“NOW IS THE HOUR"

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 July 1946, Page 7

“NOW IS THE HOUR"

French View of Paris Conference . OPENING . ' CEREMONY (Recd. 12.35 p.m.) PARIS, July 29. The French Premier, M. Bidault, formally opened the Peace Conference this afternoon. He arrived at Luxembourg Palace at 3.10 p.m. to receive the heads of the delegations, who began arriving a. few minutes later. Hundreds of police controlled the large crowds in the vicinity where extreme security measures were taken. Armed police were even stationed on the roof of the palace with a clear view of the approaches and surrounding streets. , • M. Bidault, in his opening speech, said : “We are convinced that all our countries will work in common accord and with the spirit of friendly co-operation oh the important task submitted Io them.”

This was the second time in 30 years, he added, that representatives of world governments had assembled in France to make peace. France for the second time was in the iorelront of the nations who had fought for democracy “If we cannot get complete peace solutions,” he said, ‘ I hope that we will at least get reasonable ones. The immense hope of plain men is turned towards us to banish forever the bad omens of unhappiness found in a world delivered from the plague of war. We all suffered while trying to banish it. Now is the hour to begin to succeed.” M. Bidault added that the basic reason for the failure of the efforts'to prevent war after 1918 was the absence of two great Powers from the peace settlements. That weakness no longer existed. International concert lor the Powers was already in existence. ' i The speech lasted 20 minutes and concluded amid thunderous applause. The conference adjourned until to-morrow.