Show RANGE RANCE AND RUSSIA AGREE ON DEFENSE PACT I ITALY TO PUSH FOR ACTION AT STRESA STESA MEET Soviet Also Concludes Trade Agreement With Germany By D' Associated Press Pre The announcement of an agreement between France and soviet Russ Russia Russa a for mutual defense came with unexpected i suddenness to diplomats preparing preparing preparing pre pre- paring for 10 th opening of conferences Thursday at Stresa l. l Italy directed toward the establishment of a pan- pan European security system The Russian Franco agreement was explained as a se secondary check against war in case cose the proposed pan- pan European system fails to designate the aggressor nation in the event of hostilities Even as the bilateral military agreement between France and RussIa Russia Russia Rus Rus- sia was announced Russia concluded a bilateral trade treaty with Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many and Russian commentators said this suggested it might be necessary necessary necessary sary for eastern European nations to tomake tomake tomake make deals Sir John lohn Simon the British h foreign secretary informed Robert W. W Bingham Bingham Bing- Bing ham the United States ambassador that Gr Great at Britain was going into the Stresa conference with an open mind The Italian government which with the French and British completes completes com com- the Str a conI conferees rees indicated indicated- it was determined the conference would take tak definite action Pact to Be Second Line Defense PARIS April 10 France JP-France IP France took to the Stresa conference today an agreement with Russia for lor mutual assistance assistance assistance as as- in case of attack With this she intends to reinforce whatever general security s system stem may be d devised in the tripartite con con- The Russian Franco understand understanding ng was viewed viewed- by the French as a model Ifor for other agreements to be based on the league of nations covenant and Continued on Page Two FRANCE SOVIET CONCLUDE PACT Continued Iro from Put Pare One ODd set setS up tip as a second line of def defense nse for European peace The pact obviously designed ns II a safeguard against German military activity ity will be sl signed ned when Foreign Minister Pierre Laval visits Moscow April 23 The foreign minister and Premier Pierre Etienne landin also carried with them a formula ormula for a pact containing what informed circles cir dr cles des described as s a a. a satisfactory definition deli deli- titian of noninterference by one slate stale stalen In n the affairs of ot another A definition defini- defini ni tion ion which should be above e misinterpretation misinterpretation was one of ot the m most t difficult difficult dim cult cull points raised in connection with the he projected agreement proposed Atthe at athe athe he the time the Italian Franco accords were were concluded in Rome on J January Janu ary 17 The Franco Russian ian agreement is designed to provide pro a secondary check against war should the nations nations' subscribing subscribing sub sub- scribing to a general security pact tail ail to agree on de designation ignation of oC the aggressor nation in the event of 01 hostilities Maxim Litvinoff the soviet commissar com corn for foreign affairs was wu understood under tinder stood to have approved the terms of the he bilateral agreement in a telegram last ast night to Vladimir the Russian ambassador The pact would give Ive either nation the he right to call on the other for military military mili mili- tary naval or aerial assistance nce in case she were the victim of aggression Baud Baaed on Covenant I it It would be based on articles 10 16 and 17 of oC the thc league of nations covenant These articles pr prescribe the he v various measures including military mill mili tary and economic sanctions which may be taken to restrain any member who resorts to war in violation of the covenant It was aid id the pact would be left open at least technically to the adherence ad ad- of or other powers Germany may be invited from Stresa Stress to participate participate participate par par- in the agreement it iL was Indicated indicated indi Indi- although h little hope was held that Hitler would agree aree i J Flandin and Laval departed for lor Stresa Su-esa at a. a m. m a. a m m e. e s. s t. t Besides their mutual assistance and security pact proposals the French delegates carried carded with them the text of a protest against German rearmament ment meat to tobe be submitted to Gr Great at Britain and Italy Official circles circle said it must not be forgotten that the Stresa conference originally was called to settle on on a common attitude which the three thre powers cowers should adopt in the face of Hitler's decision to disregard disregard disregard dis dis- regard the military clauses of the Versailles treaty Sir John Simons Simon's statement in the house loose of ot c commons yesterday outlining outlining outlining ing ing Germanys Germany's position caused cawed little surprise In France It t was regarded in th this j country as showing definitely that Hitler is 3 far bar from Crom satisfied with resuming full mill mill- tary ary tary equality and will wl certainly seek to o open further questions such as the colonial and territorial claims supposedly supposedly sup sup- supposedly settled by the Versailles treaty For Tor this rea reason n. n officials say jay it is all the more vital that France Italy and Great Britain solidify their positions at Stress Stresa a. a I MacDonald Simon in France FranceLE LE BOURGET France April 10 flO Prime JP-Prime Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald MacDonald Mac Mac- Donald and Sir John Simon foreign secretary arrived here today by special special cial airplane from England on ott their way to Stresa Italy and the opening tomorrow of the tripartite conference on Europe's problems The two British statesmen will wil spend the remainder of or the day in jn Paris departing from there for Italy on a night train With them they carried a plan for foran foran foran an inclusive all-inclusive European security system which they will propose to the French delegation and their Italian hosts An authoritative source stated the British will inform the French and Italians that they are willing to have Great Greal Britain become an active e member member mem memo ber of oC the system to a limited extent exten if it the other two powers will accept Great Britain's Britain policy of mediation Any agreements however will b be sub subject ct to the approval of parliament parliament parlia parlia- ment informed quarters were told MacDonald and Sir John were reported reported reported re re- re- re ported to be hopeful they could head oIl off any sharp German anti-German moves bj by byi Italy The British were cre said to feel fee I their plan gives Italy and arid France a all they need in the way of mutual a. a assistance assistance as as- against an aJ aggressor ressar and that by its not being aimed at any specific country it Jt would not antagonize Germany Ger- Ger many and might bring about that nat nations nation's nations nation's na na- na- na t tion's ions future adherence The British also alsa were regarded as not noL Seeing any conflict with the Brit Brit- British British ish plan and the French desire to pu put teeth into the league of nations saying saying saying say say- ing that Great Greal Britain's project fits bits completely into the league machinery and would strengthen the league covenant The British cabinet discussed discus d the situation briefly during its regular meeting after a conference between Sir Sir- John and Robert Robed W. W Bingham the United States ambassador in which the latter was informed that Great Britain is going Joing to the Stresa conference with no definitely pledged I commitments commitment ts 11 Italy taly to Press Definite Action ROME April 10 P iV IP Italy's gov government ov evinced e determination today that tomorrows tomorrow's tripartite conference at Stresa should not be just another ineffectual assembly of Europe's statesmen The officially inspired press discussed dis cussed at length what was termed the negative attitude of Great Britain prior to the conversations Italy's attitude toward the discussions discussions discus discus- was summed Bummed up in let an article attributed to Premier Mussolini published published published pub pub- in his dItalia d'Italia of ot Milan last week II Il said In let this article II Il Duce warned against Utopian hopes for the conference confer confer- ence But said II 11 between be be- tween a miracle and nothing there I Is a V vast ast difference indicating that tha Italy at lu least t will strive for some me definite agreement among the three powers powell de despite th the unexpected am and I foreseen attitude of oC Great News of oC the prospective Franco- Franco nu Russian ian mutual assistance pact wa was tas received with mixed feelings by officials oW- oW daIs remaining in the capital They declined to comment until the exact nature of the agreement was known Great Significance Placed on Treaty MOSCOW April 10 Foreign P-Foreign Foreign ob observers placed great significance today In the signing of the Russo Russo-Ger man trade accord yesterday in view of or an article In the government organ Monday that a move to sidetrack sidetrack sidetrack side side- track the eastern security pact might force Corce nations of eastern Europe to tomake tomake make their own own deals The authoritative newspaper Pravda Pravda Pray Pray- da said today the accord was in compliance com coni- with the Russian policy o of oC maintaining and strengthening the general peace adding that it would bring a great increase in the volume of oC Soviet SovieL Russia's orders in Germany Ger Ger- many Karl Radek writing in declared declared de de- de- de dared that the Soviet SovieL Union would not consider itself bound b by the results results re re- re- re suits of oC the tripartite conference a at Stresa and charged certain powers were consciously striving to sidetrack sidetrack sidetrack side side- track the eastern security pact in faor favor favor fa vor or of a general European pact |