UNITED EUROPE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 241, 10 September 1929, Page 7

UNITED EUROPE

FEDERATION OF STATES. FRENCH PREMIER’S SCHEME. PROPOSAL FOR THE LEAGUE. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) LONDON, Sept. 9. The League delegates at Geneva are somewhat embarrassed by the idea of the Federated States of Europe, which M. Briand is adumbrating. Practically all the delegates prefer to lie low and say nothing. By the irony of history the plan for the United States of Europe, which M. Briand is expected to disclose to a conference of delegates on Monday or Tuesday, is one which was discovered; during the war, among papers owned by M. Caillaux, and which led to the ex-Prime Minister being charged with treason.

M. Briand is anxious that the idea should be discussed, though several Foreign Ministers at the present time are inclined to oppose the creation of a definite political bond between European States, but will welcome a provisional or temporary understanding governing tariffs. Hon. William Graham, President of the British Board of Trade, has strong ideas on this subject of tariffs.

Much discussion arose in Paris a few weeks ago concerning M. Briand’s scheme for the formation of the United States of Europe. It was reported that M. Briand hoped to lay the foundation stone of the scheme at the present League Assembly. It was recalled that when he welcomed Germany into the League, M. Briand declared that this was really the beginning of the United States of Europe. The idea had since been germinating in his inind and developed into a scheme for the economic federation of Europe, followed later by a political federation. A Paris message dated July 12 stated that the scheme appeared to have taken root on the Continent. It was argued that the Old World’s innumerable tariff walls tended to keep Europe economically feeble compared with the United States, whose proposed big increase in tariffs had given an impetus to the new movement.