GERMAN THREAT

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1928, Page 2

GERMAN THREAT

TO LEA YE DEAGUE.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, December 10

At Lugano, there "as an unpreccdenteill.v angry scene at tin' final meetj ll ir of the League ol Nations Council, il icing a tlisciisson on the protection ol minorities in Upper Silesia

Signor Adatchi Rapporteur read a pel i tie it Irani he Deutsche \olko Bund coinplaini lie ol the Polish authorities treatment ol (lei man school children.

Thereupon .M. Zaleski, the Polish h'oreien .Minister, jumped up and retl);.u.(l. He violently attacked the Herman minorities in L piier Silesia, and he declared that the Y01..0 Bund was an organisation ol spies, whose interference l're<tUfnll v had prevented a .sett lenient. It they were permitted to continue, lie said, the Yolks Bund would not only prevent the consolidation of Upper Silesia, hut would be a menace tn European peace.

Herr Slresemann (the Herman Eore:<;ti .Minister) listened to the Polish .Minister with anger. Impatiently drowning the chairman, Herr Stresemaiin. immediately .M. Zaleski ceased, heatedly replied, shouting at tlie top of his voice, and punctuating his remarks bv thumping tiie table. He characterised M. Zaleski’s speech as a proof of enmity of minorities. It v.as scandalous that a meniher of the League Council, which was entrusted w.th the protection of minorities, should speak so vigorously, He denied \! Zaleski’s allegations, and demanded that the whole question he reviewed at the next session

IM. P.riaml (Ereneli Foreign .Minister), hoping the dispute would not intlame public opinion, promised a discussion ai the next Council meeting.

STUESK.MANX'S PBuTKST.

LONDON, December 10

During his altercation with IM. ZaIcski. llcrr Stresemann made one • remark which many journalists construed into a threat that Germany might leave the League. Herr StresPmann later told a reporter that he had not icen as definite as that, hut said lie told the Council plainly that if the League did not defend the rights of minorities, certain nations, including Germany, would consider whether is was to their interests to remain in the League.

The exact passage creating the impression that Germany intended to withdraw from the League, arose timing Herr Stresemann’s reply to M. Zaleski’s attack on the Germans in Upper Silesia. Strcsemann declared: “Do you want to undertake a polemic against Germany? Do you want, by your speech, to reopen old wounds? fi the League ceases to occupy 7 itsell with the rights of minorities, it will lose one of the reasons lor its existence; it will no longer represent, so far as certain states are concerned, the ideal which induced them to enter the League.

M. Briand was good-humoured wlion ho loft Iho limit sitting. Jokingly In' said : “There was a clap of thunder which disturbed the Council’s usual composure, and had iho sun foi a moment, but tlx? sun reappeared. T.vorybody in now calmer and more composed.”

A LTRTHER NOTH. TO son'll AMERICA R EITRLICS LONDON, December 10. Tin* Lcaiiuo Council at Lugano decided to send a new note to Bolivia and Paraguay, and to despatch copies t<j ;dI members oi the Luftano. remindin the republics of their international obligations, and appealing to them to exercise moderation. M. Rriand will .summon a special meetino of the Council it necessary. The council rose and Sir A. Chamberlain (British Foreign Minister) tleparted tor London. resebts BOOR. BERLIN. December 10. Nationalist newspapers regard the results of the Lugano Contereneo as extremely pool’. It has been clearly pi-i.ved the unbridgahle yuli continues. The “Knit/, Zeitun/.” says not the slightest progress has been made on the subjects of reparations and disarmament ami the promises of a luture solution, are worthless. The “Dcutcho Ze!lun<i” considers Dr. Stresemauu is politically dead as he has sacrificed German policy to bottomless illusions.