THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1928, Page 2

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

Australian Press Assn.—United Service QUESTION OF EVACUATION. RUGBY, September 5. Newspaper reports from Geneva suggest that the French and German delegates now attending the League meetings may take the opportunity to discuss the question of tlio Rhineland evacuation, and tnat an interview between Mi Briand and Herr Mueller, the German Chancellor, is being arranged as a preliminary to such discussion. The reports state tiie British delegation at Geneva will he kept informed of any such development, and that its attitude is one of sympathetic regard ifor tho efforts by tho French and German representatives to find a basis for discussion.

The British Government’s attitude to tho German demand for the evacuation of tho Rhineland before the time limit fixed by the Allies, was indicated in the House of Commons by Sir Austen Chamberlain shortly before Parliament rose. Tlie Foreign Secretary then said the British Government sympathised with the German demand, but an earlier evacuation could only he the result of an arrangement between the occupying powers on the one hand and the German Government on the other. Other powers had to ho consulted. The British Government was ready to give friendly consideration to any proposals which might he put forward.

BRITISH OFFICIAL VERSION. LONDQN, September 0. Publicists and press throughout Europe are closely watching Germany’s restlessness over the Rhineland occupation, and they see a deep significance in the meeting of >M. Briand and Chancellor Mueller at Geneva. Curiously, M. Briand was at pains to deny that Rhineland negotiations had begun, but in'a statement to the press he admitted that the Rhineland was naturally mentioned among the questions that were being primarily reviewed as possibly arising between Franco and Germany. Curiously, also, a British official wireless circulated after the interview, refereed to the interview only as a process o'f arranging, but seized upon the'exact argument anent evacuation which -VI. Briand used. M. Briand gave the press the statement cabled this afternoon), beginning with the remark that “No Rhineland negotiations occurred.” The British official wireless also significantly contained the gist of the newspaper reports from Geneva. One hundred and fifty journalists waited in the hall of the Hotel Dos Bergues to hear Chancellor Mueller’s version from his own lips, but Dr Mueller, instead of taking the lift as expected, walked down the staircase out of the hotel, and had reached his motor car and gone before the journalists grasped the situation. Therefore only a brief statement was available from the German delegation. It is learned that M. Briand (French Foreign Minister) intends to return Chancellor Mueller’s vitit. A remark liy Dr Mueller after the interview makes it clear that lie ip hopeful that a round-table meeting will ultimately he held, attended by himself, M. Briand, and representatives of Britain, Belgium, and Italy. It is regarded as certain that Chancellor Mueller will now acquaint Lord Cusliondun, Signor Seialoja, and M. Hymans with the- German viewpoints, while M. Briand is communicating with Paris.