ATTEMPT TO TRICK FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 143, 6 March 1918, Page 5

ATTEMPT TO TRICK FRANCE

THE GERMAN OFFER OF NEU

TRALITY. London, March 4. The "Daily Telegraph." correspondent in Paris, referring to M. Pichon's revelations, says:—"The references to Verdun and Toul appeared at the end of a long dispatch, only a portion of which was published in the German White Book. AVhon Von Schoen offered neutrality it was expected that M. Viviani (tho French Premier) would either accept or reject it. If it had been rejected, Franco would have bornetile onus of commencing the world war. If France had accepted, Von Schoen would have disclosed the. humiliating conditions. . The trick failed, M. Arivin<ii merely replying that France's conduct would be dictated by her honour and interests."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

I Baron von Schoen, referred to in tho above message, was German Ambassador in Paris at the outbreak of the war. The tfelegram from the Imperial Chancellor (Bethmann-Hollweg) to Von Schoen on July 31, 1914, was in the following terms:—"lf tho French Government remain neutral, Baron von Schoen must inform them that, as a guarantee of such neutrality, we insist on France handing ovor the fortresses at Toul and Verdun,.which we will occupy and restore after the war. Germany must have a reply before 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon."]