VISIT TO LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 80, 5 April 1932, Page 9

VISIT TO LONDON

TARDIEU AND FLANDIN CONFERENCE OF STATESMEN EUROPEAN PROBLEM | (British Official Wireless./ RUGBY, 3rd April. The- Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, will meet the French Prime Minister,; M. Tardieu, on his arrival in company with the Finance Minister, M. Flandin, to-morrow afternoon at Victoria Station, London. The visitors will proceed to the French Embassy, and will then make a formal call at No. 10, Downing Street. At night the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, and possibly other British Ministers will be guests at dinner at the French Embassy. A conference at which Mr. Ramsay MaeDonald will be supported by other Ministers, including Sir John Simon and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, will begin on Monday morning, and the visitors will be the Prime Minister's guests at luncheon. , ■~'■'' DANTTBIAN POSITION. The financial plight of the Danubian States will be the principal, but not 'necessarily the only, subject of discus-, sion in the conversations, which will be continued on Monday afternoon: At night tho British Ministers will again meet the French visitors at a dinner given in honour of Ml Tardieu by Lord and Lady Londonderry. M. Tardieil is expected to leave for Paris on' Tuesday, but M. Flandin will remain in London to take part in a conference between representatives pf Britain, France, Germany, and' Italy convened for next week to discuss a Danubian plan. ■-.'■' It was officially announced by tho Foreign Office to-day that "a conferenco between representatives of the Governments of France, \ Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom , will meet at the Foreign Office in. the afternoon of "Wednesday, 6th April, at 2.80 to consider ithe question of closer economic co-operation between Danubian countries." ' >. COMMENT BY "TIMES." Discussing the probable scope of next week's London talks, "The Times" says: "Tho conversations will raise many1 questions on which there is ample room for differences of opinion unless the Governments concerned recognise (he necessity for lhaking every reasonable concession for the sake'of giving' practical assistance to a group of States which are clearly in imminent danger, of collapse. The suspicions which have* hitherto influenced the discussions of the Danubian plan must be dispelled if any progress is to be made/."1 ' ,• ■ i In this connection, "The Times" deplores certain German and Italian comment' on the meeting between M. Tarr. dieu and Mr. Bamsay MaeDonald, tho heads of the Government whoso co-oper-ation is plainly necessary for any solution of great and pressing: European problems. "The spokesmen of: tie British Government have made it abundantly, clear'that Britain is anxious to work together with all Powers in every effort to solve the common problem, but -can enter into no arrange? meht "with any from which others are excluded. That is perfectly well understood in, Franco."

at one time or othor discussed during the' visit. The rapid and' satisfactory progress made in the examination of the Danubian question was mainly attributable to the full realisation that the situation is such that an agreement on measures to Tse adopted simply must be reached and reached speedily. VALUE OF MEETINGS/ To-day's experience -convinced I Ministers of the advantage of such -meetings as a method of approaching European problems, and it seems probable that similar meetings between Statesmen—not necessarily only be- ! tweeh tnose of Britain and France— will be arranged as a means of clearing away some of the entanglements •which beset Europe. The Danubian situation was discuss: ed objectively as an economic problem, and in considering a possible grouping with a view to exchange of products. At no time was it suggested that any State should bo excluded for political reasons only. The Pour Great Powors obviously cannot settle the Danubian problem, .but it is hoped that a-s they are so much involved in achieving an economic concordat, the Danubian States with the views of the four Powers before them, will meet at an early date and reach an effective arrangement. ' '