EUROPEAN SITUATION

Wairarapa Daily Times, 23 March 1935, Page 5

EUROPEAN SITUATION

FRENCH NOTE SIR H. SAMUEL’S WARNING. Press Association Electric TeleeraDh-Conyright LONDON, Friday. In .the debate in the House of Commons on the European situation, Sir Herbert Samuel (Lib.), said that the French Note was unanswerable from tho juridical viewpoint, but it had long been apparent that Part Five of the Treaty of Versailles, failing general disarmament, could not lost long. There was a school of thought in Germany which realised that Britain was terribly handicapped financially by her heavy national debt, while Germany, by inflation and other means, had wiped out her pre-war debt. This school was prepared to arm to the utmost of Germany’s resources. One could imagine these people saying to themselves: “Wo have shaken off a dictated treaty and broken the circle around us. Britain and France have fallen out. It is again clear that a single resolute nation is more than a match for five or six quarrelling Powers.” It was therefore Tight at this critical hour, he said, that warnings should ho voiced that this school of thought m Germany profoundly misunderstood the situation if it thought that the British people were either ignorant or indifferent. There was a maxim that these Germans should remember: “He who makes many afraid has himself many to fear.” Let Germany, having secured liquidation of her impossible position under the Treaty of Versailles, not think of defying the world a second time. Let her rejoin the comity of nations, return to the League, and work with the others for the maintenance of peace, which was as essential to her as to other people. NEW CHALLENGE TO WORLD. LONDON, Friday. In the course of his speech, the Hon. G. Lansbury (Labour), said:—“Germany has flung down a new challenge to the world, demanding not only equal rights and privileges with other nations, but the right to tear up the Versailles Treaty and embark on a policy of armaments which is bound to lead to an armaments race, ultimately plunge us in war, and destroy civilisation. The Government, the House, everyone must recognise an imperative duty of making the greatest efforts to save civilisation. (Cheers.) Sir John Simon should go to' Berlin with a new mandate. I want our country to take the lead by telling the world that the British Empire is willing to lay on the altar of disarmament the whole business of aerial warfare, and that, along with other nations, we are willing to abandon it’everywhere under all circumstances for good. If we do that, most of the other things will fall into their proper proportions. Labour is convinced that aerial warfare threatens the whole future of mankind. If this offer is not accepted, we shall at any rate have shown that we are. in real earnest. We want Sir John Simon at Berlin to say that when we agreed to the rearming of Germany we did not agree to her rearming in the fashion she is now proposing. (Cheers.) .Labour is convinced that the British and other Governments committed a great blunder in not reassembling another World Economic Conference. Until international economic relations are put on a different footing, there cannot be peace and security. (Cheers.) If the world mobilised its raw materials and organised markets, it would be infinitely better than all the fiddling quotas and restrictions. There is room for materials and markets enough in the world for everyone if they are properly organised. In 1914-1918 a big price was paid on tho cry that war is the only way to cast out militarism, but war cannot cast out war. I appeal to the House not to' allow the months to slip away until we aro plunged in another war. The only way to rout out war is peaceful arrangements, not for the benefit of just our nation, but for the whole world. ’ ’ U.S.A. NOT INTERESTED. (Received Saturday, 9.35 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Friday. The assertion that the United States Government is not interested in the question whether the Hitler Government has'violated the Versailles Treaty, was. made by Mr Pittman, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He expresses the opinion that the United States Government should not inject itself, directly or indirectly, into the controversy. In the meantime, President Roosevelt and the State Department are apparently determined to await crystallisation abroad before making any move. FRANCE PREPARING PACTS. (Received Saturday, 10.30 a.m.) PARIS, Wednesday. “Pacts are being prepared to assure tho security of Europe,” declared M. Laval, addressing the Chamber of Deputies. “Germany knows I am determined to achieve the necessary international rapprochements. My only conception is the organisation of security within a strong France, under the protection of the League of Nations.. Germany’s gesture only postpones the hour •f peace, from which we wish to exclude nobody. France’s policy is not aggressive, and not directed against any country. Moreover, peoples and Governments of goodwill will unite on a basis of mutual understanding.

M. Bouillon recalled the fact that Labourite and Liberal Commoners spoke strongly about Germany, and asked why was M. Laval not doing likewise. He said one must have courage and tell France the truth.

M. Laval, replying, announced that his duty was to maintain a network of friendly alliances around France. The Chamber ratified, by 555 votes to 9, the Franco-Italian agreement, M Laval declaring that nothing in it as sailed tho sovereignty of Abyssinia.