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WORLD EVENTS IN THE LIGHT OF PROPHECY VOL. 41, NO. 9 Melbourne, Victoria. Australia, March 1, 1926 ONE PENNY The Peace Treaty of Locarno Is the Peace of Europe Assured ? Does the Agreement at Locarno Ensure the World against Future War? F. M. WILCOX URING the early days of October there would take place in London, December 1. The treaty gathered at Locarno, Switzerland, repre- consisted of eight documents, the terms of all of sentatives of several of the leading powers which must be accepted or rejected in toto by the of Europe, to consider the formation of a various countries involved. We quote from the New new treaty, which it was hoped would pre- York Times of December 2 as to the general terms vent future war and ensure continued peace of this treaty :— to the European states. There were represented at this conference Great Britain, France, Germany, GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE TREATY Italy, Belgium, Czecho-Slovakia, and Poland. Octo- "THE treaty itself consists of four documents— ber 16 witnessed the final draft of the treaty, which a protocol, a security pact guaranteeing the integrity was signed by the delegates present, it being under- of Germany's present western frontiers, an arbitra- stood that the final adoption by the signatory powers tion convention between France and Germany, and Kadt,1 &.Harbert News Photos KING AND QUEEN OF ENGLAND LISTENING TO WORLD'S LARGEST CARILLON OF BELLS A view of King George and Queen Mary in the foundry of Gillett and Johnston, Croydon, England, listening to the great carillon of bells built by that firm for the Park Avenue Baptist Church, New York. The complete set, numbering fifty-three bells, weighs one hundred tons, the bass bell weighing nine tons. [Registered at the G.P.O., Melbourne, for trawonission by post as a newspaper.] 2 SIGNS OF THE TIMES March 1, 1926 an arbitration convention between Belgium and Ger- said M. Briand, the French minister, after the pact many. There are four further treaties, two of arbi- had been signed. tration between Germany and Poland and Germany " 'This has been done,' he added. 'It is the most and Czecho-Slovakia, and two of mutual guarantee important step in the history of the modern world, between France and Poland and France and Czecho- and the future should be one of arbitration and Slovakia. collaboration between the nations, where war and "All the contracting parties declare that they armament have no place.' will maintain inviolable the present frontiers be- "In a brief statement to the Associated Press, tween Germany and France and between Germany Austen Chamberlain said the conclusion of the and Belgium. Germany cannot legitimately make Locarno pact had settled the problem of security, war on France or Belgium, nor vice versa, except while the peace of Europe had been consolidated by under three clearly defined conditions. Disputes the adhesion of Great Britain and Italy. between Germany on the one hand, and France and " 'The treaties were the outcome of a sincere de- Belgium on the other, which can be settled by the sire on the part of the nations concerned for peace application of law, must go before a qualified arbi- and reconciliation. They banished war, and pro- tration tribunal, whose decision is binding. Dis- vided for the automatic ostracism of any eventual putes which cannot be so settled must be submitted aggression. To those thinking the pact did not go to a conciliation commission, whose recommenda- far enough we would answer that it led straight to tions are not binding. But if either party rejects disarmament by creating a new sense of security.' such recommendations, the decision as to what is to be taken rests with the Council of the League under ASSURANCE OF PROSPERITY Article 15 of the Covenant. Belgium, or vice versa, " 'THE Locarno Treaty,' declared Dr. Edouard in contravention of the treaty obligations, then Benes, the Czecho-Slovak foreign minister, 'has Great Britain and Italy, as guarantors, would under- solved the international problems of Europe. It is take to give military support to the attacked party. up to the nations to put their internal affairs on a The guarantors are entitled to decide for themselves solid basis ; and when this is accomplished, the whether such an attack has been made. The case prosperity of Western Europe is assured.' . must nevertheless be reported to the Council of " 'The Locarno Pact,' declared Count Alexander the League, and the guarantors, whether or not Skrzynski, the Polish premier and foreign minister, they have already taken action, must comply with `offers the European states an opportunity for peace the findings of the Council of the League. The and disarmament which they have never had before. treaty is to last until such time as the representa- I have no doubt that in conformity with the treaties tives of the powers meeting in the Council of the a new international feeling of peace and security League have decided that the League is strong will be brought about, which will make for dis- enough to ensure the protection of all parties without armament and prosperity.' "—Ibid. the further operation of the treaty." Dr. Stresemann, representing the German re- public, is quoted as follows :— FORMAL RATIFICATION IN LONDON, DECEMBER 1 "Nothing, he said, would serve greater purpose DECEMBER 1, according to agreement, representa- in the days of difficulty than the spirit of good will tives of the nations involved in the Locarno Peace which the treaty evoked. He looked to the future Treaty met in London to affix their formal signa- and the fruition of the work they had done with tures. It constituted a notable gathering. While great hope. not as colourful and ostentatious as the gathering "Premier Briand, of France, in a solemn voice which assembled at Versailles at the close of the declared that there was no person in the world who war, it was regarded as still more significant and was not interested in the proceedings of the day. as holding promise of much more practical results. " 'I can see across the table the German chan- The correspondent of the Associated Press declares : cellor,' he said, 'and I am sure I can tell him that I "Today there was none of the magnificence and have remained a good Frenchman just as he in glamour surrounding the Versailles signing. The coming here has remained a good German, but both ceremony, which lasted only an hour, was notable of us are Europeans.' "—Ibid. for its extreme simplicity. And this time the Ger- mans came of their own free will. They signed HAS THE MENACE OF WAR BEEN REMOVED? gladly, with smiling faces, in striking contrast to HAS the treaty of Locarno removed from Europe that other occasion .when the delegates of the Reich the menace of war? Have the dreams of the ideal- appended their signatures under compulsion, with ists, those who are looking and longing and working white faces registering a mixture of fear and anger. for world peace, been realised in this last treaty? Today's ceremony was carried out in a spirit of We wish it were indeed so. No achievement could optimism which was hailed as auguring well for be more noteworthy or praiseworthy than that of an era of peace throughout Europe."—Washington maintaining international comity and good will. Evening Star, December 1, 1925. With the earnest efforts of the statesmen of Europe The statesmen signing their names to the docu- in securing this objective we sympathise most ment were filled with a spirit of hope and optimism deeply. We are in hearty accord with the aims of for the future, as was indicated by their remarks the peace societies and leagues for peace which have on the occasion. The Associated Press news of endeavoured through the years to create a sentiment December 1 represented the several statesmen pres- looking toward the settlement of international ques- ent as expressing their view of the far-reaching tions by arbitration. And yet we feel constrained importance and practical results to be achieved to believe that ultimately these worthy ambitions are through the treaty, as follows : — doomed to disappointment. Treaties like that of Locarno may hold in check THE ESTIMATE OF LEADING STATESMEN the elements of war for a little time, and even though " 'THE peace of the world could not have been this may be accomplished only in small measure, the effected without some great demonstration of inter- effort is well worth making. But ultimately the national good will, such as this ceremony today,' fondest hopes in the realisation of this objective will March 1, 1926 SIGNS OF THE TIMES 3 be shattered. And this will follow as the inevitable PERILOUS DAYS AHEAD logic of the conditions existing in the world. Racial animosity, political intrigue, commercial rivalry, and AST week we noticed a certain noted writer's the resort to arms, are human elements having their epitome of the fears of the world. He placed wellspring in the human heart. L them under seven heads. There may have been others which he missed ; but that ought to be enough A SIGNIFICANT SIGN OF THE END to show the reading public that we are living in an NOT only will these present peace movements and age of fear and perplexity. That striking article peace treaties fail to remove the menace of war, closed with these paragraphs :— but this whole peace propaganda is a signifigcant These next years are likely to be critical in Australian sign of the last days—a sign that soon the kingdoms history. Over all the world men are skirting dangerous precipices.

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