europe have taken our advice and have sought through concessions and the subordination of war psychology to that of peace to pave the way for a radical reduction of armaments. At Locarno they have made a tremendous advance. _ The agreements there entered into arc interwoven with the operations of the League of Nations, and wo, with Russia and Mexico, refuse to co-operate with the League. We have made a great point of having nothing ‘to do with, abroad,’ and it is not surprising that in the circumstances abroad there should be but little confidence in us. That the European countries will now proceed with other conferences on the armament question may be assumed from the logic of tho situation, and it would be rather impertinent of us with our record to claim the right of leadership in such a movement. We have cast our lot with Russia and Mexico, and mankind may bo able to work out its salvation without our assistance or further interference.” —A. and N.Z. Cable.