As regards the Optional Clause, M. Briand said that those
who put law over war must expect the law some- times to go against them. France had just had such an experience in the matter of the Free Zones. That might be a subject of regret to France, but it could not be a matter of shame. The most misguided form of talk was to say that an adverse decision meant humili- ation. We may add here that M. Briand gave a luncheon afterwards for the discussion of his idea of a " United States of Europe," and that Mr. Henderson, who took part in the discussion, laid it down as an essential principle that no European union should be directed in any way against America or against any other country or group of countries. That is to say, the idea of a Free Trade unit protected from the rest of the world by an unscaleable tariff wall is ruled out.
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