THE GERMAN CHALLENGE
That is the essential fact of the present situation. That the Rhineland should be no longer demilitarised is a small thing in itself ; no one ever supposed that mark of inequality could he permanent. Nor is anyone disposed to moralise overmuch about Germany's repeated breaches of the Treaty of Ver- sailles. Her right to equality has been generally recognised in principle and it only remained to apply it in the remaining details. If the question of the Rhineland has not been raised in formal negotiations it is because Germany has made no attempt to raise it. So far from that, Herr Hitler himself stated as recently as last May that his Government would scrupulously observe every treaty voluntarily concluded, in par- ticular the Treaty of Locarno, even though it preceded the Nazi regime. He added still more specifically that he regarded the observance of the demilitarised zone, heavy burden though it was for a sovereign State, as -a contribution to the appeasement of Europe. With that declaration on record he announced on Saturday not merely that he proposed to repudiate the Locarno Treaty (on the plea, which he refused to submit to a judicial ruling, that the Franco-Soviet Pact rendered it invalid) but that it was at that moment being openly violated by the introddetion into the demili- tarised area of troops now estimated to reach a total of sonic 90,000.
What, it must be asked again, does Herr Hitler mean ? Does he mean what he says, or something very different ? His speech will bear many interpreta- tions. This, for example. The policy of the fait accompli—air force, conscription, submarines—has paid Nazi Germany well ; it is only one step from breaches of a dictated treaty to violation of a volun- tarily contracted engagement ; Herr Hitler offers demilitarised zones on both sides of the frontier knowing that France cannot accept that because she has just fortified her own side at enormous cost ; he offers a treaty of non-aggression which France cannot sign without throwing over the Franco- Soviet Pact, since it would make it impossible for her to assist a Russia attacked by Germany ; he offers treaties of non-aggression (as easily torn up as Locarno) to States immediately bordering Ger- many on the East, but not to Russia, for whom he has nothing but provocative words ; and in the same breath with which he announces the violation of a treaty freely entered into he proposes the return of Germany to a League which includes among its fundamental principles " a scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations " and admits to membership only such States as shall " give effective guarantees of sincere intention to observe their international obligations." That is a perfectly possible, -and' not an inherently unreasonable, reading of the Ffihrer's speech, and it is not astonishing that many French- men do so read it. Fortunately it is not the only reading. • The situation is as grave for Germany as anyone, for Herr Hitler, so far from establishing her prestige internationally, has completed her moral isolation and aroused new suspicions and . fears • in • every quarter of Europe. That France has much -on; her conscience in her rejection of Herr Hitler's overture's in 1934 and 1935 is undeniable, but that, 'while it may legitimately form the basis of an appeal to France for moderation, provides no sort of justifica- tion for Herr Hitler's action. But the action has been taken. The crisis has been precipitated. And, as Mr. Eden rightly insisted in the House of Commons on Monday, the supreme task now is to rebuild the shattered fabric of European confidence. That task falls partly on the Locarno Powers and partly on the League Council. But almost everything depends on whether Herr Hitler is ready to give any proof of his good faith.
What proofs, it may be asked, could Herr Hitler give ? One certainly. M. Sarraut has declared that France will not negotiate till German troops are withdrawn froni the area which they occupied on Saturday. Theoretically that is -a just demand. Actually to press it too far would be to rake needless difficulties. It should be put another way. The Locarno Powers should declare their readiness to discuss Germany's claims and proposals in a generous spirit as soon as the Rhineland forces are reduced to the " symbolic " level of which Herr Hitler spoke but which is far exceeded by their present strength. In addition Heir Hitler, who has stated to a Daily Mail interviewer that his offer of non-aggression pacts is open to Austria and Czechoslovakia, should be invited to extend the offer to Russia. The question of whether the Franco-. Soviet Pact is incompatible with the Locarno Treaty will no doubt be submitted, with or without Germany's concurrence, to the Permanent Court.
In all this Great Britain will be the deciding factor. We have binding obligations to France and Belgium under the Treaty of Locarno, and our moral duty is emphasised by the stress we have laid in the past six months on the sanctity of treaties. On the other hand, Germany is unquestionably anxious, for what- ever reason (the help Dr. Schacht has received from the Bank of England is reputed to be • one reason), to maintain cordial relations with us. In that situation the rok of our representatives is clear.' They must do their utmost to extract from Herr Hitler such cuarantees of good faith as have been here suggested, undertaking, if these are given,• to enter on the negotiations which would then follow with the aim of achieving as just a settlement as can be devised. All of . Herr Hitler's proposals can be reasonably discussed. Most of them can be . accepted—if Ger- many stands by her word. As to that, a Second guarantee of good faith will be required, and not from Germany only. The test of pacification is dis- armament., Herr Hitler has suggested a Western Air Pact. • There could be no better beginning— but as lately as Tuesday General Goering was reported as decreeing that every Civilian pilot in Germany must have had military training. If Germany returns to Geneva in the spirit of Geneva, and contracts non- aggression pacts with all her neighbours, neither she nor they can have the smallest excuse for the main- tenance of armaments on anything like their present scale. In one sense the last word is with Herr Hitler. If he is ready to give honest effect to his proposals he will make European reconstruction and recovery possible. If not he will have so united a Europe against him that though there may be anxious and uneasy peace there is unlikely to be open war.
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