5 APRIL 1930, Page 2

France Ratifies the Young Plan Some remarkable declarations by M.

Tardieu last Sunday, when the Chamber ratified the Young Plan by five hundred and twenty-seven votes to thirty-eight, suggest that the required break-away from the idea of military force is already beginning in the French mind. M. Tardieu, replying to a question about the position of France. in ttre event of wilful default by Germany, admitted (a) that,. if the Hague Court declared a wilful default, no action would be taken by France except in agreement with the Council of the League ; (b) that, in any case, although Article 430 of the Peace Treaty still existed juridically.,. there would be no question of re-occupying the Rhineland ; and (c) that, even if Germany after a wilful default should refuse to obey the award of an Arbitral Tribunal, France's freedom of action would not include any military action, " because France has signed the Kellogg Pact and intends to observe it." We agree with the correspondent of the Manchester Guardian that nothing so hopeful has happened since the signature of the Treaty of Versailles, * * * *