THE LOCARNO PACT.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1925, Page 3

THE LOCARNO PACT.

tiik signinc described. [Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] (Received this day at, ‘J.U a.m.j CONDON, December I. The Docanio Pact lias been signed with almost whispered beneiliction.s ami lelieitalions. There was no denying the solemnity of the occasion; indeed, there was a. strange restraint on everyone as n overawed by the momentous achievement. Even the glamour oh the lam oils gilded room, in the Foreign (Who. ■alternatively illuminated by a sickly December sun or the blaze oi .six huge Hood lights under which the (inemalograjibers worked, tailed 10 I haw tin' strict official atmosphere and there is the piquant tact that in the band nine vaulted ceiling, studded with mythoio gical characters and symbols, the figure of .Mars looked down on I lie very .spot where Sir Austen (uambcrlain initiated the epoch making hour ol peace, but it was a mere eireumstaiie ■ of placing, just as was the laet that Saturn glowed over the dais upon which two hundred international journalists sat, with a battery of cinemat >- graphs and cameras on the pbulorm overhead. The delegates were seated at. a blue baize table in the same order as they .sat at Locarno. There win only oim speech in English and this was Air Stanley Baldwin's at the close of the ceremony. The rest were in I' rctich.

villi the exceptiiiit of tli'' (o.'i'iniiiis, vho I,oth spoke in their pilened mother tongue; hut nil spoke ns il in oimeersation iieross the tiihle. I lie only touches of vigour were supplieil v. hen .M. Hriand speaking tliieel to Dr I.utin?r mill Dr SlTcseiiianu, pictured the spectre ul I' nui'-e s snrri lines mill breathed a fevcreiit hope that the l.ocarni, Treaties would render a repetition iutpossihlc and Dr S'lre-e inanu’s eipially lolly assent to the new spirit of. world concord. 1 his drew a lnuHled chorus ol hraros Ironi the press dais.

Sir A. CLamberlniii was obviously delighted at Dr Streseinanii’s graceful reference to his and Lady Chamberlain's influeiiec ;il Locarno. Sir A. Olmmberlaiii looked round beamingly, smiled and bowed to bis wile. A!.. Brinnd was the orator of the morning, but be was not the usual impassioned liriaiul. Everybody seemed determined that the new page in history should not be made strident in tone. In fact, Signor Scialoja and Al. Ilcnes inaudible whispered their few phrases of rekindled hope, all beaming. Congratulations came to an end wit i an orgy of band shaking among members of the diplomatic corps, who fringed the historic table near the foot of which were the Dominions representatives, including Sir .1. Cook and Sir James Allen. Air Baldwin remarked that hi' and Sir -A. Chamberlain both signed to show the importance with which the A 1 iuistry regarded the document■: Ini' then proof of which was the present c of evet'v member id the ( abiiiet, wit the Karl of Balfour sitting nearby among the ladies nodding Ids approval. At the close there was an eager tiesire to see tin 1 famous Fact with its scroll of rich blue ribbon held in place bv seven huge red seals with the signa-

tures of seven nations opposite, .a,cording to alphabetical order in the French vocabulary. I bus AHeitmugu 1 (Clermanyf came Ih'sK Poland anti Czeeho-Slovakia signing only supplementary documents with I* ranee: while Sir Austen Chate.herlain presented Dr Luther with a .four-power declaration on Article sixteen. A NOTABLE C ATI I I’d! I NT;. LONDON. December 2. In his speech a I the signing of the Locarno Pact. Sir Austen (. hamherlaiu said he was convinced the Treaty marked the commencement ol Ihe greater work ol reeoneiliatiou and that everybody was ready, tor even grcu.i.ei efforts in the future. A!. Briand said the occasion was the proudest in his long political hie. He was convinced it marked the commencement of it new era ol peace. Herr Luther said this was it memorable day in the history of Kurope and of the world. After the signature. Al. Briand assured Herr Luther that in speaking as ho iliail done he remained tt good Frenchman, just, as llerr Luther, in coining here, had remained tt Orman. " Hut both of us are Enro-

pen 11s.” Iferr Ftresemann said nothing could serve tt greater purpose in these days than the spirit of goodwill, evoked by the Locarno treaty. Mr Baldwin said he was confident the linn intention of all nations repre sculcd as he was til Ills .Majesty(fiiveriifiieuL, to carry out serupulotisli and loyally the solemn ohligalions they had undertaken. A large crowd Hanked a battery <d phologrttphers gathei'ed in Downing Street to witness the arrival "1 deK"afes to sign in the golden reception room at the Foreign Office, the treaty of mutual guarantee which is the n!hcial title of the Locarno Pact. There was a rush when the Hermanarrived ami some raising of hats, hut no other demonstration. The diploma lic representatives ol the signatory powers, British Ambassadors to Paris. Berlin, and Brussels, members id th • Cabinet. High Commisioners tor the Dominions were accorded seats at the tcremutiv udiieh was etuematogtapued. Tpe signing of the historic tier began al 11.23 and was completed at lIJM. Resides the Treaty of Locarno, signatures were also alfixcd to arbitration treaties and conventions which were initialled at Locarno.

Punctually at cloven o'clock an official cliiopwl his ha mis aid arc limits wore turned on ami cameras began to whirl. Mr Chamberlain read in French, a message from the Kino, regret', tug that his sad loss prevented him from celebrating the occasion as he could have wished to do. lint expressing it a .liis “ dearest hope, that the great work of appeasement and reeoneiliatimi will provide the fonndation lor sincere friendships a mono t! e several nations.