A PARIS LETTER.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18164, 31 October 1930, Page 2

A PARIS LETTER.

EUROPEAN FEDERATION. M. BRIAND AND THE LEAGUE. (From a Correspondent). PARIS, September 7. Next week’s meeting of the League, *o far as French opinion is concerned, is practically synonymous with the discussion or M. Briand’s scheme of European Federation. As author of the plan, the French Foreign Minister in spite of the somewhat reserved character of a good many of the ie plies to his Memorandum, is naturally hopeful that the next few weeks wall see a definite advance towards the practical development of his idea. A great deal he certainly does not expect from his first discussion, but he would be surprised and disappointed if Geneva did not produce a general approval of further action in the matter and probably the constitution of ■some body to examine more closely the establishment of a Federation of European Stales. . . Public expressions of opinion muse, however, have made it clear to everyone concerned that European Federation is a matter in which it behoves the French ' Government to walk warily. For while the Left. would like to believe that the objections formulated to the scheme abroad will melt away at the first breath of M. Briand’s eloquence, the parties which constitute M. Tardieu’s strongest hacking are extremely crilical, and wall certainly be on the look-out for the slightest sign of anything that can be interpreted as a surrender of French 1 rights. From this point of view the dissolution of the Reichstag in July has certainly been disadvantageous for M. Briand. . Electoral speeches in Germany, with their reiterated demands for Treaty revision, have only served to strengthen French suspicions of Germany’s political aims. Taken in conjunction with the text of the German reply to Mr Briand’s Memorandum, the fear of the Moderates and Right in France is that, simplv in order to make possible his idea of European Federation, the French Foreign Minister may be prepared to make concessions to Germany imcompatible with French rights under the Treaty. Repeated statements in the Press that the foreign policy of M. Tardieu and of M. Briand is identical have not allayed these suspicions, nor has the announcement that the report which M. Briand will make at Geneva, regarding this scheme has received the approval of the whole Government. Delegation to Geneva. Cabinet approval of a document of this nature was only natural. It came, however simultaneously with the news of an innovation which M. Tardieu is - introducing into the constitution' of this year’s Delegation to the League. Hitherto, France’s representatives have always included members of the Left, some of whom—the Socialist M. Paul Boncour, for instance—have frequently taken a leading part in the discussions. Whatever Government 'has been in power, M. Loucheur, too has been until this year one of France’s regular spokesmen. But M. Tardieu has changed all this. Apart from certain experts, he has decided that only, those people shall speak for France at Geneva who are members of the Government. The latter thereby becomes definitely responsible for any policy advocated by France at the '-.-..League. Like all innovations, this change of method has sorely displeased some in- ’ fluentlal politicians who, It is rumoured, would like to make M. Tardieu pay dearly for his new-fangled notions when the Chamber reassembles and the political ground becomes slippery under the Government’s feet. Such future eventualities do not, however, worry - M. Tardieu, who is evidently anxious to scotch any possibility of a charge that France was running :> simultaneously two policies at Geneva, as has sometimes been suggested in the past in consequence of the heterogeneous political character of the French Delegation. The Grand Manoeuvres. The discussion which is now occupying military minds, as to whether or not the new French Army organisation, with its one year's service, is able to provide an army capable of defending France’s frontiers pending the mobilisation of the reseryes, makes specially. interesting the manoeuvres which are in progress this, , week. Manoeuvres there have been, of course, every year since the war. But since 1918 never before on so large a scale. The beginning of the w-eek saw a preliminary canter along the Italian frontier, when amid t'he scenery of the high Alpine region on the French side of the Mont Cenis some 18,000 Alpine troops were for three days engaged in mi mid attack upon and defence of the town of Modane. The Grand Manoeuvres, however, began on Thursday in Lorraine, and until next Wednesday the country be- . tween.- Metz and Luneville will be alive with the 45,000 troops which, under Generals Mittelhauser and Duffleux, are respectively mimicking . a force covering the concentration of a strong army round Metz, and play--1 ing the part of an army trying to break through v tliis “couverture" from the direction of the Vosges. The scheme is therefore very realistic as representing what might happen were France to-be invaded from the East, and it is being executed on ground that was, in _fact, fought over at the beginning of The war. With the demand for increased credits for equipment and a controversy about tiie respective merits of conscripts and professional armies this year’s manoeuvres are arousing more than usual interest . Large as is the number of troops ’engaged the operations would have been on a still larger scale had it not been for the epidemic of infantile paralysis which has affecting the Eastern provinces of France. Costes and Bellonte. But for the, last few days it is neither military matters nor politics that have interested the French public. Since Monday only one thing—the flight of Costes and Bellonte—has mattered. “Cosies telephones to his Wife”; “Costes is congratulated by the President of the Republic”—these and similar headings have been staring out from the Paris newspapers and submerging all others news. For Costes and Bellonte are the heroes of the hour, while on Mme. Costes and Mme. Bellonte falls a.good share of reflected glory. The enthusiasm for the success of the two airmen has been immense, and all the greater perhaps because it is looked upon as a satisfactory set-off to Germany’s achievements with her Zeppelin. Luck . Costes certainly had in the way of Weather. But lie was taking no chances; He was determined to succeed. and for months every detail of the Question Mark and its prospective voyage had been thought out by himself and his navigator Bellonte. It is in fact largely as a triumph of preparation that I lie Jligli l is interpreted, while Hie minute care spent on all details by the two aviators is held

up as a lesson to all their fellows. Glory alone doe? not come to Costes and Bellonte as the result of their achievement. In prizes, contracts of all kinds, cinema and exhibition rights, and similar payments they arc due, so it is reckoned, to received about £400,000. How much of this, however, will lie left Lo tiiem by Hie time that the income-tax officials have had their fill remains to he seen. Should I hey exact their .full pound of flesh, the, French tax-collectors- —not lo mention Ihe American—could alone demand, it is calculated, nearly half the total sum.