The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1928. WATCHING THE RHINE.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1928. WATCHING THE RHINE.

H Kit It .Si I :K.Si; MANN lias made another speech about peace ami war, anil this time, remarks a contemporary, he lias said something calculated to aruiiMS vehment controversy m France ami ltritain. The (ierman Foreign MinA 1 mister certainly enhanced his o-'-n reputation and strengthened the standing of Germany hy giving the League a lead for a “peace-all-round'’ policy last year. Now lie is apparently taking advantage of the success that he then gained, and at the same time conciliating the Nationalist and lin!>erialist factions in his o"n country hy formulating a vigorous demand for the immediate evacuation of the Rhineland. At the close of 1927. there were still 60,000 foreign troops in Germany. The terms of the Treaty of Versailles permit them, or some of them, to stay there till 193-5. The reason For their presence is professedly the need for ensuring the safety of France. Why, asks iSD'e-semann, should there lie any need for such precautions, especially since Locarno? “Does anybody doubt the ability of England and Frame to co]>e with the Heichswchr. or of Hnglaml to keep it; pledged word F’ How can Germain lie expected to regard France "ill confidence and friendship if this thin-ly-veiled menace, in itself a. perpetua humiliation, is constantly directei against her? In all probability ,Strc.semalm's appeal will evoke a sharp re. joinder from Frame. But from tin German jioint of view, and on the assumption that Germany’s protestation# of her peaceful intentions art' sincere, there is much to he said for his view of the case. The Treaty oi Versailles fixed certain definite limits of time for the occupation of the Rhineland. If all went well, the Cologne area was to lie evacuated in 192-5, and this, of course, has been done The Coblent/- area is due to lie cleared in 1930, and the .Mninz-Kehl area in 10:5-5. But if at these dates either “the guarantees against unprovoked aggression” are not deemed satisfaeory, or the Reparation claims have not been faithfully met. the Allies may prolong the occupation. ft is this indefiniteness in the terms of the treaty that arouses the bitterest resentment in Germany, and may prove a dangerous incitement to the Allies to stay on in the Rhineland even after 103-5. The President of the Reichstag recently said that if France were only to declare that “after January Ist. 1028. there will not he a single French soldier on German soil” Peace and friendship between the two nations would he permanently secured. This is too much to hope for. But many of the publicists in Britain and France bold that the Allies could not prolong their stay in the "Rhineland beyond 193.5 without imperilling the peace of Europe. Henri de Jouvenel, who, along with Viscount Cecil, created a sensation by resign-

inix his position ns delegate to the Ivcngue of Nations ns a protest against its indecisive policy, holds this view strongly. He maintains that the policy of “waiting for 1935” is suicidal, hecnuse France may be weaker then than now, and the prospects of worldpeace will be more precarious then unless such outstanding difficulties are settled beforehand. The wisest course would therefore be to anticipate the natural order of events and evacuate the Rhineland at the earliest moment consistent with due regard foi France’s safety.