The Daily News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1929. RHINELAND EVACUATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1929, Page 8

The Daily News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1929. RHINELAND EVACUATION.

The rejoicing with which the German residents have marked the withdrawal of the French and Belgian occupation troops from Coblenz and Aix-la-Chappelle, the second of the three Rhineland zones policed by the Allies, is not to be wondered at. While foreign forces were camped on German soil the inhabitants necessarily were subject to a certain measure of restraint, though it cannot be said, in spite of the extravagant claims sometimes made at Berlin, that life in the occupied area was hedged around with rigorous conditions. At first there was a little friction, since each of the Allies found it necessary to place certain restrictions upon the German population. In the British zone, for instance, civilians were required to raise their hats to all British officers, though in Cologne this order was only enforced for

a short period. The Belgian authorities were more stringent, demanding that all German men should salute nearly all Belgian soldiers, irrespective of . rank. This was merely a repetition of the order which the Germans themselves had enforced during the whole period of their occupation of Belgium, but it caused a good deal of resentment, and the Belgians soon relaxed it. In all three zones the inhabitants were required to possess permits to reside, and no one could enter or leave an occupied area without a pass. After a few years, however, the people were allowed far greater freedom of movement. For some months the British authorities prohibited any German in their zone from leaving his dwelling-place after 7 p.m. without a special permit- Later the curfew hour became 9 o’clock, and then 11 o’clock. During the war period, it may be noted by way of contrast, the Germans compelled every civilian in the

territory they occupied to be in-| doors, by 6 p.m. It is not sur-, prising that the German popula-l tion chafed under the restrictions imposed, but after a few months there was seldom any evidence of friction. Whatever their hidden thoughts may have been the civilians conducted themselves reasonably well, and the troops certainly gave them every help. The British soldiers especially displayed friendliness, official prohibition of fraternisation with Germans being generally disregarded. The “Tommies” readily made friends, particularly with

women, and the authorities were powerless to prevent them meeting privately, and soon gave up the attempt. It has been said that the rank and file of the British army of occupation did not abuse the latitude allowed, the soldiers treating the German women far more courteously than their own men did. English writers have declared that German women are now accorded far more respect in the occupied area than they were before the British

soldiers set the example. If the French and the Germans did not get along so well together as the British and the Germans the cause probably was to be found in feeling existing before the Great War, but the record of the whole of the armies of occupation in the performance of a difficult task is a creditable dhe. The conditions existing after the war made it necessary for the Allies to impose

rigid terms of peace, and. some guarantee of the fulfilment of the treaty conditions had to be obtained. The occupation of German 'territory afforded the only adequate safeguard, and it was arranged that three zones should be policed for respective periods of five, ten and fifteen years. The first zone was held longer cause Germany was not meeting

her obligations, but the Locarno Pact put international relations on a new footing and paved the way for the evacuation of the Cologne area. On the revision this year of the Dawes, plan of reparations satisfactory provision was made for the withdrawal of the troops from the second zone, which entres on the Coblenz bridgehead. The evacuation of Coblenz has been completed a few months after the date fixed by the original treaty, and only the Mainz area remains as an earnest of Germany’s good faithThe Allies have done their duty honourably, and with Germany meeting her obligations as they fall due the end of a difficult period is in sight. It is easy to realise that the Germans feel a deep sense of relief, but the Allies also have ground for satisfaction in the knowledge that they have almost achieved their legitimate purpose and completed a distasteful task.