Troops in the Saar

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1076, 13 September 1930, Page 9

Troops in the Saar

LEAGUE ASKS WITHDRAWAL Germany Well Pleased diplomatic sparring at geneva United l*. A. —By Telegraph—Copyright THE Council of the League of Nations passed a resolution in favour of the withdrawal of the forces protecting the runways in the Saar Basin territory within three months. . r Curtius (Germany) expressed satisfaction at the solution of the matter. There was a notable decline in the tone of the general debate after yesterday’s big guns.

The main topic in the lobbies is Mr. Henderson’s astute switching of interest in the problems of disarmameift. and arbitration instead of M. Briand’s European States project, which was not mentioned in any of ihis morning’s speeches. General Hertzog (South Africa) suffered through his uninspiring reading of written speeches. The German delegates stirred uneasily and looked daggers when General Hertzog, referring particularly to the recent examination of the SouthWest African Mandate, declared that the Mandates Commission had caused the greatest friction by raising academic questions about the permanency of the mandate, and the extent of the mandatory powers of sovereignty. Such inquiries, he said, should either be abandoned or restricted universally. NAVAL DISARMAMENT The League was gratified by the Council’s decision on the evacuation of the Saar by all occupational troops within the period accepted by Germany. This is regarded as a definite achievement toward the complete settlement of the situation, which is only second to the occupation of the Rhineland in the bitterness it has created in Germany. Mr. Arthur Henderson, British Foreign Secretary, speaking at Geneva on disarmament, said he did not say that no progress had been made. On the contrary, he believed that during the last 12 months important steps forward had been taken. After referring to the results of the London Naval Conference and to the fact that by the London agreement the

British Navy would be 200,000 tons less than it would have been if the proposals before the 1927 conference had been accepted, Mr. Henderson expressed the hope that before 1936 further would be made under which no more capital ships should ever be constructed. But this was only the first step, and he hoped that when the world disarmament conference met it would, with the other naval Powers, go still farther in the immediate and substantial reduction of naval forces. The Preparatory Commission and other League of Nations Commissions had had great difficulties to overcome, but the time for practical results had arrived, and he hoped the Disarmament Conference would be summoned for next year, so that, within the measurable future, a decisive step would be taken toward the fulfilment of undertakings which bound them all. He appealed for strong and united effort to achieve the purpose for which the League existed. AUSTRALIA’S PART Mr. F. Brennan, Attorney-General in Australia, who is to address the League Assembly probably on Monday, is considering the advisability of himself meeting Mr. J. H. Sculliu at Toulon, in order fully to post him with the events here, especially as Mr. Scullin’s stay will be short. The Australian delegation was invited to broadcast the speech to Australia, and similar British broadcasts are being made throughout Europe, but as it is to be delivered here at 10 o’clock at night, the corresponding hour in Australia is unsuitable. The delegation thus decided not to attempt the broadcast.