THE BIGGEST MAN IN EUROPE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19218, 8 July 1924, Page 8

THE BIGGEST MAN IN EUROPE.

“My own impression is that Europe is honestly and sincerely seeking to find some escape from all the immediate threats of conflict,” says Mr Frank 11. Simonds, in a recent issue of the American Review of Reviews. “France is no longer a barrier to such a settlement, Franeo-British misunderstandings are, I am certain, destined to be reduced if not eliminated by tht MacDonald policy and the amazing patience and tact of the Labour Prime Minister. Only Germany remains obscure and perhaps hesitating between two courses, one of which, while insuring the denial of peace to the Continent and bringing disaster to all neighbours of Germany, will mean complete ruin for the Gorman himself Tor myself, speaking quite frankly, I believe MacDonald is the most potent single *oro© in tho European situa-tion. IT©, is a man of character, ability, infinite patience, and a total absence of politician s tricks and devices, accompanied by a supremo contempt for them. He will not seek to keep in office at Homo by some cosily triumph of a personal sort over u French Premier, at the cos tot alienating a whole nation., lie will not seek to pratify personal pride and petty spile, as is charged against his predecessor in the Toreign Office. MacDonald is, too, in the larger sense, the first now man since the war, the first big man. of any considerable European country, ignoring Mussolini, who is not a factor in Europe, despite Ins preeminence at home, largely because Europe and Britain, and France in particulai, will not take him seriously in foreign aftairs. MacDonald is neither submerged by war nor by post-war commitments. lie has a free hand, an open mind, and, again speakyg personally and on the basis of several conversations with him, ho seems 'bo biggest statesman I have seen in Em ope, 00-taiiily since the retirement of Olcmenccau. Europe is coming more and more to regard the Labour Premier u,s perhaps, the best and the single possible leader toward a real adjustment. And the sense of this fact at Home has enormously shaky MacDonald and bis otherwise Government.