A new attitude toward Germany

1. The results of the meeting of the prime ministers of Britain and France.

The British government communiqué states that the two prime ministers, in a friendly conversation, reached full understanding on all questions concerning tactics toward Germany, in particular the ways in which Germany is to carry out the reparations programme drawn up by the commissions of experts. But the two prime ministers, not having reached an understanding with the Belgian and Italian governments, cannot take final decisions.

For this reason the prime ministers came to the idea of convening a conference of the Allies in London in the first half of July in order to establish a final line of action.

In addition, both prime ministers resolved to take part personally in the work of the general assembly of the League of Nations in September.

The next day the prime ministers added to this communiqué one more official announcement, of very important content:

"Because of the difficult conditions in which our countries find themselves, we have resolved to conclude a moral agreement on lasting joint work of the two governments."

It is evidently not for nothing that the nationalists in Germany are working on rearmament, and not for nothing that Gen. Nollet, the best expert and chief military controller over Germany, has been invited as war minister into Mr. Herriot's "radical-socialist" government…

But who, if not the victors themselves, created these "difficult conditions" for themselves?…

2. A new note to Germany.

The French telegraph agency adds to the above British communiqué that at the meeting the two prime ministers also drew up the text of a new joint note to Germany, in which the Allies will propose to the German government the restoration of normal relations, on condition that the German government gives "material proofs of its good will" and above all fulfils all those demands concerning disarmament which the Council of Ambassadors set out in its last note. The date of 30 June given in this draft note, by which the German government must reply to the Allies' note, gives this note the character of an ultimatum…

All this shows that Europe is not at all as calm as it appears at first glance.

3. Revelations of Gen. Nollet.

Everything written above will be quite understandable when we speak of the statement which Gen. Nollet himself made to British journalists.

Gen. Nollet declared that the military party in Germany is rapidly growing in strength and holding its head high. German military literature openly works out plans of attack… All military commands have received new instructions on lightning-fast mobilisation. All foreign consulates have opened new registration bureaus so that, at the time of mobilisation, all those fit for war can be sent back to the country…

The size of the German army has already reached 2 million soldiers…

Military control over Germany is in fact impossible, because the call-up of recruits does not take place at fixed times. Control over the factories producing war materials is likewise impossible…

Such is the answer already given on Germany's behalf by the very same Gen. Nollet who in fact drafted the note of the Council of Ambassadors to the German government on the disarmament of Germany…

4. "New" conditions for the withdrawal of troops from the Ruhr area.

After all this, a special character is acquired by what the French paper "Matin" reports, namely that Herriot and Gen. Nollet make it the final condition for clearing the Ruhr district that Germany fully agree to full and universal control of its armed forces by an inter-Allied commission.

And even then all the Ruhr railways are to remain "under control" (simply put, in the hands) of the Allies "in case Germany evades its obligations", so as to be able to send French troops quickly along these German railways for reprisals…

Such are the "new" conditions of an "understanding" with the "new" socialist governments that are being proposed to a great sovereign nation…

No wonder the Germans are convinced that only a new war will create truly new conditions for its existence, worthy of a great free people…