MISSION OF PEACE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 83, 2 January 1935, Page 9

MISSION OF PEACE

International Force in Saar COMMANDER’S AIMS (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, December 29. The Commander-In-Chief of the Saar International Force, Major-General Brind, at an informal reception to representatives of the British Press at Saarbrucken yesterday, stressed the peaceful mission of the force and the desire that.its presence should incommode the local population as little as possible. He aimed at establishing cordial relations with the Saar authorities and the civil population as well as between sections of the international force itself and was most satisfied with the progress already achieved. The general headquarters of the force were gratified 'by the successful arrangements the Governing Commission had made to accommodate the troops at short notice in the congested Saar area. The armoured car squadron of the 12th Lancers, the famous British Cavalry Regiment, mechanised some time ago, will leave Salisbury Plain on Monday for the Saar and will proceed to Saarbrucken from Calais by road. The British Saar contingent will then be completed. The departure was delayed to allow the men to spend Christmas at home after long service abroad. DISTURBANCES OCCUR Police Break Up Meeting (Received January 1, 7 p.m.) Saarbrucken, December 31. The calm hitherto prevailing in the Saar was broken at Pliesscastel, where an indoor meeting of the Catholic Front was broken up by the police, commanded by Major Bentinck, after a ftght among the audience in which chairs were used as weapons. Herr Imbusch, an ex-Deputy of the Reichstag, the chief speaker, was taken to hospital with head wounds. The police arrested a man who allegedly fired a revolver, starting the fracas. Herl Hugo Hahn, acting editor of the Catholic “Neue Saarpost,” has resigned owing to a German Front allegation that the newspaper is financed from France. German Front members allege that the meeting at Pliesscastel was broken up bv Catholics infuriated by the reception of French bribes, but partisanship is so colouring the affair that it is imposible to discover the truth. In addition to Herr Imbusch, whose head was badly cut, many were injured in similar disturbances reported in three other villages. The international force is not preventing local terrorism which the police, who are under the thumb of the German Front, often abet Hence a free vote is most unlikely as only German .Front propaganda, is possible. ■