(4 of 5)
World Reaction. Skepticism and indifference to the more idealistic propositions of Scot MacDonald and M. Briand was the predominant reaction of the world press. In the U. S. A., favorable comment on the chances of achieving a ''U. S. of Europe" was so meagre that famed French Poet-Ambassador Paul Claudel felt obliged to remind: "M. Briand was the man who let fly over the world that winged phrase 'outlawry of war,'*and now he is throwing over the troubled waters of international relations this other phrase 'the U. S. of Europe.'"
At London the press reaction to Mr. MacDonald's speech was on strictly party lines—Labor enthusiastic, Liberal papers lukewarm, Conservative organs openly hostile. Thus was broken—inevitably, perhaps—the united support of virtually the whole British press which the Labor Cabinet enjoyed while Chancellor Snowden was battling at The Hague for more "sponge cake" (see col. 3).
There was highly premature talk in London that the popular crippled Chancellor may one day replace Scot MacDonald as leader of the Labor Party. Attacking the Prime Minister tooth and nail the Conservative Morning Post said:
"It does not please Englishmen that a British Prime Minister. should stand up in a foreign country and propose to put his own country under the authority of an international court. Nor does it please Englishmen that a British Prime Minister should make public proposals for weakening the British Navy. On the contrary, there is growing alarm."
French papers of the Right sharply criticised both Messrs. MacDonald and Briand, but those of the Left were broadly enthusiastic. In Rome the Fascist attitude was scornful indifference to all such internationalist prattle. Tokyo was interested only in how soon the U. S. and Britain will strike hands in naval agreement, with predictions suggesting considerable delay.
Palace. There was laid the cornerstone of the new $5,000,000 "League Palace" which will eventually house both the Assembly and the Secretariat in an imposing building overlooking Lake Leman. At present the Assembly sits in the mouldy old Salle de la Reformation (once a church), blocks distant from the equally mouldy Secretariat (once a hotel).
Work Done. Though the League Assembly week passed chiefly in harkening to paeans of idealism the following work was done:
¶ The Pact of Paris was deposited with the League Secretariat by Prime Minister