WAR NOT IMMINENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 49, 28 February 1939, Page 8

WAR NOT IMMINENT

OPINION OF FRENCH GENERAL HOLIDAY IN DOMINION [ Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Feb. 27. Explaining his optimism by saying that if war were imminent he would not have been allowed to go so far away from his country, a distinguished French officer, General R. A. Voruz, who arrived at Auckland Dy the Mataroa to spend a holiday in New Zealand, said he had no immediate fears whatsoever that the world was on the verge of a serious war. Although retired, General Voruz said he was still liable and ready for service, and had he thought France was on the brink of war he would never have thought of putting himself at the other end of the world. For several years to 1936, when he retired, General Voruz was military attache at the French Embassy in Londor. During the Great War he saw all of his active service in the French sectors.

Speaking of the international situaetion, General Voruz said that unless some rulers became mad there should be no war. The results were too cicariy known and the lack of a soluiicn by such means was too obvious. He was certain that the people of Europe did not want war. Last year he had bee.n on lhe French-Italian border during the major crisis, and written in chalk in large letters on the Italian side were the- v. ords; “France, do not be afraid. We do not want to fight you.” This message was, of course, from civilians, and if this section of the country’s population was against war, rulers mu*t. be very careful of their actions. The recent border troubles in North Alisea between France and Italy, General Voruz dismissed with a laugh. They were not very significant, he said. Such things were always occurring and were only given prominence when relations became strained