RHINELAND EVACUATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 457, 12 September 1928, Page 9

RHINELAND EVACUATION

FOUR NATIONS TO CONFER INFORMAL DISCUSSION British Official Wireless. Reed. 1.15 p.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. Press reports from Geneva state that a meeting to discuss the question of the Rhineland evacuation will take place at Geneva within the next few days. Lord Cushendun (Britain), M. Briand (France), M. Hymans (Belgium), and Dr. Mueller (Germany) will attend. According to these reports, the question of the evacuation was discussed this afternoon at an informal meeting between Lord Cushendun, M. Briand, M. Hymans. Signor Scialoja, and Dr. Mueller. the respective representatives of Great Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, and Germany. This meeting, it is pointed out, is the nearest approach to a formal discussion of Germany’s demand for the freeing of the Rhine zone, which has yet been held since the evacuation of Cologne, and other bridge-heads following Germany’s acceptance of the Dawes plan. It follows conversations on the subject which Dr. Mueller the German Chancellor has had with Lord Cushendun and M. Briand, during the present session of the League Assembly.

SPEECH APPROVED PARIS PRESS COMMENT “OUTSPOKEN REJOINDER" (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 9.5 a.m. PARIS, Tuesday. The Press generally approves M. Briand’s speech at Geneva, asserting that the Foregin Minister gave an outspoken rejoinder to Dr. Mueller’s insinuation of double-dealing. 'The “Petit Parisien” says the speech was the most perfect in form and substance of all the pronouncements M. Briand has made. The “Echp de Paris” gives the opinion that it is a tactical move designed to slow down progress somewhat and register some resistance to the insistence of Germany’s claims. The “Matin” thinks M. Briand wanted to recall Germany to the straight and narrow path of national reconciliation, along which progress can only be made with prudence, also without looking back. The “Gaulois” considers the German Press descriptions of the speech as deceptive are the highest praise. The Socialist newspapers consider that the speech gave the lie to the hopes raised by the signature of the Kellogg Pact. They describe it as characteristic of the new French policy. “L’Humanite,” the Communist organ, sees in the speech the programme of an Imperialistic France.