A solution at Geneva was not impossible, asserted M. Louis Barthou, the French Foreign Minister, during the course of a debate on' foreign policy in the Chamber of Deputie:
He added that he had promised Mr. Arthur Henderson, President of the Disarmament Conference, his help. No issue was closed, but the French policy remained the same, namely, disarmament and equality of rights coupled with securlly.—Reuter 'M, Earthou Explains Paris, May 26. "You want, to know the French Government's' attitude on the possibility of the U.SSR's admittance to the League of Nations? Your question does not embarrass me in the least!" said M. Louis Barthou, French Foreign Minister, yesterday before the Chamber in answer to the interpellation of M, Chasselgne, a Socialist deputy, concerning France's relations with' Poland and the USSR.
consider," M, Barthou went on, "that the USS.R's admittance to the League of Nations would be an important event and, being a lover of peace, I may say that it would be of great Importance for peace. In Warsaw, as well as in Geneva, I spoke and acted in this sense, What else do you want me to say?
"The question as to what will be France's attitude when Soviet Russia asks for a permanent seat in the League of Nations, is indiscreet," the Foreign Minister added, "indiserevt because it is premature, and because. Poland has priority in' the matt over the USSR. For was it not the late M, Briand himself who maintained before the League Council the' necessity of granting Poland a permanent seat?" What you want to know is what our attitude will be three months hence, Do. you really believe that the opposition between the two demands is so irreducible that it will be impossible to find some solution or other? I can only say that France's policy inclines toward closest possible relations with Soviet Russia and that, in the course of my recent conversations with M. Maxim Litvinoff, Soviet Foreign Commissar, we discussed the conditions of USSR, admittance to the League of Nations, Continuing his speech, M, Barthou said that Franco will remain faithful to the policy upholding Austria's dependence which is necessary for: the peace of Central Europe and ho. stressed the point that Poland was' France's great friend and ally and. that his recent trip to Warsaw contributed much towards a Russo-
Polish rapprochement, He recalled the enthusiastic reception accorded him in Prague, adding that his Warsaw voyage confirmed the 1921 alliance between France and Poland, 'M, Barthow also informed the Chamber of his intention shortly to vis Rumania and Jugoslavia, saying that all misunderstandings, if any, will be cleared away during this' trip, On the subject of disarmament, the Foreign Minister said he was following the policy of his predeces sors, aiming at disarmament ani equality of rights in security. France, however, cannot ignore German semi-military formations and agree to disarm so long as the Reich is rearming. He said that France's note of April 17 to Great Britain reiterates the standpoint that the Geneva Conference must result in disarmament' and not in legalization of re-armament in violation of treaties. Neither the League's door nor that of the) Disarmament Conference, however, are closed. The French Government remains faithful to the peace cause in its Mdelity to the League of Nations, While dwelling on the question of the Saar plebiscite, M. Barthou said it was "absolutely necessary. to respect the freedom of voters and prided himself on having refused to) Teave the Saar population at the mercy of reprisals, by not abandoning the rights conferred upon France by existing treaties.
The Minister said that he informed Baron Aloisi (Italy), chairman the League Preparatory Committee for the Saar Plebiscite, that he would not be satisfied with Germany's solemn promise concerning the freedom of vole. He then deplored the fact that Germany had refused in advance to accept any proposals the League of Nations concerning the plebiscite vote.
In conclusion, M. Barthou affirmed that no Frenchman wants war ant said that France will do her utmost to and will avoid it, remaining' faithful to her alliances' and friendships Tt is not impossible, he said, for France and Tlaly to' agree on a definite entente cordiale.
'Nor have, relations with Great Britain cooled and France is far' from being isolated, he concluded.—Have
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