LOCARNO.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18552, 30 November 1925, Page 14

LOCARNO.

+ — ; CLOSING SCENES. AN IMPERISHABLE MEMORY, (raoH oca own coßßEsroxDurr.) LONDON, October '2O. At the conclusion of the negotiations at Locarno the Press representatives gave a luncheon in honour of tho delegations. Mr Chamberlain responded in French to the toast. He remarked that though those present might think ho could express himself more freely in his own language this was not at all the case, as in Locarno the British delegation had become accustomed to speak all languages, or rather to murder all languages on a footuig of perfect equality. The conference, he said, had reached tho end all had hoped for, and their optimism had been justified by the results, obtained, results not due to the efforts of any one delegation, but to the collaboration and spirit of goodwill and conciliaion which had been manifested by all alike during the deliberations. Ho was sure ho expressed the sentiments of all his colleagues in saying they had been surprised at Clio way in which difficulties had disappeared, and threatening clouds had been dispersed in tho sunny atmosphere of goodwill in which none had sought to triumph over another. The fate of the entire world, ho believed, depended on tho success of tho work done at Locarno, and tho relations established here between the representatives of nations who for the first time had come to a mutual agreement on a footing of perfect equality would, ho was sure, he reproduced between tho peoples of their respective countries, so that tho Locarno Conference would bring Europe not an imposed peace, but a .peace consented to by all, giving the peoples the relief thev so much needed. At tho'close of tho speech Dr. Luther shook hands with Mr Chamberlain and thanked him warmly, while M. Briand, expressing his congratulations, said: ''You must put forward your candidature for admission to the Academic Francaise, and I shall support you." The Spirit of Peace. The initialling of tho Security Tact took place ab 7.30 in the evening. The ceremony was .simple. Signatures were attached by th'e representatives of eaoh country in jJphabetical order. The delegates marie certain statements,- and Mr Chamberlain, in speaking; to the British Press representatives at the close of the Conference, said his only regret was that tho nations represented could not have heard tho moving declaration with which the Conference closed. "For those present," said Mr Chamberlain, "the closing words by Herr Strescniann and M. Briand will be an imperishable memory." He had the conviction that the last words spoken at tho Conference gave expression to the iview held by all without exception., What was even more valuable than the texts initialled was the spirit which produced them, which would inspire tho policy of all the countries. "What we have done to-day," he concluded, "is the beginning, not the end, of oar! task." H left the hall for tea, and as he walked along the street lined with, spectators .was loudly cheered^ Town Illuminated. The' final sitting of the Conference began at 4 o'clock, and lasted till 5.30, when it adjourned till 6.30. Mr Chamberlain and Ids party were the first to arrive at the hall on foot, about 6.30 p.m., being followed in quick succession by other delegations in motor-cars. The last somewhat tardy arrival was, Sir Cecil Hurst, bearing the Pact, and as he ran up tho steps of tho entrance to tho hall ho received an ovation from the assembled. journalists. At 7.35, M. Briand, Dr. 'Luther, and Herr Strcsemann appeared at the window, which gave rise to loud cheering. Mr Chamberlain, accompanied by Mrs Chamberlain, also came to the window,'and received a great welcome. Then a copy of the Pact was held np before the eyes of the erowd assembled below tho windows. The town was immediately illuminated, and the word "Pax" shone in brilliant letters on the church of ti'e" Madonna del Sasso. All the delegates were loudly cheered pn their departure;

M£ Chamberlain Honoured, There was a delightful ceremony at the Grand Hotel on.the morning after the Pact was initialled. The Locarno municipal band appeared beneath the 'windows of the suite occupied by the British delegation, and gave a concert in honour of Mr Chamberlain's birthday. He, is 62 years of age. Visibly touched by the attention, Mr Chamberlani stepped down to the garden with Mrs Chamberlain, where Dr. Beretaa, Mayor of the Commune, expressed the felicitations of the town. A little girl, dressed in tho quaint costume of the Canton, then stepped forward and handed to Mrs Chamberlain a wonderful bouquet of orchids. "This is one of the happiest days of my life," said. Mr Chamberlain. M. Briand, the French Foreign Minister, later presented' Mr Chamberlain with a heavy gold, cigarette-case, inscribed: "Souvenir de Locarno, October 16th.—Aristide Briand.''• M. Briand's Chivalry. All tho members of the FrenchCabinet in Paris, prominent Freneh politicians," Lord Crewe, the British Ambassador, and other distinguished men were present on tho platform at the Gare de l'Est, when the special train bringing from Locarno Mr and Mrs, Chamberlain and M. Briand, the French Foreign Minister, with their respective delegations, arrived. M. Painleve, the Prime Minister, was unable to be there, but his representative brought a magnificent bouquet of rare flowers for Mrs Chamberlain, tied with the British and French colours. There was an unusual scene later when M. Briand bade a temporary farewell to Mr and Mrs Chamberlain. H. 6 shook hands with Mrs Chamberlain hesitated a moment, and then, leaning forward, kissed her in Freneh fashion on both cheeks. This delighted the crowd, and the cheers—which were deafening—were renewed when M. Briand turned to Mr Chamberlain and embraced lam.