M. Briand, the French Premier,. made an important and.. reassuring
speech on: U.pper Silesia in the Chamber on Tuesday. As for the plebiscite, he said that the British Commissioner's' proposed'boundary between the Polish and German zones would give Poland only 194,179 out of the 479,000 electors who had voted for her rule. The French troops had tried to calm the excited Poles; disturbed by false. and malicious rumours, but. were too few. in numbers. While the Polish. Government had closed the frontier, German volunteers had entered Upper Silesia and fought the Poles. M. Briand said that he had. warned the German Ambassador. that Germany must disarm her vohmteers and closethe.frontier, or the situation would become. more dangerous. Germany had complied with. his demand, for "there was forte behead the words." In reply to his critics„ M. Briand.eaid that his duty was. tomaintain agreement with the. Allies. If France alone, had occupied the Ruhr valley, she would. have shattered the alliance. "In the present world. oriels no people could_ live isolated." The keystone of his policy, M. Briand said, was. "to maintain the splendid union. of the war, fir the interestaaemuch.of -Great Britain as of_France."
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