Last Sunday M. Poineare made a couple of speeches in
which, instead of dealing, as had been expected, with the progress of " conversations " in Berlin, he raised once more the question of military guarantees. In this connexion he referred to a recent German suggestion that all the Powers round the Rhine, in association with other Powers, should guarantee the status quo of the Rhineland. " France," he commented, " does not want that ingenuous but perilous combination." A special pact, he thought, would only " weaken the general pact." France had no wish to abandon the security given by the Treaty of Versailles, namely, the occupation of the left bank of the Rhine. Then he added : " But as this particular security will not last for ever, France will be glad when the time comes to discuss with her Allies other means of security." We are not at all sorry that M. Poincare has brought the question of security to the surface again, as lately it had been sub- merged by other .considerations. Few Englishmen need to be convinced on this subject. They think that France deserves security 'and ought to be given the necessary pledges.
