NEWS OF THE WEEK.
BY far the most important event of the week was M. Herriot's meeting with Mr. MacDonald at Chequers on Saturday and Sunday last. An official communiqué was issued from the Foreign Office, which told us that the Dawes Report was discussed, that the views of the two Prime Ministers were found to be in general accord, but that no definite conclusion " could, of course, be arrived at pending a consultation with the Belgian and Italian Governments." Two decisions, however, were taken : first, that a Conference of all the Allies should be held not later than the middle of July for the purpose of " definitely settling the procedure to be adopted," and, secondly, that the two Prime Ministers should " pay a brief visit to the League of Nations at the beginning of the session in September." This communique and Mr. MacDonald's brief statement in the House of Commons on Monday are the only official accounts offered by the British Government. In his statement in the House of Commons Mr. MacDonald certainly added something to the official communique. He told us that the American Government was to be invited to the Inter-Allied Conference. America will no doubt pursue her policy of being represented unofficially by an " observer." But it would be an advantage and a new step forward if the American Ambassador in London also took part in the Conference.
