Paris, July 13.
With the sole exception of Great Britain, ai! European countries have now replied to -M. Briand's mem. oran dur: proposing the creation of a Pan-European Federation and although the prospects for the early realization of the scheme remain rather nebulous, it is now safe to say that' yet another step will be taken towards that end, namely the holding of a convention of the European Powers either before of immediately after the September session of the League of Nations Assembly.
In this respect itis noteworthy that alth "agh the replies given by the Powers vary regarding the degree of their enthusiasm, none of those hithert> heard from rejects Mf. Briand's proposal outright and is not expected that Great Britain, although the tenor of her reply will undoubtedly: be reserved, will form an exception. On the other hand only a few of the replies so far received are without reservations which in effect put nearly insurmountable barriers in the way of M, Briand's proposed unity.
Thus I: aly insisted on the inclusion of Turkey and Soviet Russia in the negotiations and furthermore declared that before the scheme could be put into practice the last distinetion between the conquering and the conquered nations in the last war must be wiped out and that all nations, small and big, must receive equal consideration, Moreover, Italy took the occasion to raise the disarmament issue, complaining that M. Briand's memorandum failed to take it up either directly or implicity although without the solution of this problem the Federation cou! not be formed or would remai without any practical value, Italy furthermore insisted that the proposed Pan-European Federation tmiust not be modelled along the lines of the League of Nations because otherwise it would jeopardize the work of the League.
"An Incarnation of Cynicism"
Paris, July 8.
Holy's reply to Foreign Minister Briand's memorandum—proposing the creation pf a Pan-Ewropean Federation has evoked bitter com: ments in the French Press.
"LiGuvre" characterizes the Italian note as "an incarnation of cynicism and ambiguity' while "Lo Matin" declares that unless Italy moderates her proposals. in the forthcoming discussions Geneva. her attitude, will hamstring: the realization of the Pan-European project.
The newspapers unanimously reject the Italian proposal that. Tur-Key and Soviet Russia should be invited to join the discussion an furthermore violently oppose the Italian thesis that disarmament These and sinvlar reservations and fears recur in almost every one of the replies so far received, Germany's too, while as yet unpublished, is understood to suggest indirectly' that Turkey and Soviet-Russia ought to be invited on the ground that to omit these states is in itself a negation of Europe solidarity, Regarding the British reply which will probably be presented to-morrow, Monday, it is understood that Downing Street at first intended to send merely a non-committal acknowledgment but was, later on, persuaded by M. Briand himself to reply at length. Thus political circles here admit that the Foreign Minister's course will be far from easy and that Geneva will probably see a complete deadlock over the idea of a Pan-European Federation.—Trans-Ocean Kuo Min, must be the chief tenet of a Europ-can Federation, insisting that the solution of the disarmament pro-diem depends on the solution of the question of secuvity—Trans-Ocean-Kuo Min,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.