The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH 1925 LOCARNO CONFERENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH 1925 LOCARNO CONFERENCE.

' Till: Conference Ita-. readied the intone stage a pact among tin- nations Has expected to Ik; signed to-day. I 11v meeting of lilt" national representatives ! created widespread interest. and fulsome days the relations manifested had lioon of an amicable nature loreeasting a .sueressfill issue. Karlier an agreement was said to have been rein lied bctwe; II Dr Blither (Germany) and >[. Briand (Frame) coiiicrning the applieation of the principle of arbitration 10 eastern F.nrepe. ahu ll was recognised to he a difficult problem for il the conference to solve. The position was rendered more complex bv the treaties which Frame concluded with the Eastern F.nropean States with C ‘ avowed purpose “of enri rcl iup Gcrniany with a ring of steel." A further ' difficulty lav in the methed of determining the aggressor in the event of war. and the definition must Ik- com- ® prehensive fur Britain insisted that any p«u-t must he hilateral. and there must he no room for doubt on such ail important matter. These are some of the points about which centred the dipjonmtic struggle at l.oearno. It would he a mistake to minimise their importance, lint there can he no douht ' that the nations of Europe have conic closer together and the conference with pood reason ] remised .success. The compelling force. :n ever, i- public opinion, ami the peoples now demand measures that will put an end to international conditions which have made peace and security impossible. There are prate problems attendant upon even a successful issue at I,martin. The German (lovernmeiit must face Junker opposition and resist the pres>ure of Kus-ia. France will have to a| pease her allies in Central Europe and Britain must seeuure the adherence of the dominions to the new development of Continental polity. But. if the principals can apreo, then the subsidiary problems should be easier of solution. The ••Times' - correspondent at t.oearno "pave a summary of the results as follow-: "Negotiations were completed only by restrietiup the Pact to the striete.-t limit. All attempts at overloading were firmly resisted. The underlying principles have been that the Pa: t shall be the simplest possible instrument for the preservation of l*eace and the status quo in the AVesi. while providing a path for the future settlement <»i other difficulties. It i.< understood that a formula making Article XU palatable to Germany "ill not he included in the Pact. Inn take the form of an independent declaration by the Pact signatories, thereby safeguarding the League's prerogatives. It foreshadows that once the Pact is signed, Britain is likely tu evacuate Cologne under satisfactory evidence of German disarmament, while France may he expected to agree to reduction in her armies of occupation." Germany naturally has been trying all along to save her face at much ns possible. There are two great points on which Germany would like to obtain redress, namely in respect te the question of war guilt, and in regard to the reparation payments. And of course there is the loss of Alsace and Lon nine and thy? German colonies,

two other jjoints iihvays looming up in the Gertnnn mind. The remit discussion aimed fit securing international peace in F.iiiojm.'. lmt only under tlie terms of the Treaty which Germany signed at the- end of the war. it was in fact- the efforts of Germany to escape the eonse'ilienees of the treaty which made the Locarno Conference a necessity. The British viewpoint seems to lie to give Germany n elinnep if Germany will display hona tides under the treaty. liritain would no dnnht he out of Cologne long ago if there was an assurance in sight to secure France from her neighbour. England, it is conceivable has stayed in Germany -olelv as some guarantee for France, which was ever fearful of her old time belligerent foe. It is a sign of the times that Germany was given permission to enter the League of Nations, but there hare been fears always oi the easfern frontiers through any over! understanding between Germany and Russia. The l.warnn ('on icrem-e was intended to avert that danger in particular. and it would appear the effort has been successful so far as mutual arrangements are concerned 1 1 1 - liable more could no! he expected in that direction at present and that being s,i the Conference iiiiiv bo regarded with feelings of saf is/aeiion at least, il not complete gratification.