CLAIM FOR EQUALITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22833, 18 March 1936, Page 9

CLAIM FOR EQUALITY

DECLARATION BY HERR HITLER “GERMANY WILL NEVER RECEDE” REFERENCE TO RECENT ALLIANCES FRANCE MUST FACE CONSEQUENCES (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) FRANKFURT-ON-MAIN, March 16. (Received March 17, at 8 p.m.) In a speech at Frankfurt-on-Main Herr Hitler said: “ Germany has concluded no military alliances, as they only lead to ill-defined commitments. Nevertheless, France, whom we cannot hinder, has concluded such alliances and must face the consequences. Germany will never recede from h.er claim for equality and sovereignty, and a backward step would leave an impossible foundation and sow hatred. Igo this way for the sake of Germany because any distress is better than a condition leading to fresh burdens. We are prepared for every reconciliation except one, which is counter to our honour. The meeting was marked by the customary band music, well-managed spot lighting, and continuous applause.

SPEECH BY HERR HITLER READY TO BURY HATCHET FRANKFURT-ON-MAIN, March 16. “ Germans, do you want to bury the hatchet with France?” asked Herr Hitler of 25,000 hearers at the Exhibition Hall. He was received by the deafening reply : “ Yes, yes." The crowd stood in the flag-bedecked streets all day awaiting Herr Hitler’s election address. Everyone cheered Captain Goering and General von Blomberg en route to the Exhibition Hall. Special importance was attached to the occasion, as it was the anniversary of the rcintroduction of conscription. The local Nazi Governor (Herr Sprenger) opened the proceedings, declaring that Germany stood solid behind Herr Hitler. The populace of the Rhineland had to live under the threat of foreign guns, but Germany had achieved all she had done by fighting, and she would continue to fight. Every negro tribe had the right to self-defence. Only Germany * 'was?hot to have it, 1 1 Herr Hitler, who spoke for 72 minutes, declared that the world must know that there was only one will and one faith in Germany, which the Fuhrer said he had not removed, but had simplified. The democracy of the world .formerly valued education, birth, and. knowledge, but the new principles of courage, sacrifice, and unity must now be upheld. Every treaty originating in brute force, menace, and oppression would only be briefly tolerated bj r history. LOCARNO POWERS WAITING LONDON. March 16. The . League and the Locarno Powers are again awaiting Horr Hitler's word. That is the position to-night. The Australian Associated Press is assured that nothing but the form of the invitation to Germany was discussed at to-day’s private sessions of the League Council, which decided that it was incompetent to deal with the second section of the German reply, which was a matter for the Locarno Powers alone. _ The P>ritish Government is hopeful that Herr Hitler will accept the latest invitation and by sending a special envoy provide more encouraging circumstances for the Locarno Powers to discuss his long-term European peace proposals. Should Germany accept, the position would be that the votes of France. Belgium, and Germany, as the guaranteed Powers under Locarno, would not count in calculating unanimity, but the votes of Britain and Italy ns guarantor Powers would count. A close parallel to bringing Germany before the Council is the case of the Mosul boundary dispute in 1923. when Turkey. then a non-member. was assured that there was no reason to fear the nature of her reception from Council. The only other feature of the proceedings was M. FI an din’s formal demand that the Council record Germany's violation of the Locarno Treaty, whereupon Mr Bruce delayed the cussionThe Munich correspondent of The Times says the censor drastically handled Herr Hitler’s Munich speech, a tame version appearing in the German press. BRITISH CABINET MEETS {British Official Wireless) RUGBY. March 16. A special meeting of Cabinet was hold this morning to consider the situation in the light of the week-end developments, and in particular the reply-of the Gorman Government to the invitation sent by the League of Nations Council to take part in the Council's present deliberations as one of the contracting parties to the Treaty of Locarno. There was a full attendance of Ministers. Before attending it Mr Eden was in consultation with officials at the Foreign Office. In view of teims of the German reply to the invitation, special interest is attached to the Cabinet meeting now proceeding. GERMAN REPLY CONSIDERED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, March 10. (Received March 17, at 8 p.m.) The reply to the League Council’s invitation to the German Government to take part in the work of the* present meetings in London was considered this . afternoon, when the Council mot first in private, then in secret, and finally in public session. When the Council met in public at 7.30 M. Flandin, on

behalf of the French and Belgian delegations, proposed a resolution declaring that “ The Council finds that the German Government has infringed the Treaties of Versailles and Locarno, and invites the Secretary-general, in the application of article 4, paragraph 2, to inform at once the signatory Powers of the treaties of the finding the Council has fust reached.” The president (Mr Stanley Bruce) proposed an adjournment for consideration of the resolution, which he thought desirable in view of the outcome of the discussion at the secret session of the German reply to the Council’s invitation to attend. He announced that ft telegram had been sent to ‘the German Government which stated that Germany would “ participate in the examination by the Council of the question submitted by the Belgian and French Governments on the same terms as the representatives of other guaranteed Powers whose situation under the treaty is the same as that of Germany—that is, with full rights of discussion, the votes of the three Powers not being counted in calculating unanimity.” The telegram adds: “In regard to the second question raised in Germany—that is, early discussion of the German proposals as an integral part of her recent action, it is not for the Council to give to the German Government the assurances it desires.” The Council then adjourned till 3.30 to-morrow, when a general discussion will be opened on the Franco-Belgian resolution. It is evident that there will be a welcome for the German representative if by that time the German Government has decided to accept the Council’s invitation. Failing that, any further communications from the German Government will come under consideration. THE MEANING OF A WORD LONDON, March 16. The question is raised regarding the translation of the German word “ alsbald ” as meaning “ forthwith ” in the English text of Herr Hitler’s reply. The dictionary gives the meaning as “ directly ” as well as “ forthwith.” A German authority says that in general usage “ alsbald ” means “as soon as possible,” which, if correct, will dispose of much adverse comment based on the idea that Herr Hitler is asking for immediate or simultaneous consideration of his peace pact proposals. How much hangs on the word “ alsbald ” is shown in this morning’s official German eagerness to explain that the correct translation is “ in due course.” There has been considerable conflict regarding the terms of the actual invita-' tion to Germany. The official version is that Germany was invited as a contracting party to Locarno and not as originally intended under Article 17 of the Covenant of the League, which might have increased Germany’s difficulty in accepting. M. FLANDIN’S INTENTION LONDON, March 10. (Received March 17, at 8.30 p.m.) The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent says: “ M. Flandin intends to urge that the Franco-Soviet pact must be considered by The Hague Court with a view to establishing whether it is out of harmony with the Locarno Treaty, and will demand that Germany abide by the decision and withdraw her Rhineland forces if the verdict is against her.” GERMANY’S ESCAPE LONDON, March 16. (Received March 17, at 8.30 p.m.) General Sir lan Hamilton, in a letter to The Times, declares: “The Rhineland zone was not demilitarised in order to prevent an outbreak of hostilities, but to ensure that France would not be delayed at the outbreak of the next war in striking immediately into the Imart of the enemy’s country.” He adds: “ Czechoslovakia, under the FrancoSoviet Pact, will become an aerodrome for swarming Russian bombing planes. Most soldiers agree that Germany escaped this net just in time.” FRENCH CONFIDENCE SHAKEN LONDON, March 17. (Received I)larch 18, at 0.30 a.m.) The Manchester Guardian’s Paris correspondent says: “Occupation of the Rhineland has i.ot only completely shaken French confidence and faith in the effectiveness of international agreements, at least as far as Germany is concerned, but has also, greatly weakened France’s military position, first, by giving hack Germany her traditional ‘ springboard for invasion,’ and, secondly (if Germany builds fortifications), by rendering her western frontier practically immune against attack with a force of 200.000 to 300.000, while the rest of the German forces could strike France through Holland and Belgium, thus greatly increasing Germany’s chances of waging a successful war. Therefore, it is argued that the Rhineland fortifications are a .European problem and must be accounted in any settlement respecting Germany.”

VATICAN PAPER’S VIEWS GERMAN ACTION CONDEMNED ROME, March 17. (Received March 18, at 0.30 a.m.) The Vatican organ, Osscrvatorc Romano, belatedly but strongly condemns Germany’s treaty breaking. “ Whatever reasons Germany may have had for reoccupying the Rhineland, she ought to have had recourse to the League, as stipulated in the Locarno Treaty. International justice is by no means perfect, but this is no justification for recourse to force and the breaking up of treaties.” The article, which is believed to have been inspired by the Pope, created a great impression in Rome.