AFFAIRS IN EUROPE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3802, 25 January 1927, Page 55

AFFAIRS IN EUROPE.

GERMAN POLITICS. BERLIN, January 17. Dr Marx was busy all day endeavouring to form a Cabinet from the Middle Parties, with the support of the Socialists. It is understood that the latter insist that Dr Marx shall drop the stormy petrel, Dr Otto Gessler, who has been 11 times Minister of Defence, and who was recently prominent in connection with disclosures regarding the importation of arms from Russia. January 20. Dr Marx informed President Hindenburg that it was futile for him to form a Cabinet in view of the refusal of the People’s Party to co-operate and the Socialists’ insistence on the exclusion ot the Nationalists from a Coalition Cabinet, lems. President Hindenburg has written to Dr Marx urging the speedy formation of a Cabinet representing all the nonSocialist parties and including the Nationalists, President Hindenburg’s own party. The letter appeals to all parties to forget their differences out of loyalty to the Fatherland and the Constitution, but adds: “If the Socialists are not represented it will be the Cabinet’s special task to safeguard the interests of the workers.” Dr Marx has accepted the President’s summons, and will undertake negotiations with the Nationalists forthwith, but he will demand that they shall accept Dr Stresemann’s conciliatory foreign policy. In view of President Hindenburg’s implied appeal to his own party, there is a good prospect of solving the Cabinet problems-. ■ ..... : . January 22. Dr Marx has 1 informed President-Hin-denburg that he is prepared to form a Ministry on the basis of the Centre Party’s resolution, adhering to the Locarno Pact, pledging loyalty to the Republican constitution, and advocating the unfettered recruiting of those desirous and demanding-the early evacuation of Rhineland. ; FEAR OF. GERMANY. ■ PARIS, January ,20. •; ? According to‘the Echo de Paris,-.<the military chiefs, in compliance with M. Poincare’s : instructions ’ are preparing; without delay,- a ’ definite plan of defence works on the northern and north-eastern frontiers as a substitute for the withdrawal of the Rhineland army. The depth of the defence zone will correspond with a modern battlefield. The Government will seek.the necessary credits from Parliament as soon as the plans have been prepared. • , GERMAN PROSPERITY: . LONDON, January 20.. W. - > The Morning Post’s Berlin correspondent says that the country’s financial PpsP :£km is regarded as being; sufficiently strong to enable it to .dispense With’ foreign ( .loans and rtep'rt to home biirrpsving..*; Ine

Free State of Baden is issuing a 6 per cent, internal loan of approximately £1,650,000, and the city of Stuttgart has obtained authority to issue a loan of between 15,000,000 and 20,000,000 marks. Krupps are issuing a loan of £3,000,000. Germany, up to the middle of December, had borrowed from foreign countries — mainly the United States, England, and Holland —about £193,600,000. GERMAN DISARMAMENT. PARIS, January 17. The Inter-Allied Military Committee under Marshal Foch’s presidency decided that Germany’s disarmament proposals are not acceptable. A breakdown of the negotiations is not expected, however. The committee will probably seek modifications of Germany’s offer, particularly the destruction of the fortress of Glocau and a fuller guarantee that other fortresses will be for purely defensive purposes. PARIS, January 19. Le Journal states that the German delegation has asked the Berlin Government for instructions regarding the fresh proposals which it intends to make on the subject of fortresses. FRENCH CABINET. LONDON, January 18. Political circles have lateb been concerned over rumours of vital differences between M. Briand and M. Poincare affecting the stability of the French Cabinet. These have been based on the supposition that M. Briand in the interests of peace was prepar d to give way to Germany to an extent which M. Poincare would not countenance. The matter appears to have reached a crisis in the Cabinet yesterday, after which M. Briand declared the Cabinet and himself in complete accord, the anly discord being that created outside.

Curiously enough, the Daily Telegraph’s Berlin correspondent touches this question at the end of a message dealing with disarmament, in which it is argued that the demands made by the French involve the fate o2 the entire German industries. The correspondent says: “It is recognised that the "’reenh internal situation peeessarily acts as a drag on the development of the Locarno policy. Full confidence is still placed in the sincerity of M. Briand, but it is recognised that M. Poincare’s success in bringing about an appreciation of the franc has somewhat altered the balance of power in the Cabinet in his favour to the disadvantages of M. Briand.”

* POLICY OF FRANCE. PARIS, January 19. M. Briand, in the Chamber, delivered his anxiously-awaited statement on foreign affairs. He outlined at length the policy followed at Locarno, Geneva, and Thoiry, and also protested against the campaign of the Rightists in representing him as being in conflict with his colleagues, in the Cabinet. On the subject of the Rhineland evacuation, he said it was Germany's right, as a result of the treaty, to raise the question of evacuation as soon as she had fulfilled her obligations as regards reparations security, and if Germany made such an overture the Council of Ministers would be informed. M. Briand added that he hoped an agreement would be reached before February 1 regarding Germany’s eastern fortifications. Negotiations would shortly be opened with Spain on the subject of Tangier. Touching on China, M. Briand said that the Government would pursue a policv of vigilance and prudence.

THE CATALAN PLOT. PARIS, January 20. The trial of Garibaldi, Colonel Macia, and 16 Catalans opened dramatically. The proceedings commenced by each prionser reading a statement. Garibaldi, who wore the scarlet rosette of the Legion of Honour in his buttonhole, denied that he had betrayed the Catalans, and he accused Macia of inaccurately explaining the plot. ■/. Immediately a storm broke out. Macia indignantly repudiated the allegation, and his counsel (M. Torres) denounced Garibaldi as both an Italian and Spanish agent. Garibaldi bellowed a denial, and M. Torres retorted bv reading Garibaldi’s statements to the police. Counsel added: ■‘Perhaps a Garibaldi who is a member of the Legion of Honour does not sign documents confessing the receipt of Judas’s thirty pieces of silver.” Gari-

baldi admitted that he had signed after a 30-hours’ examination owing to fatigue. M. Torres: “You, a soldier, admit that fatigue caused you to break down. Be a man.” ’ The court became a scene of tumult, and the judge ordered a short suspension. After theproceedings had been resumed, M. Benoit, a Secret Police Commissioner, made a statement that he had a favourable report regarding the Catalans, but Garibaldi was an Italian agent provocateur, and had admitted that he had received 600,000 lire from - the Italian police. Garibaldi shouted: “Nevertheless lam no-traitor.” ' • : The hearing stands adjourned. LONDON, January 21. The Daily News Paris correspondent says that' a large force of police is employed to suppress partisan displays at the Garibaldi; trial. ’ The lawyers representing the Catalans appealed to the Judge to prevent the ignominy of their sitting beside the arch traitor Garibaldi. M. Shaon, representing Rizzoli, an Italian Socialist, who is accused of participating in; the, plotting, (declared that Garibaldi had betrayed 4,000,Q00 antiFascists living in France who had regarded him as their god-:.;. ‘ • . Colonel Macia, in -denouncing j- Gari- ‘ baldi, emphasised the; Catalans’ love for France. ‘ e i ’■ Th 6 Judge interjected :■ “Did ; you think ! of the trouble you ! Would cause whtth’you prepared a plot on French jsqii?’’.. . . .

Colonel Macia retorted: “Eleven thousand Catalans fell at Verdun. That is my answer.” ' ■ PARIS, January 21. Giving evidence at the Gariba-di trial, Detective Leluc declared that Scivoli, who was suspected of plotting fp assassinate Mussolini first aroused doubts concerning Garibaldi. Detective Leluc journeyed to Nice, and there interrogated Garibaldi, who admitted relations with Italian agents named Salla and Lapola, from whom he received money. Garibaldi’s counsel declared that his client was not aware, till it was too late, that Salla was a Fascist agent. Scivoli gave evidence that Garibaldi requested him to go to Italy. He obtained a passport, but when he learned that the police were expecting him he suspected betrayal. He was convinced of this when passport photos were discovered among the papers of an Italian agent. The trial continues to be an indictment of Garibaldi by Judge Torres upon charges of selling Catalan plans to the police. Garibaldi proves that he is most pugnacious. There were many scenes of violent tumult, in which Judge Torres, Garibaldi, and his counsel were all shouting at the same time, but judge Torres, in a tremendous bass voice, dominated the hubbub. Garibaldi accused the police of extracting confessions by torture, but the police denied this. There was a dramatic scene when an Italian named Seskeharino entered the witness-box to support the allegation that Rizzoli, one of Colonel Macia’s followers, betrayed the plot. Rizzoli shouted “Coward, police spy, I will track you down. Only my respect for justice prevents me strangling you now.” • The public laughed and cheered when Garibaldi’s counsel withdrew witness without testifying. PARIS, January 22. Garibaldi and Colonel Macia were each sentenced to two months’ imprisonment . and fined 100 francs. Their accomplices were sentenced to a month’s imprisonment and fined 50 francs.

A packed court waited the denouement. The usual curtain-raiser was the I triumphal entry of'Colonel Macia’s jolly conquist-adors, accompanied by lively greetings from friends, as though the parties were playing amateur theatricals. One mother raised her baby aloft and waved it before the eyes of the paternal plotter. Finally Garibaldi entered alone, and took an isolated seat; he looked haughty and self-composed. Garibaldi’s counsel argued that the police had exceeded -their duty when they searched his house and detained him without a warrant. The Court replied that it would reserve its decision in that connection. Counsel for the prosecution admitted that Colonel Macia was an idealist Francophile, but allegedly possessed arms and hatched r. mad plot on French soil at the risk of embroiling France with a neighbouring country, forgetting that he was the guest of France. Garibaldi also possessed arms. He admitted that it was not proved that Garibaldi was mixed up with the Catalan plot, and it was doubtful whether Garibaldi intended to help or betray Colonel Macia. .Garibc.’ ’i confessed to the police, that he had sold his friends, but explained that he was forced to make that statement. Counsel, flung his finger in the direction of Garibaldi, saying: “A man of his lineage should have preferred to die before confessing infamy.” Garibaldi showed no emotion beyond a twitching of the lip at this stinging taunt.

GERMAN REPARATIONS. THE HAGUE, January 21. ! The arbitral tribunal has begun hearing | Germany’s claim for a rebate of i £450,000,000, due under the Dawes Scheme. The tribunal will have to decide whether Germany’s payments since 1924 in compensation to German Nationals for lost properties in Alsace-Lorraine, and Germany’s transfer of rights and interests in the Shantung Railway, also ui public' utilities in Russia, China, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, and her own lost territories, should be' regarded as included in the Dawes annuities. The court consists of an American chairman, a Frenchman, a German, a Swede, and a Dutchman. ■■ ••• • THE BALKANS. ROME, January 22. The President of Albania, in a statement which follows that of Giornale d’ltalia concerning the recent treaty, says: “Albania feels more closely linked with Italy than any country.” He believed the Italian type of Government best fitted for Albania’s needs; therefore it was best that Albania should throw in her lot with Italy, not because of any pressure, but because they firmly believed it was the best possible contribution to the pacification of the Balkans. GERMANY AND EXPORT. BERLIN, January 21. An agreement has been concluded between the Government and the Interallied Commission of Control regarding the export of manufactured war material, the agreement laying it down what armaments Germany-.may or., may. not export, only the disarmament question - remaining to be settled. This concerns fortresses on the eastern frontier.