The Minister for Foreign Affairs, accompanied by Lady Chamberlain and. the other members of the British delegation, Walford Selby' ad the Legal Adviser to. the Office, left to-tay for Lugano, to tend the forthcoming meetings of the League of Nations.—Reuter, Lagano, Dee.
Persistent gloom has displaced the sunshine which usually prevails this famous beauty-spot and. the [pessimists who are in a majority, here, reward the bad weather unfavourable omen. They predict that the forthcoming Council of the League of Nations, particularly the Big Three," namely, Sir Austen Chamberlain, M. Briand and Dr. Stresemann, will not be very cessfal_in clarifying the international political atmosphere, which has been somewhat darkened by the Te-cent statements made by Sir Austen Chamberlain, the British Foreign French Foreign Minister, eoncernine the evacuation of the Rhineland and Reparations.
Dr. Stresemann, the German For a Minister, whom his Berlin opponents nickname the "Minister of Miusions," is reported to have detor~ mined to demand from M, Briand and Sir Austen Chamberlain a clear-cut statement on both matters.
Me will emphasize Article 431 of the Treaty of Versailles which stipulates for the immediate evacuation of the Rhineland if, before the expiration of fifteen years, Germany complies with all the undertakings. resulting from the Treaty, Dr. Stresemann has already conferred privately: and separately with the British and French Forelien Ministers.
Later.
Briand, accompanied by his Professor Fynard, conferred for an hour with Dr. Strese= mann, the German Poreign Minister, at the latter's hotel to-day.
French circles were reticent in, roland to the subjects discussed, but members of the German delegation declared that the interview wax very friendly. It related, they said, to items on the agenda of the Couneit of the Leacue of Nations and als to "kencral political questions" digubtless 1 reference to the evacun= tion of the Rhineland and Reparations.
The conversations will tinued, MI Briand destined to make a statement after the conference. He Subsequently: the French Forcigen Minister visited Sir Austen Cham~ berlain, with whom, however, he had only ten minutes' conversation to the lateness of the hour.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.