Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1936

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18974, 26 March 1936, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1936

THE GERMAN REFUSAL Germany's blunt refusal to enterlain the proposals advanced by the Locarno Powers as a basis for terminating the unrest in Europe, oven though it. may not have boon altogether . unexpected, lias created a situation of extreme delicacy, the outcome of which cannot, be foreseen. In effect, Germany has thrown down the gauntlet to the rest of the world, believing, no doubt, that, having so far succeeded in wresting concessions from other nations there is no limit to the extent, to which she can dominate those with whom .she has made a pretence of negotiating. Throughout the recent discussions there have been those who have sought to excuse the Gorman conduct and to .sympathise with her aspirations, but it is doubtful whether oven the most ardent apologist can any longer find grounds for endorsing the German viewpoint and it is possible that the very arrogance of Heir Hitler's reply will result in consolidating opinion against him. Under what possible pretext can the German attitude be justified? Her leaders claim, primarily, that they 'will not negotiate except on terms of equality; yet their conception of equality manifestly is not a condition where all the parties to a dispute <!uill moot and thrash out their differences on a mutually accepted basis, but a state of affairs where one nation shall bo permitted to dictate the terms of any sett lenient and to impose its own conditions in advance. She is quite prepared to negotiate for peace, but it must be on her own terms and at her own convenience, and what she chooses to do in the meantime is no one else's business. She complains about humiliation being thrust, upon her, I nit. conveniently overlooks the fact that her own reply subjects all the other Powers to the humiliation of bowing before the iron heel of Prussianism. Clearly, Ilorr Hitler's conception of equality is the sumo form of dictation as he has ruthlessly imposed upon the people of his own country, and there can be little doubt that wore he ever able to do so he would treat those who oppose his domination in the same way as he has treated political opponents in his own country. Germany again talks of pence ami security, but what, has she done in recent years for either? If she seeks security for herself it can readily be obtained —by her return to, and co-operation with, the League of Nations; by adherence to the Locarno Pact; cud even by subscribing to the

Franco-Russian pact which lias been left open lo her anil of which she has been so loud in her criticism. The German claim to pacifist desires is difficult to understand for it. is strangely at variance with her whole line of conduct. Even were it. admitted that Germany has legitimate o-rievanees. the undisputed fact would still remain that the main cause of European uneasiness and the real provocation for the armaments race that

is now in progress is Germany's intensive process of arming herself until she is sufficiently strong to impose her will on the rest of Europe. All that has been happening in Europe is a desperate search for security against the German menace—against the country which professes to be imbued with a profound desire for peace. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the many strands in the tangled skein of European politics to-day. the one predominating fact is that weie it not for Germany there would he no talk of war. no quest for security, and no wastage of enormous sums in the

aggregation of armaments. This, then, is the position; what can be done to remedy it? Are the othei nations to sit passively by while Germany, refusing to work with the League, refusing to confer with hoi neighbours, and callously breaking every solemn obligation into which. she has entered, continues to increase her strength until she again considers herself able, as in 1914. to issue a challenge to the rest of the world? And let there he no mistake, if Germany once does attain this position ;.Ih> only peace will be on her own terms, the only security' will lie foi Germany herself, and equality will be .ynonimous with German domination. What then is to be done to avert the threatened calamity? The key is still held by Great Britain, and her responsibility to-day is greater than at any other time in history. Firm ad horonce at this critical .stage to the principles embodied in. the covenant of the League of Nations can still avert disaster, but continued weakness and vacillation can only serve to encourage Germany in her defiance and arrogance and must inevitably lend to war. This was never made more clear than in'the Germans' unequivocal, and truculent reply to the concessions that had been offered. The only consolation in the present sitna tion is that the reply is couched in such emphatic terms as to permit of no misunderstanding of Germany's intentions, and if it has the effect oi driving the other Powers together foi their mutual protection then it may, ndeed, prove a blessing in disguise.