“U.S. OF EUROPE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 714, 13 July 1929, Page 9

“U.S. OF EUROPE”

BRIAND'S FEDERATION DREAM KEEN INTEREST ROUSED CAustralian and 3T.Z. Press Association) PARIS, Friday. Much discussion has arisen concerning a scheme, attributed to M. Aristide Briand, the French Foreign Minister, for forming the “United States of Europe.” It is reported that he hopes to lay the foundation-stone of his plan at the League of Nations Assembly in September. It is recalled that when M. Briand welcomed Germany into the League he declared that that was really the beginning of the United States of Europe. The idea has since been germinating in his mind, and has developed into a scheme for an economic federation of Europe, followed later by a political federation. Visionary though it appears to be at present, the idea seems to have taken root on the Continent. Tt is argued that the innumerable tariff walls of the Old World tend to keep Europe economically feeble compared w'ith the United States, whose proposed large increase in tariffs has given an impetus to the new movement. M. Briand has not yet disclosed his scheme in detail. Everybody seems to realise the difficulty of carrying out the project without the support of Britain, which has made no response whatever. It is said in Berlin political circles that Germany would undoubtedly welcome a closer European understanding in the sphere of tariffs and economic co-operation generally, provided that it was not directed against Britain or the United States.