“STRATFORD EVENING POST" SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1928. WEIGHING WORDS.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 82, 4 February 1928, Page 4

“STRATFORD EVENING POST" SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1928. WEIGHING WORDS.

That there is need for men occupying prominent positions in national or world affairs to weigh well their words before they give utterance to them we arc being constantly reminded. Suspicion lurks in every corner, especially in connection with world concerns, and, it is pitiful to have to record, there are leaders of thought and action, who are prone to place the worst of meanings upon the utterances of others that often prove foreign to the intent and aim of the ape liters. That it should bp so is to be regretted, for it goes to show that, notwithstanding all that lias been done, the establishment of trust and confidence as between nations still falls far short of having been attained. We are led to this train of thought by cable messages from Karlin and Loudon in reference to' some remarks made by Dr. Stresemanu, the German Foreign Minister, upon the subject of security and the Rhine occupation. His words were probably not well chosen, but more seems to have been made of them than is really warranted. His rc " marks wore cl,, arly directed at France, and wore clearly intended to answer the demand of that country for something more than the pledges given by Britain and other countries to prevent attack.- upon any one of the parties to the Locarno Pact. The intention of Dr. Strosemann was clearly to show that such a demand i.s unreasonable and likely to militate against the realisation of the high aspiration to banish suspicion and enmity Between nations, and replace them by confidence and goodwill—an aspiration which Dr. Stresomann has shown a marked disposition to promote. “It was,” no i.s reported to have said, “hyprocrisy to demand security against Germany, which could scarcely defend her own frontiers and the lives of her inhabitants.” Then in relation to the Rhineland occupation lie said: “Germany would not reject a discussion on the control o if the frontier, hut would not buy the evacuation of the Rhineland with obligations exceeding those of Versailles, and so perpetuating mistrust and prejudicing an effective ocaco policy.” The language may ho doomed deserving o |C the definition of “trenchant” given to it by (he London Daily Telegraph's diplomatic cft’Tespondent. hut it is incapable! of being interpreted n.s n cliult'iigo to France, ac? thor*' seems to he a, di°-

position in some onurriTs to view it and it should not be regardiv.Ptfs cljfcn

sive. in British quarters, we aretoJil, there is an inclination to vie>v the speech an mainly intended) idr domestic consumption, or, in other words, to satisfy the minds oV Germans. That view is a reasonable o ll e, and gives recognition to the fact that Dr. Stmsemann occupies a delicate position, necking to lead his countrymen along the road to permanent peace. The whole position is probably accurately summed upi in this sentence: “Dr. Stmsemann was constrained to dwell on the demand for withdrawal of the Allied troops from the Rhineland in order to prevent the Nationalists accusing him of timorousness in pressing the claim.” But France is not likely to adopt, the friendlier view, and will probably he found putting upon Dr. Strosemann’s words a meaning never contemplated. All this goes to show that nations, and France in particular, have not yet thrown off this timidity and banished suspicion, and that public men would do well to carefully choose their words in their public utterances.