SECURITY PACT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19436, 23 October 1925, Page 7

SECURITY PACT

NEW ZEALAND’S VIEW STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER A REAL SECURITY (Special to **Chronicle”) HELENSVILLE, Oct. 22. In tho course of his address here toMight, the Prime Minister made an interesting reference to the Security Pact, his reference including some information which had not been conveyed by the press cables from Europe. Mr Coates said: “I desire to make some reference to the Security Pact which has just been signed at Locarno a result of the conference of representatives of the European Powers which has been meeting there for the past week or so. The previous proposed agreements, namely the Treaty of Mutual Assistance, and the Geneva Protocol. were proposed at the instance of France as protection against Germany, and the effect, if Britain and the other Great Powers had ratified either of , those, would have been to create a league practically against Germany, and with-the result of war. not peace. The action of Britain and the Dominions in rejecting both has been entirely justified by the result, for Germairr herself proposed the Security Pact which has been initialled by the Powers represented at Locarno, and is to be signed in London on December 1. “It is agreed that there shall be no variation in the treaty signed on December 1 from that which has been initialled at Locarno. Article II of the Security Paet is as follows: ‘Germany *nd Belgium and Germany and Franc? mutually undertake that they will in no case attack or invade each other, or ' yesert to war against each other.’ The article continues with the reference of disputes to the League of Nations. “Another article creates a guarantee by the contracting parties for the maintenance of the existing frontiers between Germany and Belgium and Germany and France as fixed by the Treaty of Versailles, and another article provides that if any of the Powers violates the Pact all the other Powers are

‘ to join with the party attacked, and there is a mutual guarantee by all for each Power. *‘A feature calling for special emphasis is the fact that Germany agrees to enter the League of Nations and that ' whereas th« previous proposals were by nations within the League practically against a nation outside the League, which latter could not be subject to the covenants of the League, the new result is that all the Powers of Europe, except Russia will now be within the League, and bound by the covenant. It is plain, therefore, that the Security Part is a real security for peace, whereas the previous proposals, which we rejected, were contracts to join in war. “By a special article it is provided that the Pact does not bind a Domini.n of the British Empire which docs not itself ratify it. “Arbitration conventions have been signed at Locarno between Germany and Poland and between Germany and Czechoslovakia, as well as the conventions between the Powers signing the Security Pact. Further, all the Governments represented at Locarno, including Poland and Czecho-slovakia, have signed an undertaking to co-operate in disarmament, and to seek the realisation thereof by general agreement. “Some days ago the Governor-Gen-eral, on behalf of the Dominions, congratulated His Majesty’s Government on the agreement, and intimated that the New Zealand Government recognised how greatly it was due to Mr Chamberlain.’*

TRANCE’S POLICY IN THE EAST FEARED BY GERMANY MAY BE ONE SIDED BERLIN, Oct. 21. France’s one sided support of her Eastern Allies against Germany in the event of conflict is feared by a section of the Press. Commenting upon the publication of the Franco-Polish and Franco-Czech Treaties. “Vorwaerts” says: “The equilibrium of the Loearno Treaty is thus considerably disturbed for France assumes greater obligations towards Poland and Czepho-Slovakia than towards Germany.” The “Lokal Anzeiger” expresses the opinion that distrust of the French supplementary treaties is fully justified. FRANCE AND RUSSIA 4 LEADERS TO CONFER PARIS, Oct. 21. “Le Petit Parision” states that M. Tchitcherin sent a message to M. Briand from Berlin asking for an interview. M. Briand replied that as • France recognised the Soviet there I could be no objection. M. Tchitcherin’s visit is coincident with the signature of the Turco-Bul-garian Treaty of Friendship and Arbitration.