The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-11-06
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER s, 1925
FRANCE AND GERMANY SIGN
TREATY

TREATY
| October. 16, 1925, may become one
of the most important dates in the
history of the world ! On that day,
at Locarno, Switzerland, five treatie;
were signed that, if carried out, will
bring permanent peace to Europe
and thus go far toward laying the
foundation for permanent world
peace. The Locarno Conference was
triumphant success
Most important of all the hvt
treaties is the security pact between
Germany, on the one hand, ana
France, Belgium, Italy, and Great
Britain on the other. Under
France and Germany promise never
to fight one another again. Tnln'
what that means For two thous-
and years the Rhine territory ha
been a battle-ground. Now it is
be made into path OF peace IRON
which war is to be forever barred
The five nations have combined t
make it so.
The chief provisions of the treat.
are as follows:
Cd Germany and France promise
never to fight one another again.
(2) Germany agrees to become {;
member of the League of Nations
Probably a special meeting of tn
League will be held in December tt
make Germany member.
CD To make their promises gooC
Germany and France agree thai
there shall be neutral zone alonf
the Rhine River between German.
and France and Belgium.
Cd If either France or Germany
should send troops across this zone
to attack the other, Great BritiaI
and Italy promise to come to the ai(
of the nation that is attacked
Thus, Britain and Italy, besides thu
League of Nations, will act a.
policemen" to see that France an(
Germany carry out their promises
In this way France and Belgium will
be protected against attacks by Ger
many, and Germany will be securf
from attacks by France an d
Belgium.
Had such treaty as this been i
effect before 1914 there probably
would not have been any World
War. Let us hope that the treat,
will prevent such a war in the
future /! That is what it is design
ed to do.
i But the Locarno Conference die
far more than make and sign tn,
treaties. 1t prepared the way for :;
friendly feeling between German,
and the Allies. Without friend
Illness between nations, traeties arc
of little value. The representatives
of the various nations at the con
ference set an example in friend
liness. Had it not been for this
friendly spirit the conference coulG
not have been success. Germany
has been bitter against the Allies
since she was practically forced te
sign the treaty of Versailles, with
all it's strict provisions, following the
World War. Now, as a result o.
tn Locarno Conference, Germany
again stands as an equal among
European nations and is to have ;
permanent seat in the Council Of the
League of Nations. For the first
time since the World War, Germany
has taken the Allies word, without
written promises, that some of the
provisions of the Versailles treat,
will be revised in favor of Germany
Perhaps Allied troops on the Rhine
and in the Saar Valley will be with
draw earlier than the Versailles
treaty provides.
Now that the Locarno Conference
has been successful in providing
security from war for European
nations, the next step toward worlt
peace will be disarmament con
ference to reduce the size of armies
and navies. President coslidge may
call such conference soon, To bs
held in Washington, if that is agree
able to European nations. II not
the League Of Nations may call {
DISARMAMENT conference. ATbitra
ton, security, and disarment will
bring permanent world peace.
J. --o--