The Timaru Herald WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1937 WHAT ARE GERMANY’S INTENTIONS?

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20893, 24 November 1937, Page 8

The Timaru Herald WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1937 WHAT ARE GERMANY’S INTENTIONS?

Everyone who longs for the coming of durable peace in Europe with its roots in the reign of law as against the dangers associated with international relations based on the supremacy of force, will welcome the official German statement that there is no problem separating Britain and Germany, that cannot be solved by bilateral negotiations. But all hope of an understanding based on the principles of British statesmanship, will be quickly dissipated by the statement that the policy of collective security aiming at the maintenance of a balance of power on the basis of the Versailles Treaty is not considered even in accordance with the realities of Germany’s position and power on the Continent now that she has rearmed and is allied with other powerful States. Manifestly the German spokesmen have overlooked the plain fact that the treaty of peace that came out of Versailles at the conclusion of the World War no longer exists in the German scheme of things. Article after article has been violated and all that remained of the Treaty itself has been torn to shreds. Moreover Germany, as her official spokesmen suggest, has become allied with other powerful States! In other words, the Nazi leaders refuse to be hampered by treaty obligations or the rights of others. Both Italy and 1 Germany have shown to the world that they have made up their minds that they will not permit themselves to be hampered by a policy of collective security. This means, of course, that the Italo-German creators of the Berlin-Rome axis have made up their minds that the fate of Europe, and indeed, Asia as well, if they can marshal adequate power, will revolve round a NaziFascist centre. It is not difficult, of course, in view of the history of the past few years, particularly in relation to the actions of the States of Europe and Asia, to appreciate the mistrust of the so-called good intentions of Germany, Italy and Japan. The German official spokesmen suggest, however, that “should Lord Halifax's report have the effect of dissipating some of the mistrust of German intentions, which it is thought in Berlin, prevails in London, then influential circles in Berlin believe the main obstacle to a British and German understanding upon which the peace of Europe depends will be considerable lessened.” But what are Germany’s intentions? If the ideas and objections outlined in the fiery utterances of Nazi spokesmen represents the intentions of Germany, it can be said at once that Germany’s intentions are the absolute negative of British philosophy. First and foremost British statesmanship stands for collective security and the rule of law in international relations and if and until German intentions are framed on similar lines it can be taken for granted that what German spokesmen describe as British mistrust of German intentions will be revealed in the Imperial Government’s policy of rearming on a scale that will compel aggressive people to think twice before putting their trust in the sword!