The Anglo-French Declaration The new Anglo-French understanding, if understanding is
the right term to apply to it, announced by Sir John Simon in the House of Commons on Wednesday, is a curious arrangement, and of very doubtful wisdom. Great Britain and France intend to exchange views with complete candour regarding various European questions and hope that other Governments will join them in this. Is this really an innovation ? They intend to work together and with other delegations at Geneva for a solution of the Disarmament question beneficial and equitable for all the Powers concerned. Rather a belated decision in the sixth month of the Disarmament Conference. They will co-operate with one another and other interested Governments in the preparation of the world economic conference. That surely went without saying once the Lausanne decision to call such a conference was announced. The fourth clause, whereby pending the conclusion of a new com- mercial treaty between them the two countries undertake to avoid any economic discrimination against one another, has real body in it. As for-the rest, with their obvious suggestion of sectional understandings within -the League of Nations, and even within the Committee on European Union, to which the Lausanne Powers referred several important questions, they are open to 'more objection than their authors may . have realized,
