Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1927. M. BRIAND'S TRIUMPH

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 36, 11 August 1927, Page 10

Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1927. M. BRIAND'S TRIUMPH

After a considerable interval there are two French items in our cable news to-day which are of interest and importance, and die interest is jiot diminished by the fact that they are of contradictory purport. M. de Jouvenel has resigned his seat as the representative of France on the Council of the League of Nations "because the French Government did not submit to the League problems which he considered were only solvable by the League."

It is not always advisable, says M briand m his reply, to appeal to the League over the heads of interested parties where it is possible to settle international disputes by normal processes of diplomacy.

Though the generality of the language used by both parties precludes any attempt to form an independent judgment on the merits of the issue, the overwhelming proof which both at Geneva and at Locarno M. Briand has furnished of his loyalty to the League would determine the issue in his favour if one could be quite sure that he is a free agent. Unfortunately, however, the deep-seated differences between M. Poincare and M. Briand were not obliterated by their joining in the formation of a National Government, and in regard to the League of Nations in particular these differences have, especially since the admission of Germany to membership, been public and pronounced. It is quite possible, therefore, that the real meaning of M. JouvenePs resignation is that he finds the functions of the Council of the League to be hampered by the jealous nationalism of M. Poincare. It is also possible that the real meaning of M. Briand's acceptance may be that, though he agrees with M. Jouvenel, he prefers to act as if he did not rather than break up the Government.

The prospects of the Locarno Treaty, which were darkest when the intrigues of Spain and others prevented its ratification by the Special Assembly, of the League, were carried to the opposite extreme by the conversations of M. Briand and Dr. Stresemann at Thoiry immediately after the blunder had been reversed. The Locarno Treaty looked only to the prevention of war between France and Germany. The Thoiry conversations contemplated the supplementing of the negative work of Locarno by the positive work of reconciliation. So happy was the impression created that the mischiefmakers at once began to ask what counter-alliance Britain could arrange to check the immense power that a genuine Franco-German Entente would be able to wield. But these pleasant speculations did not last very long. They did not survive the first speech delivered by M. Poincare which followed the reconciling work of Geneva and Thoiry. Not merely "Back from Thoiry to Locarno," but "Back from Locarno to Versailles" seemed to be its role. Such was the attitude of the French Premier towards the great achieve, ment by Avhich his Foreign Minister had won the gratitude of Europe and a Nobel Peace Prize.

No open breach followed, however. M. Briand never again displayed die exuberance of the Thoiry interview, but he did not resign, and he has been able to make some progress towards the realisation of his ideal. A few weeks ago, however, it looked as though the end had come and that M. Poincare had triumphed in a manner that must make M. Bri» and's position impossible. A speech which he delivered at Luneville on the 19th June attracted very little attention in the British Press, yet it was described by the "Manchester Guardian's" Paris correspondent as "one of the most rancorous even in his career," by the Paris "Midi" as having made the "Poincare versus Briand" crisis, "so long latent, now avowed and open," and by M. Robert Dell in the "Nation" as having "stirred the Continent from end lo end." Writing on the 21st June undfr the heading "M. Poincare Buries Lpcarno," Mr. Dell said:

Four weeks ago I put a note of interrogation to the title of my letter: "The End of Locarno'/" After M. Poincare's speech at Lunevillo on Sunday the note of interrogation must be struck out.

By the Treaty of Versailles Germany was deprived of Alsace-Lorraine, her seizure of which from France in 1871 was one of the main causes of the War; by the Treaty of Locarno she renounced her intention to recover these provinces by force. M. Poincare now demands that Germany must admit that the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine was a crime, avow her sole responsibility for the War, and solemnly declare that she will never attempt to recover these provinces by any means whatever. M. Poincare is anxious for "good relations with our neighbours," and they can be had on these terms!

The pettiness of M. Poincare's soul and his capacity for the stirring up of strife is perhaps even less strikingly revealed by the impossibility of these demands than by the microscopic proportions of one of his minor grievances. Even after Locarno the German Government has failed to remove the name "Elsass" (Alsace) from one of its ships! In the light of such an outrage M. Poincare must be credited with a truly Christian spirit when he is able to disclaim hatred of Germany. The general effect of the Luneville j.sp.eecb, is described by the "Jfolante"

as "putting the clock back three years," and another French critic takes the same view when he says that it is "as if we were still back in the days of the Ruhr and as though nothing had happened since, either at Geneva or Locarno." Baffled and almost impotent, M. Briand nevertheless held on. By waiting and seeing he has also conquered, if the report supplied to-day on the authority of the Paris correspondent of the "Daily Express" can be believed.

lhero was, he tells us, a dramatic scene in the Chamber of Deputies when after demolishing recent attacks against the Locarno policy, M. Briand pleaded for a more friendly attitude to Germany, and finally carried with him M. Poincare, the Premier, and M. Marin, Minister of Pensions, who is an ultra-Nationalist.. It is understood that Cabinet has decided to reduce the army in the Rhineland by at least 5000, and probably 10,000, immediately after the League Assembly in September.

The illness which recalled M. Briand from Geneva in June when the Rhineland problem was to be discussed was supposed to be political. He has now apparently cured M. Poincare as well as himself, but will M. Poincare stay cured?