Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JUNE 28, 1926 M. BRIAND AND THE LEAGUE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 28 June 1926, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JUNE 28, 1926 M. BRIAND AND THE LEAGUE

<o'L'HE Parisian journalists were premature in announcing the collaboration of MM. Briand and Poincare with a view to carrying on the government of France. At the eleventh hour, M. Poincare drew back, and what promised to be a strong combination was abandoned. M. Poincare’s place has been taken by M. Caillaux—a very different politician, but re puted to be “a wizard of finance.” It k less than a year ago that he tried to solve the problem of France’s financial stringency. But his solution, whatevei iL was—there have been so many different solutions put. forward that it is difficult to remember them —was ‘‘turned down” hv his colleagues almost before it was mentioned. What he will now propose, who can say? But direct taxation, whirls will reach the accumulations of hoarded wealth, seems to he the true solution, which however, no French Minister of Finance 1 as been hold enough to propose-. Will M. Cnillairc he bolder than his predecessors in office, and, if so. will the Chamber endorse his policy? M. Briand’s tenth Cabinet differs but little from hi.s ninth, except that- .it- depends for support more strongly upon the Left. Tf is at host a makeshift Cabinet, and M. Briand himself seems to regard it as such, since he is reported to have said that be proposes to resign, after the meeting of the League of Nations, next September. In fact, bis is a Government which exists for the primary purpose of reinstating France’s influence with the League, and the Centre and Left are anxious for AT. Briand to repair the League's prestige, which was damaged last Alarm, when the Assembly passed the following rer.n----lutio-n: —"The Assembly of !ho League regrets that the difficulties so far en. countered have not permit ted attainment of the result for which it was convened and expresses the hone that before the ordinary September Session these diffi c-ulties will be removed so as to run Inpossible at that Session the “idrv of Germany to the League of Nations. As an able writer on international polities has said. “World disarmament waits on European disarmament. European disarmament depends on adeounte gunianIres of national security- RocuriW waits on Locarno, and the Locarno agicement - do not come into force in their entirety until Germany has been admitted to the Le.i'V'.” B is fell hv those French political parties which are in sympathy with the nrincinlcs on which the League ivns founded, that M. Briand slmnh 1 velum to Geneva with a mandate from, the French Parliament to. ips : ' 4 Great Britain and., the other friends of France

to make the League what it was 'lvlen-.L cl to he—lhc all-powerful instrument ■•! peace in Europe and in tin* world. In the meantime a special Commission of I lie League’s Council has been given the task of devising means whereby the September Session of the Longue may be successful. This Commission is composed of representatives of the members of the Council and of other nations, namely, Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Ozecno-Slovakia, Brazil, Uruguay, Germany, Argentina, China, Holland, and Switzerland. Tt is understood that since the Commission was set up Brazil has resigned from the League. Since Brazil was the country which was foremost in causing disunion at the last meeting of the League, it looks as if the Commission has cleared the way for a- successful meeting next September. M. Brinnd therefore Is given an opportunity to return to Geneva with a view to finishing the \ orlc which lie undertook, with ' the co-operation nf Sir Austen Chamberlain, to carry into effect. Both these politicians arc responsible for the Locarno policy, which depends for its completion on tho admission of Germany to the League, and mi the free functioning of that body in (he interests of peace. M. Brinnd is best able to represent France’s aspirations io the League at the critical meeting next September. France’s welfare is bound up with the existence of the League, and the existence of the League is at stake; for it is -recognised that, if that body cannot function in the spirit of Locarno, its usefulness has passed, nirl it- is in danger of becoming merely a machine for promoting and perpetuating tlie selfish ambitions of individual na. tions.