REXIST CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20673, 11 March 1937, Page 9

REXIST CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

TENSE INCIDENT IN BELGIUM PREMIER’S REPLY CHEERED TANGLED FOREIGN RELATIONS United Press Association—By ffileoiri® Telegraph—Copyright (Received March 10, 10.30 p.m.) BRUSSELS, March 10 “I am acting in the interests of the country,” declared the Prime Minister, M. van Zeeland, who accepted General Degrelle's challenge to an electoral duel. General Degrelle last week ordered the Rexlst deputy for one of the Brussels constituencies to resign, simultaneously announcing that he would himself contest the by-election and challenging the Government to a trial of strength between their policy and his. The Chamber of Deputies cheered M. van Zeeland’s announcement that he would oppose General Degrelle personally, “for the sake of Democracy and Parliamentary Government.” The by-election will be held in April, and is likely to be one of the fiercest in Belgian history. EFFECT ON BELGIAN POLICY REASONS BEHIND NEUTRALITY DECISION United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received March 10, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 9 In connection with the AngloBelgium conversations, Belgium has renewed her representations to Britain for a termination of her obligations, which followed Germany’s denunciation of the Locarno Treaty, by which England, France and Belgium agred to exchange general staff information.

Belgium wants her integrity clearly defined and guaranteed by England, France and Germany, in exchange for which, Belgium is prepared to strengthen her defences sufficiently to safeguard her neutrality, while remaining in the League of Nations.

Belgium’s desire to desert England and France is really inspired by General Degrelle’s growing strength with the Rekists’ dislike of the FrancoSoviet Pact, coupled with the belief that France is rapidly going Communist. But Britain, who for strategic reasons, needs a close working arrange - ment with Belgium, is endeavouring to impress on M. van Zeeland that there is no danger of Communism in France. Unless Britain succeeds, the position will become most difficult, because in the event of a menace from Germany, it is essential that Britain should have an air-raid warning organisation in Belgian territory, which would be impossible if Belgium were neutral.

Cable messages published on Monday reported that conversations were proceeding through diplomatic channels between London and Brussels owing to the delicate situation arising in connection with Belgian neutrality, it is feared with receding chances for a Western Pact. Herr Hitler's promise to respect Belgium’s territoriality may divorce Belgium from England and France . The message continued: “M. van Zeeland, Belgian Prime Minister, is anxious to maintain the Anglo-Franco-Belgian front, but pressure by General Leon Degrelle’s pro-Fascist Rex Party complicates the situation, a solution of which the British and Belgian Governments are endeavouring to reach. The Brussels correspondent of “The Times” said that public opinion in Belgium is becoming increasingly apprehensive lest a diplomatic stalemate in Western Europe should furnish Herr Hitler with a pretext for a new manoeuvre, thus making Belgium’s position even more difficult than it has been since the violation of the Locarno Treaty.