GERMAN TRIBUTE

Southland Times, Issue 22732, 7 November 1935, Page 5

GERMAN TRIBUTE

BRITISH AUTHORITY SINCERE BELIEF IN COLLECTIVISM A DANGER REMOVED (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 7.40 p.m.) London, November 6. The Berlin correspondent of The Times says that the Allgemeine Zeitung, in an article on collective security, says: — After a month’s war in Abyssinia France has lost the League leadership and Britain has assumed it. France aroused suspicions in small countries, but Britain understood how to secure their respect as the protector of small nations and coloured races. The world again marvels at tire methodical thoroughness, energy and success of British authority. The naval agreement between Britain and Germany has eliminated the North Sea as a danger zone which, like the British fleet, has shifted to the Mediterranean. The danger of France declaring herself neutral in the event of a clash between Britain and Italy is now dispelled. Britain has French Mediterranean ports at her disposal as bases and need not worry about the possible loss of Malta. Britain in four weeks has removed the danger of a Latin Mediterranean alliance disturbing European equilibrium. Her diplomatists have worked as hard as Italian navvies at Adigrat, but did not sweat over it. Moreover, Britain can credit herself with the restoration of the Greek monarchy. . Mediterranean organization is in firm hands. Seldom was a’great political aim so cheaply achieved. It has all been done in the name of collectivism, which Britain means sincerely, but an important section of German opinion considers that if and when Italy is brought to book it will be through a short, sharp armed clash with Britain, not by a long distance blockade under the League banner. Great Britain, conscious of this, will abandon collectivism in favour of an AngloGerman agreement of much wider scope than the naval agreement.