The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-05-11
Continued sionday)
| Cover the World
by WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS-

WASHINGTON May livery quietly and
w mostly behind the scenes, the writer is
informed, Great Britain has thrown a dam
across the onruShing tide of war in Europe,
checking it just as she did in 1911 and in much
the same way.
Subsequent developments may set the tide
racing again. as happened three years after
Blitaius previous success. But for the moment
The chances of peace seemed better than at any
time since Chancellor Hitlers rearnament bomb
she'll of March 16
Up to the last few days there were clear indi-
cations that the Nazis were preparing eventually
to defy the ban against remilitarizing the
Rhineland precisely as they did the ban against
rearmament on land sea and in the air.
Information of detailed sort bearing on
German plans regarding the neutral zone
reached London as we'll as Paris. Accordingly,
last Tuesday question was put to Sir John
Simon, British foreign minister, in the House
of Commons.
Would Britain assist France" the question
ran, in effect. with her whole armed forces in
the the event of any alteration by Germany in
the demilitarzed Rhineland?"
What Britain would do in such an event, Sir
John replied, is indicated in the Treaty OF
Locarno. And he added, THE government
stands by all its obligations under the Treaty of
LOcarno and intends, should the need arise
faithfully to fulfill them"
TINE Treaty of Locarno provides for the terri
IL torial status quo between France and Ger
many, and Belgium and Germany. Also for the
permanent demilitarization of specified zones on
both sides of the Rhineland The countries con-
cerned agree not to go to war except, among
other reasons when attacked or in cases of flag
rant breaches of the demilitarized zones.
Chancellor Hitler could have had palmer
warning than this. Should German troops enter
the Rhineland, Britain would march with France.
An almost identical warning sounded
by the British in 1911 when the Kaiser sent the
German gunboat Panther to Agadir, potential
naval base in Morocco. Berlin at once indicated
to Paris that unless France was prepared to
share some Of her colonies with Germany she
would have to fight.
AS at present, Britain tried to act as peace
maker She cautioned Berlin against excessive
demands and Faris against refusing to yield
anything.
At the most critical period of the Franco
German pourparlers, when the Kaisers saber
was soaring all Europe with its rafting, Lloyd
George with the knowledge and consent OF For
eign Minister Sir Edward Grey made speech
identical. in effect, with Sir John Simons
We want peace Lloyd George declared But
if a situation were to be forced upon us IN which
peace could only be preserved by the surrender
of the position a dignity Britain hao won IoI
herself in the world or of what she CONSIDERED
vital interests. then I say emphatically that
peace at that price would be a Illumination IN
tolerable for great country like ours to en-
dure"
From that moment the threat OF conflict
waned Germany came to terms WIN france
Though the storm was to break, perhaps Win
added fury in 1914 the old world was gwen at
least breathing-spell.