The Coolidge examiner., 1936-03-27

that German
withdraw her troops from the
Rhineland or that sanctions, eco
nomic and possibly military, be i'm
posed by the League Of Nations.
Great Britain trying hard to keep
the peace, reproving Germany, sup
porting the French demands in
great measure, but urging that Hit
ler's proposal of new non-aggres-
sion pactS be given consideration.
Reichsfuehrer Hitler reviewing his
forces in the reOccupied territory
and receiving the loud plaudits of
the inhabitants for restoring their
military sovereignty.
That in a nutshell was the peril
Gus situation in Europe as the rep
reSentatives of the Locarno nations
and the council of the league as
Sembled in London to consider what
TO do next. Foreign Minister Pierre
Etienne Flandin of France was
there with the full support of Pre-
mier Sarraut for his demands that
immediate action be taken to bring
Hitler to time. He was represent
ed as almost convinced" that a
preventive war" now would be
preferable to carnage two years
hence" and in Paris it was dis
closed that France counted on hav-
ing at her disposal, from her own
forces and those of Russia, Poland
and the little entente, a potential
army of about 100000 men. 1t
was said 100000 could be mo-
bilized in 4S hours and 100000
were trained reserves; and that
5000 airplanes and a million tons
of warships were ready.
The Franco-Russian treaty came
up in the French senate and was
ratified by huge majority. 1t
is this pact that Hitler gave as his
excuse for remilitarizing the Rhine
land, asserting that it was a viola
ton of the Locarno treaty, being
aimed at Germany. 1t is the final
link in the Iron ring" around the
reich which France has been forg-
ing.
Great Britain, France, Belgium
and Italy, SignerS of the LOcarno
treaty, agreed that Germany had vi
Olated that pact and the Versailles
treaty and referred the matter to
the council Of the league. But Brit
ain, still striving to find the peace
full way out of the row, was averse
to the immediate imposition of
sanctions, and naturally Italy, her.
self suffering from that form Of
punishment, felt the same way.
Foreign Secretary Eden of England
continued his efforts to persuade
Hitler to withdraw the troops from
the Rhineland pending discussions,
and urged upon Flandin the advisa-
bility of considering the German
chancellOr's proposal of a 25-year
peace pact.
Cooperation with the British for
peace, the league council invited
Hitler to send a representative to
its meeting. His reply was consid-
cred unsatisfactory" by the Brit
ish and enraged the French. He
said, in effect, that he would senl
a representative to the councils
deliberations only on condition that
the other powers meet it there on
a basis of full equality and prompt
ly considered new treaty negotia-
tions to replace the Locarno pact.
French Premier Sarraut and his
cabinet, according to officials IN
Paris, at once instructed Flandin
to fight to the bitter end for the
punishment of Germany, deciding
that it would be better to take such
a stand, even if it wrecks the
league" rather than bargain away
''the nations just right" by ac-
cepting Hitler's proposals for new
LOcarnO. Sarraut was reported TO
be ready even to quit the league,
taking Frances allies with him,
If the council did not accede to his
demands.
At first the British governments
response to Frances demands for
full support against Germany was
ambiguous and not satisfactory to
Sarraut and Flandin.
The British statesmen seemed so
calm in the crisis that there was
reason to believe they knew in ad-
vance what Hitler intended to do.
When Flandin and the other Lo-
carnO SignatOry Representatives ar
rived in London, the attitude Of the
British cabinet changed and grew
decidedly sitter.
Germany's "army day" celebra-
ton was much Quieter in the Rhine
land than had been planned, ow-
ing TO the tense situation. T roops
at Frankfort were inspected by
War Minister Werner Won Blomberk