As the signatory powers prepared to release to the world the full text of the agreements which they had signed at Locarno (TIME, Oct. 26), a specially leased trans-Atlantic cable was extended directly into the office of the American Associated Press, in order that this supernews might not be delayed by the usual relays and repeaters. Two operators, transcribing the dot-dashed ticker tape which reeled off the cable receptor at better than a word a second, "cleared the whole despatch of 5,000 words in less than two hours—a unique record in cable transmission.
In all, seven treaties were cabled, certain of which were so nearly identical that the man in the street may rule-of-thumb them as three: 1) The Rhineland Security Treaty, among Britain, France, Italy, Belgium and Germany. 2) An Arbitration Treaty form, which was quadruplicated and signed as four separate treaties by Germany, respectively with France, Belgium, Poland and Czecho-Slovakia. 3) A form of Guarantee Treaty, duplicated and signed as two separate treaties by France, respectively with Poland and Czecho-Slovakia.
The Rhineland Security Treaty consists of ten articles, and opens with the following preamble: President of the Republic of France, the President of the Reich, His Majesty the King of the Belgians, the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British dominions beyond the seas, Emperor of India; His Majesty the King of Italy—anxious to satisfy the desire for security and protection which animates the peoples upon whom fell the scourge of the War of 1914-1918; taking note of the abrogation of the treaties for the neutralization of Belgium, and conscious of the necessity of insuring peace in the area which has so frequently been the scene of European conflicts; animated also with the sincere desire of giving to all the signatory powers concerned supplementary guarantees within the framework of the Covenant of the League of Nations and the treaties in force between them—have determined to conclude a treaty with these objects and have appointed plenipotentiaries, who, having communicated their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows:"
Article I commences with the statement: "The high contracting parties collectively and severally guarantee in the manner provided in the following articles, the maintenance of the territorial status quo resulting from the frontiers between Germany and Belgium, and between Germany and France, and the inviolability of the said frontiers as fixed by or in pursuance ot the treaty of peace signed at Versailles on the 28th June, 1919.
The specific provisions of the Versailles Treaty disarming Germany are then cited.
Article II asserts: "Germany and Belgium, and also Germany and France, mutually undertake that they will in no case attack or invade each other or resort to war against each other." But it goes on to stipulate that any one of these nations may "exercise the right of legitimate defense, if the present treaty or the Versailles Treaty is "flagrantly violated" by one of the others; or may take up arms in accordance with the League Covenant, or may obey the League Council, in the event that the Council shall order action taken against a state which was first to attack.