Evening star., 1936-03-19
NAz|S DENOUNCED
FOR RHINE MOVE
Won Ribbentrop Makes rs.
Minute Plea, Putting
Blame on France.

1ueIlIcT 1lIlcI DIS q IlchIy UlcnhcI lO~
day. The vote of the assembled pow
ers was unanimous.
The League members decided that
Germany had violated both the Ver-
sailleS and Locarno treaties when she
moved troops into the Rhineland,
which had been ordered demilitarized
at the end of the World War.
The condemnation came few hours
after Joachim Won Ribbontrop, Spe-
cial ambassador of Hitler, had stood
before the members and argued that
the German course of action in the
Rhineland had been justified by
Frances military assistance pact with
Soviet Russia.
Earlier in the day. an official Ger
man spokesman said that tentative
plan devised by other Locarno treaty
signatories for settlement of the
Rhineland dispute was wholly unac-
ceptable" to Germany.
1t was the first time in more than
two years that representative of
Germany had spoken in the League Of
Nations, for Hitler withdrew the Reich
from the international body in 1888
on the grounds that she was not being
treated as an equal, but as a conquered
nation.
Reich's Vote Thrown Out.
There was one vote cast opposed
to the condemnation. but that was
by Germany and, consequently, was
not counted in the unanimous ver-
dict. Neither were the votes by Bel
gium and France, the other two
parties to the dispute, considered.
The ballot was taken on resolu-
ton proposed by France and Belgium.
Immediately after the vote was
place at the horseshoe council table
and in the name Of the German
people and the German government
declared:
This resolution will not be main
tanned in the judgment of history.
If the honorable members had had
more time to consider my statement
this morning the vote would have been
different"
His declaration brought an imme-
diate and heated response from Pierre
Etienne Flandin, the foreign minister
Of France.
The French statesman jumped to
his feet and declared that any time
Germany wished, France was willing
to submit the dispute over the Locarno
pact and the Rhineland to the World
Court of Justice at The Hague.
II had not been prepared TO speak" ;"
said Flandin, but since the German
Representative has spoken. I wish to
saw that. under international law, no
Nation can judge its own case. 1
reiterate the statement have already
made, that France is prepared. II Ger
many consents, to submit the dispute
to the World Court"
American Nations Abstain.
Two American nations abstained
from participating in the avalanche OF
votes against Germany. They we're
Chile, whose representative did not
vote, and Ecuador, whose representa-
tive was absent.
Those who voted against Germany
we're Argentina. Belgium, Great Brit
ain. Denmark, France, Italy, Poland.
Portugal, Rumania, Spain, Turkey and
Russia.
Following its vote, the Council ad-
journed until tomorrow, at which time
the question Of what to do about Ger
many's treaty breach Is expected to
come before it.
Flandin said that France, Belgium.
Great Britain and Italy had reached
IAN agreement in principle" on what
procedure should be taken in the
Rhineland dispute.
Reich Rejects Program.
1t was understood, nofficially. that
the agreement contained provisions for
the preservation of the Rhineland in
its status quo-that is, demilitarized.
Germany already has refused such a
proposal as wholly unacceptable"
The Council session was attended by
Admiral william NJ Standley, the
United States delegate to the Naval
Conference. He said he was there
"just to see how things went"
Won Ribbentrop had pleaded. before
the Council went in to vote, that the
delegates take a little more time to
consider Germany's stand.
A ranging of 275,O00,000 people
against the Germans, by the Franco
Soviet assistance pact, directed only
against Germany" Won Ribbentrop
asserted. caused the Reich to occupy
the Rhineland in violation of the Lo-
carno pact and Versailles treaty.
Urging consideration of Hitler's pro-
posals for a new security system, Won
Ribbentrop said Germany could not
accept submission Of the question Of
the Franco-Soviet pact to the World
Court-one point in the French pro-
posals for liquidation of the crisis.
Tiitler's envoy said the Reich was
convinced France would not reject its
virtual military alliance with Russia.
Germany decided, therefore, that the
hour had come to restore Germany's
sovereignty over the Rhine" he said.
"Sad Chapter" Closed.
with this restoration of sovereignty
over all its territory, Germany has
finally closed q sad chapter of moral
confusion and legal misunderstand-
ings in Europe of which it has been
the victim
In his 25-minute Justification of
Germany'S Rhineland march Won
Ribbentrop declared, I'VE have been
forced to do what we did March T."
He asserted Germany never would
have signed the Locarno pact had it
been aware Of the doubtful moments"
to follow.
"1f Germany had known the true
facts, she would not have signed it,"
he insisted. mo nation pointed out
how this treaty was going to be mis-
used
Demilitarizing Held One-sided.