6 JANUARY 1923, Page 9

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

As we write the fate of the Paris Conference, and therefore of co-operation and diplomatic sympathy between France and Britain, hangs by a thread. The adjourned COnference, which is sitting as we go to press on Thursday afternoon, will decide whether it will be possible to discover any means of reconciling the evi- dently opposed schemes of the British and French Governments, or whether, if such a plan cannot be found at once, it will be possible to continue the search and at least postpone to the very latest moment an actual breakdown. We give later a detailed summary of the British proposals. To discuss them at this moment is, however, useless. The course of events might render our comments vain. But we may express our reasons for not despairing in spite of the apparent hopelessness of the situation.