M. DeImmo, the French Premier, delivered in the Senate on
Tuesday a still more decided speech. He declared that in the Fashoda affair the end to be attained by defying Great Britain was altogether disproportionate to the effort which would have had to be made, and affirmed that of late French foreign policy had achieved many successes. in the Shanghai affair, for example, and many others of which Englishmen have scarcely heard. In conclusion, he vigorously denounced the Nationalists, " that party which we have seen for two years prosecuting the most de- testable of campaigns, distorting facts, bent on persuading the country that it is being humiliated, systematically vilify. ing or ignoring the results obtained, attributing to the Government designs never thought of by it, accusing it of refusals which it has never given, and all the more cynical in its assertions as it knows the Government to be too sensible of its duty to confront it with contradictions which would be indiscretions." The Senators warmly applauded the speech, and by a vote of 189 to 39, delivered on the following day, and therefore after reflection, ordered that it should be placarded in all the communes of France. The incident is a pleasing one, but everything that occurs suggests to cool observers that the nerves of Frenchmen are on edge, and that when the Exhibition is over there will be stormy scenes. Between April and September, however, much water will have run under the bridge.
Previous page
