FRENCH NOTE

Wairarapa Daily Times, 15 April 1935, Page 5

FRENCH NOTE

TO LEAGUE OF NATIONS. GERMANY’S ACTIVITIES. (Received Monday, 10.5 a.m.) GENEVA, Sunday. A French Note to the League of Nations regarding Germany declares that if unilateral breaches of Governments liecome general, there will soon not be room for any policy except force. f The League is requested to devise a remedy for and action to prevent recurrence. The Note attributes the extent of the German air force to long and secret building up, and points out that an official announcement on 20th February stated that Germany had only a few test ’planes, whereas three months later Herr Hitler admitted parity, with Britain. The conscription decision, instead of helping disarmament, raised the problem of general rearmament. The Note questions the usefulness of continuing efforts to conclude pacts of non-aggression and mutual assistance if they can be repudiated without consequences, except that of moral reprobation.

GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMENT. (Received Monday, 11.50 a.m.) BERLIN, Sunday. Official comment describes the French Note as a clever speech for the defence in the guise of a prosecutor’s address, and adds: —“The Note ignores the fact that Germany was under the compulsion of necessity. The League, far from guarding the treaties, looked on helplessly, while other Powers secretly increased their armaments. If France thought it incumbent to remind Germany of the solemnity of the Versailles Treaty, Germany would recall to France her disarmament obligations under the Locarno Treaty.