TREATY BREACH

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1935, Page 5

TREATY BREACH

GENEVA DIFFICULTY INDICTMENT OF GERMANY UNEXPECTED OBJECTIONS ANTAGONISATION FEARED TALKS BEHIND SCENES / ’ By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright. Rec. 8 p.m. Geneva, April 16. The indictment of Germany for violating the Versailles Treaty is meeting unexpected difficulties, Poland and Denmark being the stumbling blocks. There have been interviews and talks behind the scenes throughout the day. Dr. Munch explained to Sir John Simon and M. Laval that Denmark believed the suggested resolution would antagonise Germany still further against the League. The South American delegates are not concerned with Germany’s side of the controversy but fear that sanctions similar to those in the draft resolution might be applied in South American disputes. M. Laval in Order to reassure the South Americans said he was willing to restrict the sanctions to breaches of treaties in Europe. Tevfik Rustu Bey raised a further difficulty, advancing the claim that Turkey had the right to re-fortify the Dardanelles if Bulgaria, Austria and Hungary were allowed to increase their armaments. LQCARNO PACT HONOURED BRITAIN’S DETERMINATION GERMAN ARMED FORCES Rec. 8 p.m. London, April 16. “Sir John Simon, at the League of Nations Council meeting, to-day reaffirmed the British determination to honour the Locarno Pact, which is regarded as particularly significant at the present juncture and is considered in some quarters as warning Germany against further violations of the Versailles Treaty,” says the Geneva correspondent of the Daily Mail. “Sir John was unwilling to mention a specific situation necessitating intervention, but the declaration is- interpreted as meaning that Britain' will' not shirk responsibility by a legal quibble, which has given France greater satisfaction than any other event in recent years.” The Daily Mail’s Moscow correspondent says that M. Tukpachevsky, ViceCommissar of Defence, declares that it is now clear that Germany has a fouryear. plan to create gigantic forces. The total forces of the army, navy and air arms this summer will be 909,000. The correspondent declares that General Goering is planning to increase the air force to 16,000 planes, of which 3700 are at present available, including 2100 bombers and scouting planes, representing a total of 60,000 men, with 60,000 more civil pilots available. M. Tukpachevsky says there are an additional 900,000 storm troopers, police and other secret armed forces ready for mobilisation. ‘lt is possible that the German invading army tokiay is already stronger than France’s peace army,” he adds.