Evening star., 1938-12-06
Frdn(o-Gernlan
Friendship
Pa(t Signed
Ribbentrop to Drive
Bargain for Points
Outside Treaty
BACKGROUND


tween Chancellor Hitler and
Premier Daladier at Munich,
France and Germany today
signed pact of friendship agree
ing to submit future disputes to
arbitration. The pact carries in
,oriting Hitler's otten-repeated
oral remuneration OF claim on
Alsace-Lorraine and that France
recognizes that Austria has uan-
ished and that Czecho-S -Slouakia
Sudetenland is noU German.
By the Associated Press
PARIS, Dec. 6.-France and Ger
many today signed an accord,
widely termed war remuneration
pact" which pledged them to
amicable discussion of difficulties
instead of resorting to armed force
The agreement declared the two
governments recognized as definite
the present boundaries between
them and that no French German
territorial question exists.
1t said the governments were con-
vinced pacific relations and good
neighborliness' between them con-
stitute an essential element of con-
solidation of the European situa-
ton and the maintenance of gen.
eral peace.
Foreign Ministers Georges Bonnet
of France and Joachim Won Ribben-
trop of Germany signed the agree
ment on -colored sheets of
vellum containing French and Ger
man texts.
On his arrival from Berlin unusual
Euard precautions were taken on be-
half of Won Ribbentrop, who after
signing the accord, began diplo-
matte conversations with French
statesmen.
New Era of Relations.
The French government has MAIN
tanned that the signing of the ac-
cord, which occurred this afternoon
in the famous clock room of the
foreign Office, would open a new era
Of European relations favorable to
the solution of acute existing prob
lens.
At the same time France appro-
priated about $685.. 100000 for 1899
military and naval needs, increasing
such expenditures s280,0OO,O00 over
1888.
The pact provided that France
and Germany were resolved under
the reserve of their particular rela-
:lons with third powers to remain
in contact on all questions inter-
esting their two countries and to
consult mutually in case future de-
velopments of these questions should
risk leading to international diff
culties."
The three minute ceremony began
at 3:42 pm. QO:42 am. E. S. TD
and was enacted in the presence of
the two foreign ministers, German
and French delegations and German
and French newspapermen.
Arms Not Ruled Out.
Circles in close contact with the
government warned that the sig
nature of the accord should not be
taken as an instant and complete
modification of the European situa-
ton.
They explained that the agree
ment does not rule out a resort to
armed force but simply means that
when dispute arises the two par
ties will try to settle it through con-
sultation.
These circles held that the great
est benefit to be derived from the
accord is a general improvement of
the atmosphere for dealings between
Berlin and Paris.
The newspaper LIE Temps, which
frequently reflects government
views, said italian hopes that the
accord would open the door at once
to a discussion of the colonial ques-
tion or quick solution of the Span
ish problem were in vain.
To Drive Hard Bargain.
The ceremony took place in the
same room where, 10 years ago. the
Kellog- g-Briand pact for outlawing
war was signed, the famous Clock
Room of the foreign Office.
German informants said Won
Ribbentrop expected to drive hard
bargain, however, for specific points
outside the treaty.
The official French text of the
accord read:
Bonnet, minister of foreign af-
fairs of the French Republic, and
Won Ribbentrop, minister of for
eign affairs of the German Reich,
acting in the name and under the
order of their governments, are
agreed to what follows, during their
meeting in Paris. the 9Th of Decem-
ber, 1898:
The French government and the
German government share fully the
conviction that pacific relations and
good neighborliness between France
and Germany constitute one of the
essential elements of the consolida-
tion of the European situation and
OF the maintenance of general peace.
The two governments will use in
consequence all their strength to as
sure the developments in this direc-
ton OF relations between their
countries. The two governments
state that between their countries
no question of a territorial order
rests In suspense and they recognize
solemnly as the definitive border
between their countries such as it
Is actually established.
The two governments are re-
solved under the reserve of their
particular relations with third pow-
ers to remain in contact on all
questions interesting their two
countries and to consult n,ut,,allv
IN case the future developments Of