New-York tribune., 1922-04-09
By Wilbur F orrest
PARIS, April 2.

IARtS, April Z.
HEN France and England
IN | seemed to have reached an
wv impasse in their relations
w few weeks ago-a period
= dangerous silence over divergent
.a..s regarding the proposed Genoa
..,-snc.--a youthful man arrived in
49,. and was admitted to the inner
.,,,u of the Quai d'Orsay-the
r..,ch Foreign Office. This man, who
.vould attract no special attention any
.b.re. appeared twice for secret con-
..r.,ces with Premier Poincare and
.hs, quietly left for London.
x.,,s dispatches from the British
.;.a, mentioned his presence there
~ the fact that he had called on
n,oyd George at 10 Downing Street.
u;tb;n twenty-four hours after his
..osorce had been noted in London he
hack in Paris. There was another
conference with NJ. Poincare. Twelve
h,urs more and it was announced that
How'd George and Poincare were in &C
,,,d---in principle the differences
vh;ch had created the AngIo-French
,.sdlock, and would meet in person to
,,,k matters over. They met few
1ovs later at Boulogne-surMer on the
French Channel coast.
Th. youngish man was DR.. Edward
B.nes. thirty-eight years old, of
p,.vue, Czecho-Slovakia.
pr. Benes is the youngest Prime
Minister in Europe; the political head
=, state of one of Europe's youngest
r.nublics. He is doctor of laws. Ex
,.,i.nced men of diplomatic affairs
and those long conversant with the
e-aft of craftsmanship who have, been
watching his career point him out as
ma Of the biggest statesmen of
Europe.
Youngest Prime Minister
Son of Bohemian Farmer
genes is the son of Bohemian farm
er and q political product of the Eu-
ronean war. He was thrown into at
tive political life when, as delegate to
the Paris peace conference, he put his
signature to treaty creating the free
and independent republic Of Czecho-
S,oyakia from a fragment of the old
Austro. Hungarian Empire. Within less
than four years he has advanced from
the position OF an exilec representative
of his country. even before it was ere
ated, to its political head of state and
n position in European affairs which is
unique. Aged statesmen of Europe see
in Benes the statesman of the future
and recognize his position not so much
for his personality as his accomplish
ments
Aside from Lloyd George, who has
often been called a political opportu
mist, Benes is perhaps the only states
man of Europe whose work stands out
prominently against the chaos which
postwar years. Benes is political
realist, and his record, though brief, in
Gicates that he has the ability to tackle
the tasks which have stumped the elder
wise men. According to students of
postwar Europe, it is realism, and not
dogmatism, that will save Europe.
Edward Benes, at the age of thirty,
was student at the University of
Prague and professor at the Academy
of Commerce. He was unknown except
TO his intimates, who recognized him
as the author of interesting ideas and
work in sociology and political physi-
ology. Previously to this he had studied
abroad at the Sorbonne In Paris, at
the University of Dion, where he took
a degree in law, assuming the title of
doctor at the age of twenty-five; in
London and Berlin.
Even before the Paris peace confer
ence in 1919, it was Benes. supported
by T. G. Masaryk-now President of
Czecho-Slovakia and we'll known in the
United States, who had been his
teacher and mentor in Prague Univer-
slty-who foresaw that number of
small states created out of the dis
membered Austro- Hungarian Empire
must either stand together in policy or
serve merely to enlarge the cockpit"
OF Europe, the neighboring Balkans.
Several meetings were held in Paris to
TINS end among Benes, Paschitch, of
Serbia; Jonescu, of Rumania, and Veni-
1eios, Of Greece, but they accomplished
Little except to plant the idea.
The Paris peace conference found
benes representing the interests of the
Czechs and Slovaks, and his diplomacy
here gained him the appointment as
orelgn Minister of Czecho-Slovakia
after that new republic had been born
cut OF treaty which Benes signed.
Here .reappearcd the unity idea in
which the new states of Czecho-Slo-
NaAla, JugoSlavia and the new and
greater Rumania combined their inter-
csts in the conference against the re-
ouced but still monarchistic Hungary.
Inc greater powers took cognizance
OF this new coalition, and when the