FOUR POWER PACT ACCEPTED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19511, 9 June 1933, Page 7

FOUR POWER PACT ACCEPTED

HARMONISING CLASH OF OPINIONS

HIGH HOPES FOR YEARS OF PEACE British Official Wireless RUGBY, June 7. A!1 misunderstandings having been resolved, the Four Power Pact was initialled in Rome to-night. Terms of Pact. The Pact forecasts promises of consultation and co-operation to maintain peace. Article 111 declares that the parties agree to make every effort to secure the success of the Disarmament Conference. Should questions particularly concerning them remain to suspense at the conclusion of the Conference, they reserve tire right to re-examine them under the present agreement, with a view of ensuring their solution through an appropriate channel. Article IV provides for economic consultation. . The agreement runs for ten years, and if not denounced before the end of eight years, will be indefinitely enforced, subject to two years’ notice of termination. Signor Mussolini Confident. Signor Mussolini, speaking in the Senate on the occasion of initiating tire Pact, said that despite changes, the Pact remained faithful to the spirit of the first draft and would have a high spiritual value. It was not directed against any Power and did not constitute a united front against the campaign for the revision of treaties developing in certain quarters. “It is useless to deny that since the war there has been an adaptation of treaties,” Signor Mussolini continued. "Though these enveloped difficulties graver than would have existed in an atmosphere of great confidence, it has taken a long time to agree on Article 111 concerning disarmament. If Germany was constrained to remain eternally disarmed in tire midst of a Europe armed to the teeth, the recognition of parity rights would be ironical. The Pact is an honest document: it considers the interest of all. Britain realised its possibilities from the beginning, Italy and Britain owing to the position of balance will accomplish a special function, according to Locarno, which now finds new expression. The Pact creates a better atmosphere, enabling the liquidation of the questions separating France and Italy and France and Germany, and guarantees ten years of peace.” French Attitude. French official circles welcome the Pact in its present “innocuous” form. Italy Influences Germany. It is learned from Rome that Germany’s assent to the Pact was rendered possible by Signor Mussolini telephoning Herr Hitler personally. FOUR CLAUSES OF PACT. DRASTIC MODIFICATIONS SINCE MADE. On May 31, the Rome correspondent of the British United Press gave the text of the Four-Power Pact as follows: (1) The high contracting parties agree that all questions among them shall be brought within the orbit of the League of Nations to ensure an effective policy of collaboration for the maintenance of peace. (2) The parties agree, with a view to eventual application, to examine Articles 10, 16 and 19 of the Covenant dealing with treaty revision, etcetera, through the regular organs of the League. (3) The parties accept the British Plan as a basis of disarmament, but Germany recognises that she cannot reach equality except by stages, in cdhformity with the Covenant. (4) The parties agree to consult each other on all question especially dealing with the economic restoration of Europe.