ANGLO-FRENCH AMITY

Northern Advocate, 23 June 1925, Page 6

ANGLO-FRENCH AMITY

MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING,

A din nor in honour of the British Ambassador was given in Paris at the Cerele Inter-Allie by the Association France-Grande Bretagne. M. Jonnart, President of the Association and member of the Academie Fran-

caise, presided. In reply to the toast of liis health Lord Crewe said that the Association's invitation was a fresh indication of the Franco-British Entente. Having referred to the proof of cordial friendship for France shown by the recent visit of the King and Queen, Lord Crewe c ntinued:— "Our two nations count therefore on a friendship which is mutual, healthy, solid, and in a sense, unbounded. At the same time are there no limitations to this encouraging hope Must one admit that, 'the better we know each other, the more we perceive in each nation realms of intellect which are closed to the boldest explorers, and moral depths which foreigners, however devoted, cannot fathom. Even rational jokes aie not always very easily swallowed by a foreigner; a Frenchman in England may sometimes be disconcerted by the well meant cxpansiveness of his host. On tlve other hand, our Angle-Saxon reserve —shall I say our insular stiff-

ness? —often deprives us of that exchange of mutual ideas and sympathies which Latin, or partially Latin j races like the French freely enjoy among themselves. May I mention as an example my regretted friend Lord Curzon, whose really affectionate feelings towards France, her history, literature and hopes, .were sometimes hidden under the mask of a Secret i u\v of State in the pursuance of his official duties. Hence, it is possible for us to seek after a general agreement without understanding each other through and through. We should remember the profound saying: 'Tout eompr<>!irudre e'est tout pardonner.' Since Ihe responsibility of knowing everything was not conferred upon us , poor mortals in the Garden of Eden, j we must often pardon much while un- J each other very little. ; ' A FALSE CHAKGE." "Thoie are, however, blunders much { more displeasing than crimes, which ' it is very difficult to pardon. Among Hie most flagrant of these stupid blunder I wish to make a point of holding to condemnation the false charge against the French nation that it in militaristic. In my capacity of

diplomatic representative I have the privilege to meet personally most of the leaders of the French Army, the,

Marshals and Generals whose names ! will resound for ever down the vast j corridors of the history of our times. It is among these illustrious soldiers that you have a desire to renew the conflict Marshall Foch will forgive me for recalling a meeting of the Conference of Ambassadors last Jan- | uary when our President, M. Ju.es I Cambon, talked to us with his usual 1 good sense and courtesy of our work. j in 1924 and his hopes for the com- ! Ing year. Then Marshal Foch spoke. | He said quite simply, 1 For my part I, like conferences and I don't like war.' I This frank announcement made some

of us nnile respectfully, but at the same time it expressed an undeniable truth. '•'ls it then, in political circles that |we shall look for this chauvinist • spirit. Here, again, being in a positI ion to as?ociate without prejudice I with the various political parties, I j make i»n absolute point of denying

the charge. It is likely to be true in the case of the: representatives of Haute Finance and industry whose business is virtually interested in the I mainte ir.nce of peace? Turn to the frontiers, and the devastated regi.nis. Do you believe that the victims of the Great War, busily engaged in repairing their noor ruins, contemplate a repetition ol ! the terrible times which they have been through? Is it not almost

us true to say that, in the Deportments which were more' fortunate in escaping the direct attack of the enemy, every peasant on his "way t" till the soil or tern! his vines, when he passes t.he modest cenotaph with its names and memories of those who died 'n France, registers a solemn oath tV.'t another conflict shall never Tie encouraged? "T have called this charge a stupid blunder; I would rather call it a wicked slander. It is' our task, by patience, moderation, and determination to see things as they are—not as Ave shoo Id ' lilce them to be —-bv firmness tempered with kindness and generosity tempered with wisdom, to help on the dev *bvI ment of the spirit of peace through.m'I the whole of Europe. Let us march to gethev towards this goal. I venture to think 'that n't this moment the linrw beginning to grow distiu f * f .ly bright-"'.'."