SPEECH BY M. HERRIOT

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1925, Page 2

SPEECH BY M. HERRIOT

AGAINST GEKAIANY. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CARLS ASSOCIATION PARIS, Jan. 28. An unusually stern tone towards Germany characterised Premier Her-' riot’s speech when intervening in a debate on foreign affairs in the Chamber. He asserted that, behind the dust she was throwing gt the Allies’ eyes, Germany was preparing ail assault. He warned the Allies, and particularly England and Italy, that we must watch what is happening over there! In view of the Premier’s subsequent reference to the Geneva Proctorol, and to the failure of the Americans to ratify the Triparite Defensive Pact, rod of his insistence upon the security ol France as the first essential for the world’s peace, the opinion in the lobbies is that the Premier was addressing himself to Britain over the heads of the Deputies. Earlier in his speech. At. Herrict reiterated that France did not intend to renounce her debts. The speech was loudly applauded from all the benches, except the Communists. LONDON. Jan. 29. AL Herriott spoke for several hours. •Amidst salvoes of applause, he declared: “Germany lias always shown illwill in giving tin war material. Frame wishes to bo tranquil, but she } ears the noise of arms around her. hrar.ee disfussees the question of pence villi the dagger constantly within a few inches of her heart. Germany has succeeded in establishing a military police force alongside the local police. L that the loyal execution of the I rooty 7 1 am more' than over attached to pacifism. Alv greatest desire is to see the entrv of the United States in Europe'. but there must be alongside our democracy a military caste always dreaming of blood and death. ILb our English friends: “Perhaps, you are wrong in taking the return of the Crown Prince so lightly.” I would reiterate that there is good reason to fear that we may see the return to Bavaria to-morrow of one of those v.ho contributed bo the ruin during the war and the spilling of our countrymen s blood.

FRANCE’S DEBTS TO BRITAIN. LONDON, .Tan. 29. The Cabinet lmve received a report from the Treasury that the draft of the reply to AL Clemcntcl (French Treasurer) on the Inter-Allied debts lias not yet been completed. It is understood that it will contain definite plans for debt repayment, worked out in detail. The Government is anxious to substitute hard facts for vague phrases. In this connection, a passage in AT. Herrioths sneech yesterday is significant, in which he pleaded the fl'fficnlties of France if she were required to send into the Allied territories goods to tlio value of her written debt. Herein the problem was not onlv moral, hut economic, and financial. AL Horriot s speech lasted for several hours. It is regarded as being most important. AL Herriot announced that he would, in the near future, ask Parliament in ratify the Geneva Protocol.