GUARANTEE TREATY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12735, 3 September 1919, Page 2

GUARANTEE TREATY.

ALLIED PARLIAMENTS TQ DEAL WITH IT. FRENCH SATISFACTION. The guarantee pact, Ijctwoen Prtrnro and Great Britain, and between France and the United States, was published recently. According to the terms. Great Britain agrees immediately to come to the assistance of France in the case of any unprovoked act of aggression hy Germany. Similar action is srgrsed to by the United States. The two pacts will be submitted to the Parliaments and Congress for ratification. The “Petit Parisian” says; “The proclamation of tins Pact by itself would bo enough to put down any tendency to prepare an offensive against our frontiers. The Pact is unprecedented in its form, and it will be impossible to distort its meaning. 1 ’ The paper considers,. however, that the Treaty may lead to misinterpretations in Great Britain, the United States and Germany. “It is certain,” it. adds, “that in Great Britain and America public opinion will regard it as a Treaty of Alliance, hut as regards' Germany it is to be regretted that the casus foederis is strictly limited to a. particular circumstance —namely, an attack in violation of the neutrality imposed on the left bank of the Rhine. No diplomatic support is promised to us for the carrying out of J>he Treaty. The Executive Committee of the League of Nations is called upon to decide by a majority of votes on thd steps to he taken. Spain, Brasil, Greece, and all the countries where German intrigue was vigorous, will have seats on this body. In the near future Germany herself will he giwn a seat. This is what these modified ur «toprm.nsed decisions mean. The “Journal” say's: “It would hare been without doubt very desirable not to limit our precaution to the execution of the disarmament conditions by Germany, to define the precise nature of the military aid that the United States would undertake to give France, and to furnish a clearer formula for British co-oporation than a mere assent.” The “Journal” states, however, that never before, even under the most direct menace of the Germanic Power, has English and American public opinion admitted the possibility of binding itself by treaty to a European’ policy. “ Can one wish,” it concludes, “ for a more _ powerful demonstration of the solidarity created by brothor-hood-in-arms?” The “Gaulois” regrets that the pact has not taken the form of a formal and definite defensive alliance' to be superposed on the.Covenant of the League of Nations- “Our security,” the paper continues, “would thus have been preserved from the surprises and disappointments that the international league has in store for us when an attempt is made to apply Ibe clauses.” The “ Pays ” declares: “ The Peace Conference not been able to create a League of Nations, onr hopes for future peace are taking refuge in the guarantee pact. What does it matter if the whole world adheres to a scheme which will result in the construction of a fine building in. a Geneva suburb ? But what importance will the new Treaty assume when, one by one, _ all the European nations have signed it. no longer affirming a platonic pacifist spirit, but the firm and resolute will to defend peace oven at the price of war?”