2 APRIL 1932, Page 2

M. Tardieu's Visit

The main purpose, no doubt, of the French Prime Minister's -visit to London is to discuss the Danubian 'plan, but it must be remembered that a meeting between M. Tardicifs predecessor, M. Laval, and Mr. MaeDoludd was contemplated before the projected Lausanne Con- ference in January, and them was always every prospect of Franco-British contact being established before the reparation discussions, now fixed for June, took place.

• All such personal -contacts arc to the good, and Mr. MacDonald, at any rate, will be fully alive to the danger of allowing any idea of a concerted Franco-British plan regarding either the Danubian question or reparations to gain currency. On both questions, as on all questions of European importance, there must be full agreement between the four Great Powers—Britain, France, Italy and Germany—if anything of value is to be achieved. The talk, therefore; between M. Tardieu and his Finance Minister, M. Flandin, and various British Ministers can no more than be tentative and exploratory. As such it may serve a very useful purpose. After that the meeting of the four Powers on the Danubian situation should follow quickly, for any action to be taken must be taken without delay. Since the four Powers cannot act over the heads of the five Danubian States concerned, and may need to be in immediate contact with them, the most obvious place of meeting is Geneva, -where the resumption of the Disarmament Conference will once more assemble the statesmen of the world on April 11th.

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