IS IT AN ERROR OF JUDGMENT?

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 24 March 1926, Page 9

IS IT AN ERROR OF JUDGMENT?

American Ambassador’s Reports.

FLURRY IN SENATE CIRCLES

By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received March 24, 5.5 plm.) WASHINGTON, March 22. The Houghton incident became today the subject of a debate in the Senate, and a flurry between Senator Borali and Senator Glasse revealed the probable manner in which the report tvas circulated concerning the Ambassador’s views of Europe. Senator Borah declared that indisputable evidence was contained in the League’s meeting recently that European statesmen were returning to the practice of secret agreement, and the old balance of power. There could be no disarmament as long as these practices continued. Senator Glass- demanded: “But what right has our Ambassador to come over here and attempt to disrupt things?” Senator Borah replied: “We cannot contribute to peace by concealing facts. I suspect Mr Houghton told facts as he understood them, and if he erred, it was an error of judgment.”

Senator Borah said he had talked with Mr Houghton, and the newspaper reports did not differ materially from those he had received from the Ambassador. Senator Glass said: “I demand that if Mr Houghton failed to express the views .of President Coolidge he bo recalled to show all the world how the Washington Government stands.”

Many other Senators then spoke, several asking to know if there had been developments nullifying the Locarno agreement, and other questioning whether ’President Coolidge intends to call his own Armament Conference.

AMERICAN SHIRKING POLICY. REMINDER BY LONDON “ TIMES.” FRENCH POLICY DEFENDED. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright, ’ * The Times/ ’ (Received March 24, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 22. “The Times,” in a leader, says: “The Hon. A. B. Houghton’s report is too sweeping and exaggerated, when it says that Europe has learned nothing from the war. There is also obviously a reply to the statement that Europe does not want American assistance. America suddenly withdrew from Europe at the most difficult time. Those hoping that the decision might be modified were constantly reminded that this was impossible; therefore it was hardly dignified to appeal further, and Europe started helping herself in her own way. Nevertheless, America’s unofficial assistance in reconstruction work was fully recognised. “Mr Houghton’s criticisms ol' France are not wholly justified. There have been times when dangerous tendencies marked the French policy, hilt if one thing is certain in Europe to-day, it is that the French policy is not a desire for war, but an’ exceptionally acute dread of war.”

ANGER IN FRANCE, i. STINGING PRESS COMMENT. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received March 23, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 22. The Paris correspondent of ‘‘The Times,” says: “The publication, of Mr Houghton’s report on. European /diplomacy, acting as a nervous irritant, will probably do more harm than good. French susceptibilities, ■which at present are extraordinarily /delicate, are unable to withstand a shock so brutally administered. If Mr Houghton intends the report to 'act as an antidote to Nationalist ambitions, it will fail as far as France /is concerned. It has caused even (the most sober newspapers to make fantastic statements, professing to .believe the report is an Anglo-Ame-rican move against Franco. They point out that France has taken a ,lead in European peace, preparing ’firstly tho Treaty of Mutual Guarantee; secondly', the Geneva Protocol; and finally, the Locarno Pact, all designed to obtain European security and peace resulting in general disarmament.

Tlie newspaper comment show that a strong dose of hostile criticism is sufficient to completely unbalance French opinion. France will rather revert to be a nation of arms, than submit to a trans-Atlantic lecture. REPORT OF GERMAN DELEGATION. “STRONG AND BRUTAL INFLUENCES.” By Coble—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. BERLIN. March 32. The Reichstag was crowded lor the debate on the Geneva Conference. Dr. Slresemann, in his speech, said thi! result of Geneva was regrettable, because special interests in various countries strongly and brutally exerted themselves to the detriment of the idea of l lie universality of the League, thereby bringing the League into a serious crisis, which revealed that tho League hitherto had been the instrument of the victorious States. Germany was now confronted with tlie necessity

of reaching a decision, whether, after her experience at Geneva, she should prosecute the policy of joining the League on equai' terms, as a Great Rower.

Dr Stresemann denied that ihe result at Geneva was the defeat of proGermany, and urged that Germany must continue to strive to cuter the League on equal terms with world Powers, even if the League should be nothing else but a new diplomatic instrument for furthering the special interests of nations. Fortunately Germany’s interests were identical with the ideals of tho League. Germany did not intend to prosecute any kind of policy' of might or balancing of Powers. There was no room in the League ior a special group of Locarno powers. Germany’s aim was to materialise in the League harmony between all nations, without discrimination. Dr. Stresemann declared that the earlier departure of Germany from Geneva would have been tlie biggest blunder imaginable politically. He emphasised tlie fact that Germany' was entitled to withdraw her application for admission to the League if the decision of th’e League s Commission on the question of tho extension of tha Council petition resulted in a new construction of the League, not corresponding to German expectations, hut the German Government 'closired to cooperate on equal terms with the other tuitions of tlie League, and safeguard German interests in peaceful competition with other nations. It would be stupid to abandon their aim, which was collaboration with other nations, because the mechanism of tho League had tailed this time. The German Government had unanimously decided to follow up tho Locarno policy', with which the continued occupation of the second and third Rhineland zones was incompatible.

AMBASSADOR’S PESSIMISTIC REPORT. EUROPEAN ARMED CAMP. By Cable —Press Association —CoDyrizht, Australian and. N.Z. Cable Assopist.on, NEW YORK, Marcli 22. The first information concerning Mr Houghton’s alleged pessimistic report on Eurojxian conditions, was contained in a cablegram ironi London and Paris, printed in the New York newspapers. It is not? known here exactly' what tho Press despatches cabled from America concerning Mr Houghton’s report, contained, ns they were printed abroad. Tlie Australian Press Association mado inquiries to-night among members of the Foreign Press Correspondent’s Association, and learned that various members of the Association cabled, in conjunction with the information, that Mr Houghton had consulted with President Coolidge and Mr F. B. Kellogg, and that- the impression in Washington was that Europe was again ail armed camp, and there was no hope for disarmament; that Britain and France had combined against Germany and Geneva ; that the League of Nations was another Holy Alliance, and that tho United States had better stay out of it.