The Coolidge examiner., 1936-03-20

what he intended,
and then delivered a ringing speech
in the hastily summoned reichstag,
eloQuently defending his action.
At the same time Hitler was send
ing into the formerly demilitarized
strip along the Rhine some 25,0OO
troops Of all arms. This he declared
was a symbolic" army, and in his
public utterances he asserted that
Germany was not thus making
warlike move and did not desire
war, but was determined to defend
herself. He upheld his unilateral
abrOgatiOn of the Locarno treaty
on the ground that France had al
ready violated it by making mu-
tual assistance agreement with Rus
sia, which pact is pending in the
French senate. To show his desire
for peace, he offered a plan which
includes: A demilitariZed strip of
German, French and Belgian land ;
a 25-year non-aggression treaty
among Germany, France and Bel
gium, with Great Britain and Italy
as guarantOrS; inclusion of the
Netherlands in a system Of pacts ;
an air pact with the western pow
ers; a nOn-aggressiOn pact with
Germany's eastern neighbors, in
Guiding Lithuania; and return of
Germany to the League of Nations
after her equality is established and
her sovereignty restored.
Reaction in the capitals of Eu-
rope was quick and in some cases
almost violent. Premier Albert Sar-
raut of France appealed to the
League of Nations, asking that
sanctions against Germany be ap-
piled. He also called a meeting of
the signatories to the LocarnO pact.
In a radio address he warned Hit
Ter that France would not stand for
his action, and asserted that the
reichsfuehrer's new plan was not
at all acceptable. Meanwhile there
was intense military activity along
the eastern frontier, and within a
few hours the Maginot line, that
wonderful system of border fortifi-
cations built since the World war,
was completely manned.
Italy's position in this squabble
was interesting. Called on by France
to support the protest against Ger
many. MussOlini took full advan-
tage of the situation to get all he
could for his own cause. He prom
ised to stand by France and uphold
the LOcarnO pact If the league
would slacken the sanctions that
were imposed on Italy AS result
of her Ethiopian adventure. Poland
gave assurance that she would car
ry out faithfully her obligations un-
der the Franco-Polish accord; and
the nations of the little entente not
only promised support but warned
France that if she did not bring
Germany to time they might be
forced to abandon their alliance
with France
Now it devOlved on Great Britain,
real arbiter of peace or war, to de-
fine her stand, for France demand
ed full support in return for the as
surances she had given when trouble
impended in the Mediterranean.
The British statesmen refused to
get excited over the affair and it
was left to Capt. Anthony Eden.
youthful foreign secretary, to set
forth his governments position.
After consultation with Prime Min
lister Baldwin and others of the
cabinet, Eden appeared before the
house of commons and declared
that any attack on France or Bel
GUM in violation of the Locarno
treaty would force Great Britain to
go to their assistance. He added,
however, that he was thankful to
say there was no reason to suppose
''the present German action implies
a threat of hostilities."
Eden said he had already protest
ed TO Ambassador Won HOesch
against the military re-OccupatiOn of
the Rhineland, telling him the effect
on British public opinion would be
deplOrable.
The abrOgatiOn of the Locarno
pact and the occupation of the de-
militarzed zone" declared Eden.
"have profoundly shaken confidence
in any engagement in which Ger
many may in the future enter. 1t
strikes a severe blow at the prin-
ciple of the sanctity of treaties
which underlies the whole structure
of international relations"
Eden indicated Great Britain was
willing 10 consider Reichsfuehrer
Hitler's proposals for new peace
covenants.
Belgium joined France in the ap-
peal to the League of Nations, and
a session of the league council was
8,