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The square-shouldered Vandervelde signed next, without causing comment. But "A. Briand" was "fairly dashed into script." Mr. Baldwin signed "easily and casually." Sir Austen, however, created practically a sensation by "taking off the monocle, without which he is never seen . . . adjusting a pair of horn-rimmed spectacles and signing with a golden quill-pen presented to him by the British delegation to Locarno." Signor Scialoja signed with "an ordinary quill."*
The Rhineland Security Treaty was of course not signed by M. Benes or Count Skrzynski, since neither Czechoslovakia nor Poland participates in the pact to guarantee the peace of the Rhine frontier. When the Arbitration and Guarantee Treaties were passed around, however, they had an-opportunity to sign agreements which are expected to make the frontiers between their countries and Germany vastly more secure.
A Flourish. With the treaties properly signed, sealed and berib-boned,† the assembly was formally declared terminated by Sir Austen, but not until another round of speeches had been indulged in. M. Briand's address was the only one either greatly moving or notably significant. Rising to his full height, he cried: "At last the spirit of solidarity takes the place of that of distrust and suspicion. . . . Opposite me I behold the German delegates. That does not mean that I do not remain a good Frenchman! They are good Germans! But in the light of these treaties we are good Europeans only! . . . By and over our signatures we declare for peace."
Auditors opined that the adjective "good" has not previously been coupled with "German" by a Premier of France since a good while before the War. Auditor Winston Spencer Churchill, Chancellor of the Exchequer, was reported to have "listened with his hands folded over his stomach . . . smiling approvingly."
Later the genial Winston did his colleague Sir Austen the favor to "loan" him "No. 11 Downing,"** at which Sir Austen and Lady Cham- berlain proceeded to entertain the plenipotent signatories. A tea was likewise given to the delegates by the King and Queen at Buckingham. Elaborate festivities had originally been planned, but had to be abandoned on account of the Queen Mother's death.
The action of Mr. Foxen Cooper, "British Technical Adviser of Cine- matography," in permitting only a single cinema firm to photograph the signing of the Locarno Treaties, precipitated a furor of protest from rival firms. Mr. Cooper imperturbably remarked: "I am sure that this restriction was wisely adopted."
The British press in general declared that "much dignity was lost" to the assembly by letting in the camera men at all.
*They consist, as everyone knows, of: the Rhineland Security Treaty among Britain, France, Italy, Belgium and Germany ; the four identical Arbitration Treaties between Germany and each of her neighbors, France, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia: and the two identical Franco-Polish and Franco-Czechoslovakian Guarantee Treaties. For their summarized texts see TIME, Nov. 2.
†By T. R. Ybarra, New York Times man.