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Dexterous Auvergnat. This intrusion by Ethiopia with a plea for practical horse-trading went unnoticed by the world Press as editors ordered out their biggest headlines for the clash of British and Italian wills crystallized by Sir Samuel Hoare. He himself stepped to a Geneva microphone next night and surprisingly cried: "Let the air carry to Italy these words—that whatever bitter things may be said, they are the words of a real friend! . . . A settlement must be sought that will do justice alike to Ethiopia's national rights and Italy's claims for expansion."
This settlement in draft form was being quietly worked on by the League Committee of Five which last week seemed about to recommend that Italy receive the sort of control over Ethiopia now held by Britain over the nominally "free and independent" Kingdom of Irak. Geneva realists, aware that the British National Government of Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin faces a general election before long, considered Sir Samuel's speech in the nature of an electioneering harangue to British voters, 11,000,000 of whom have just signed a highly idealistic "peace ballot." French voters also must be harangued, and soon that olive-skinned Auvergnat, dexterous Premier Pierre Laval, mounted the Assembly rostrum. Eight minutes later, when he stepped down, M. Laval drew his arm in most friendly fashion through that of Italian Chief Delegate Baron Pompoe Aloisi and they strolled down the aisle together while editors were getting out such banner heads as: LAVAL PUTS FRANCE BEHIND LEAGUE; UNITY WITH BRITAIN ISOLATES ITALY; ROME STUNNED, MAY LEAVE GENEVA.
The actual words of M. Laval were a dexterous triple flirtation with 1) French pro-League sentiment, 2) the British Government and 3) Benito Mussolini. First he safely trumpeted: "The doctrine of collective security . . . remains and will remain the doctrine of France! The [League] Covenant endures as our international law!" Then, in a little noted passage, he said: "On Jan. 7 last, Premier Benito Mussolini and I, not only in the interests of our two countries but also for the peace of Europe, definitely settled all those things which might be able to divide us. . . . I have neglected nothing to prevent any blow from being struck at the new policy happily inaugurated between France and Italy."