Herr Stresemann spoke moderately on Friday and was well received.
He announced that Germany would sign the optional clause of the statute for the Permanent Court a International Justice, recognizing the Hague jurisdiction as eompulsory upon signatories. On Saturday M. Briand Contributed nothing but friendliness and good humour all round. Then Sir Austen Chamberlain made a speech of first-rate importance, with which we deal in a leading article. He put the case of Great Britain with complete frankness. He recalled what this country has done for peace, security and disarmament. He neatly hinted at the likeness between some of the preparations for security and the old preparations for war, and using the simile of a house and a tomb, said that the difference lay in the doors and windows and passages of a house, just what could be stopped up by rigid obligations and sanctions when called " gaps " and " fissures " in the building. He asked other nations to do as we have done in doing more work and taking greater risks for the pur- poses of the League and of Peace, but not to seek to lay upon us greater burdens than we could bear. Our present guarantees given in Western Europe were terrific respon- sibilities and we could carry no more.
