THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS: Auspicious Week

• Share

(2 of 3)

"The Divine Architect of the World has not created mankind as a homogeneous whole. He has made nations of the different races. . . .

"But it cannot be the purpose of a divine world order that men should direct their supreme national energies against one another, thus ever thrusting back the general progress of civilization. ..."

Herr Stresemann's further words served to recall that the Locarno Pacts (TIME, pet. 26, 1925) come automatically into force with the admission of Germany to the League. Thus security has been guaranteed at last in Western Europe by a regional agreement of which the League is an integral part and which is specifically backed by Great Britain. As Herr Stresemann stepped from the Tribune a cheer rose, full-throated, pregnant with the hope of lasting peace.

Golden Words. As the Assembly quieted Aristide Briand, Foreign Minister of France, ascended theTribune. He it was who with Herr Stresemann and Sir Austen Chamberlain drafted and signed the pacts of Locarno. Radiant, triumphant, Latin, he sent his great cello voice booming out over the Assembly. Time and again he turned to Herr Stresemann with outstretched hand and spoke to him as though to the whole German people. Tears and laughter welled from the Assembly and galleries at his will. Sir Philip Gibbs, no unsophisticated news-gatherer, pronounced the great oration of M. Briand last week the finest he had ever heard.

M. Briand cried:

"Away with rifles, machine guns and cannon! Make way for peace!

"Gentlemen, today means peace. Germany and France are here to say: 'C'est fini!' (It is finished!) The series of bloody wars with which all the pages of our history are stained—that is finished. The war between Germany and France —finished! No more wars between us. No more brutal efforts to settle our differences. . . . Henceforth it is the judge who will decide. We are going before the courts to settle our troubles.

"As the crow flies, Locarno is not far from Geneva, but the road has not been an easy one. If it is true that faith moves mountains Dr. Stresemann and I are glad that there were not any more mountains between Locarno and Geneva.

"The fact that you Germans and we French are now here together in this Assembly speaking the same words of optimism, does not mean that all of our differences have been removed. Both Dr Stresemann and myself know what they are. But now we shall confront them in a new spirit which guarantees us against another conflict. . . .

"If, as Dr. Stresemann says there is a divine plan in which war has no place, he must admit that in the past this sometimes has been lost sight of. Let us hope that the divine plan will now be carried out,

"Arbitrage—that word has nov all its prestige and all its force Treaties of arbitration follow one another. One people after another promises not to fight any more.

"That is the spirit which the League of Nations is spreading and that is why peoples should aid and protect the League.

"With the League, peace. Without the League, risks of bloody war.