GERMANY DISAPPOINTED

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 136, 30 August 1927, Page 13

GERMANY DISAPPOINTED

OCCUPATION ARMY REDUCED BY ONLY 10,000 BERLIN, Sunday. Press and official circles are disappointed that the reduction in the Army of Occupation should be only 10.000, which is not regarded as a fulfilment of the promises made in November, 1925. The “Allgemeine Zeitung” says that Sir Austen Chamberlain again bowed to the orders of Foch. Viscount Cecil’s protest would disappear into the French General Staff’s archives. Friends of the League of Nations'and of the Locarno policy, proved weak, and Foch was triumphant. It would have to be decided whether Locarno should live or die. The Democratic papers are especially bitter. “Germania” asserts that the world has lost its sense of humour, since it was still talking of Germany threatening the security of France.”—A. and N.Z.

FRANCE’S AGREEMENT

LONG HESITATION (British Official Wireless. — Copyright) RUGBY, Saturday. The French Cabinet yesterday, after a long discussion, agreed to reductions in three armies of occupation in the Rhineland, as proposed by the British Government. The present constitution of the occupying forces is:—France, 56,500; Great Britain, 7,300; Belgium, 6,300 — a total of 70,100. The French Government had agreed to a reduction of the combined armies by 10,000 men, but it had declared that it could not, without danger to French security, reduce its own army of occupation by more than 5,000. This would have entailed a much larger reduction proportionately in the small British and Belgian forces. By the British proposal, which is now accepts, the French Government agrees to a proportionate reduction. This will mean a reduction of 8,050 in the French force, 900 in the Belgian and 1,050 in the British. The French Government, however, reserves the right, in the event of Great Britain or Belgium deciding later to withdraw any more of their troops, to replace them by French troops.—A. and N.Z.

BITTER FEELING

FRANCE AND GERMANY By Cable Press Association.—Copyright LONDON, Sunday. The Paris correspondent of “The Times” says yesterday’s sitting of the international Parliamentary . Union again produced a FrancoGerman dispute. Senator Magnette (Belgium) drew attention to M. de Jouvenal’s declaration that the military occupation of the Rhineland was the sole guarantee for the stability of Eastern Europe. M. Magnette said Herr Loebe, president of the Reichstag, should have used his influence to prevent the publication of documents declaring that Belgium had violated her own neutrality. The German delegates, who were grouped on one side of the hall, received this speech in grim silence. The British delegates vainly endeavoured to lead the discussion into more peaceful channels. The Germans insisted upon replying. Professor Schucking said M. de Jouvenal’s speech had surprised Germans. The Reichstag had not pronounced a decision regarding Belgian neutrality. The allegation that Belgium had violated her own neutrality appr .-.red to have been an isolated report. Germans had been condemned as the sole authors of the war. even after they had changed their system of Government. Germans still believed the Treaty of Locarno entitled them to the' evacuation of the Rhineland. The entry of Germany into the League, combined with Locarno, imposed on the Allies the obligation to liberate her from military occupation. M. de Jouvenal, in replying, said that in the eyes of Germany Locarno was sufficient. In French eyes it was not. —Times.