Dec. 17, M. Georges Bonnet, French Foreign Minister, in a speech before the Foreign Affairs] Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, has made the position of his government on two important points perfectly clear, and there cannot now be any possibility of further misunderstanding. In reply to Mr. Neville Chamberlain's recent remark that "Our relations with France are so close as to go) beyond mere legal obligations as they are! founded on an identity of interests," Mi. Bonnet, has clearly set forth the position of his own country. "I declare in the name of thei French Government that all the forces of!
France would immediately and spontaneously be utilized for the defence of Great Britain' in the event of unprovoked aggression." This emphatic reaffirmation of Anglo-French solidarity is of paramount importance, clearly defining the position of the two Powers for the general enlightenment of the world, and: involving implications which should not be without some influence upon political trends in the Far Enst. It was indeed only to be expected that this would be the case, but the speech is interesting as placing on record that recent attempts to drive a wedge between the two countries have failed, and) further that by reason of this clarification, undeniable bonds have undoubtedly been tightened. That is all to the good, for the removal of any uncertainty in this respect] may prove to be one of those factors tending! towards peace, which it is claimed was absent in 1914 owing to the alleged ambiguity of Great Britain's position with regard to Belgium. Their community of interests, and the democratic ideals, of which the two] nations are thi chief champions in Europe today, make it imperative that they should
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