Evening star., 1936-03-07
Fuehrer Seeks
New Peace
Lineup.
SPURNS TREATY
OF VERSAILLES
Nazi Soldiers March
Into Area as Lead.
er Speaks.

BACKGROUND
The Rhineland Wds evacuated
s;une 80, 1880, by the last OF the
allied forces Who entered shortly
after the close OF the World War
and remained IL years.
Under the Versailles treaty the
Rhineland could haze been occu-
pied until 1885, or euen longer
under certain conditions.
Under treaty provisions the left
bank of the Rhine, including
roughly all the territory betUeen
the principal German riuer and
Belgium and Luxembourg, should be
occupied in three zones.
The northern would be demiIi-
tarised after fUe years, the merit
evacuated after 10 years, and the
= last after IS years.
A strip on the right bank Of the
Rhine, so kilometers wide, uas to
be demilitartzed BY the German
government.
The Locarno pact, guaranteeing
eristing frontiers, was signed Oc-
tober is. 1925, and Germany's en-
trance into the League OF Nations.
since abrogated BY Germany. fol-
lored almost immediately.
(Copyrisht. 1886. by the Associated Press)
BERLIN, March Adolf Hitler.
laundering to his Brown Shirt Nazi
Reichstag that the Locarno pact was
dead, sent triumphant German troops
goose-stepping into the demilitarized
Rhineland today and pronounced the
fight for Germany's freedom finished.
In swift. understanding thrusts, the
Reichfuehrer offered Europe a new
western demilitarized frontier on a
cooperative basis, declared he was
ready to sign new non-aggression
treaty and air pact with his western
neighbors and expressed Willingness
If Germany's colonial equality and
freedom from the Versailles treaty be
recognized-to return to the League
Of Nations.
Then he dissolved his standing.
shouting Reichstag and called a
plebiscite for March 20 to prove to
the world that the German people are
behind him. In these general elec-
tions Hitler and his followers expect
to get a majority even greater than
their previous 80 per cent.
Hits Soviet-French Pact.
Exhorting the Reichstag in classic
Nazi style, Der Fuehrer pleaded his
friendship for France. detailed what
he said were his constant efforts for
a rapprochement with that country
and castigated the new Franco-Rus-
sian mutual assistance pact as one
which might lead to "unpredictable
for Europe.
This pact, he shouted. with its dam
ger to Europe of Bolshevik Chaos"
freed Germany from Locarno.
To begin his day of extraordinary
action Hitler told foreign diplomats
Of his intention to occupy the Rhine
land in violation of both the Locarno
pact and the Versailles treaty.
From the chancellery. where he
communicated his intentions to rep
of Locarno signatories
and other ambassadors. Der Fuehrer
went before the Reichstag at the
stroke of high noon.
Standing on the rostrum of the Kroll
Opernhaus, at the very moment when
some 1000 German troops crossed the
historic Rhine and moved into old
Cologne, Hitler cried.
In this historic hour. when in
western provinces our Reich German
troops are moving into their future
garrisons of peace. we all united in
two holy confessions.
"Recede Before No Power"
"First, in a solemn oath to recede
before no power and no force in re-
the honor of our people.
and to succumb honorably to the
heaviest privation, rather than ever
capituate before it.
Second, in a determination now,
more than ever, to help bring about
(See HITLER, Page 81