THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 1936. EUROPEAN TENSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22826, 10 March 1936, Page 8

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 1936. EUROPEAN TENSION

There is some satisfaction, amounting almost to reassurance, in the fact that the dramatic events of the week-end in Europe have been met calmly, with'but any evidence of a sudden panic reaction. The situation is not clarified to any great extent by the cabled messages from the various European capitals which we print this morning. It is too early, of course, to expect a clear definition of the line of action that the Locarno Powers may be expected to take in the face of the drastic, yet deliberate, provocation offered by Germany. Reoceupation of the Rhineland zone in this summary fashion was not entirely unexpected. Herr Hitler had threatened it as a reply to tiie ratification, by the French Chamber of Deputies, of the FrancoSoviet pact of mutual assistance, claiming, at the same time, that he would be entirely within his rights in following such a course. He bases the legality of the German Government's decision on the assumption that the new Franco-Russian pact has been designed to complete the encirclement of Germany, to isolate the Reich between unfriendly frontiers. The pact, in the German view, is contrary to the spirit of the Locarno agreements, and, being so, renders them pointless and void. The i contention, needless to say, is vigorously denied by France —one ol; the Locarno signatories—and with even, greater fervour by the Soviet, which had nothing to do with the Locarno instruments, but has convincing reasons for desiring ratification of the disputed treaty understanding with France. The attitude of the French Government toward the new crisis has been, so far, correct and admirably restrained. France has taken certain reasonable military precautions affecting the strength of her frontier defences, and has called the attention of the League of Nations and of the other Locarno Powers to Germany’s violation of her treaty obligations. The League Council, it is stated, will meet on March 13 to consider the situation which has thus been created, and presumably to determine what effective measures may be taken to meet it. in the event of the German action being finally declared to constitute a breach of faith. On the face of it no other judgment of Germany’s defiant action seems possible, but her case will have to be carefully examined with ,a proper realisation of what may depend on the verdict. In the meantime the importance of maintaining a diplomatic calm is in no need of emphasis. Herr Hitler has moved in this matter with characteristic directness. As the Sunday Times has remarked, it is not the first time he has flouted a treaty and confronted Europe with a fait accompli. Direct action is favoured by the new school of Nazi diplomatists. Whether Herr Hitler will succeed on this occasion, as he has succeeded in the past, remains to be seen. France is certainly in no temper to accept this latest affront with a becoming meekness, nor is she any more disposed now than she has been in the past to place unbounded faith in the Puhrer’s assurances of peaceful intent. I 1 ranee points to the repudiation oi the Treat3r of Versailles, and to this latest denial of a treaty to which Germany had been a willing party, and asks, with strong reason, why Herr Hitler should be accepted as a man of his word. All that appears at the moment, when the European situation seems to have taken on a new and definitely more menacing aspect, is that Germany is entitled to an opportunity to prove the sincerity of her peaceful protestations. It is to be hoped a means will be found of applying the test.