Evening star., 1937-12-12
By CONsTANTINE BROWN.

n YOBODY these days envies the man
nj responsible for the foreign affairs
Of his country. But among these
q " unenviable high officials Yvon
Delbos, foreign minister Of the French Re-
public, is most to be pitied. He has been
sent on . dimcult and somewhat hu-
still called the ittle. Entente.
He has been compelled to face, without
blushing, the ironical smiles Of Col. Beck,
Poland's foreign minister; of Premier
Tatarescu Of Rumania and Stoyadinovic
Of Yugoslavia, and to look into the sad,
baleful eyes Of President Benes and Premier
Hodza Of Czechoslovakia.
What Delbos had to tell these men who
for the last 20 years have been fed on a
weekly menu Of France will always stand
by her alliances and will not tolerate any
infringements Of the treaties which were
sealed with the blood Of her sons and her
allies" was this: Gentlemen you know
that We like you. You know that we are
devoted to you and your cause. But you
also know that we and our dear allies, the
British, are the only remaining pillars Of
peace. We must save Europe from another
bath Of blood. Consequently, I am here
to tell you that you must not be surprised
If you see US making certain concessions to
Hitler and his associates. Furthermore,
must ask you to make some concessions
yourselves to the Germans, for the same
cause OF saving Europe from another wal" )"
And these concessions are, briefly. the with
drawal Of opposition to the reunion Of
Austria with Germany and q liberalization
Of the Czechoelovak constitution to give the
3,500,000 Germans who live within that
territory complete political and educational
autonomy.
How It Happened.
How Yvon DelboS came to make these
suggestions, how it came about that he was
sent to feel out the reaction of the Central
and Southeastern European states is as
follows:
The Anglo-French conversations ended
on November 80 with Q communique issued
in London by Chautemps, Delbos, Chamber
lain, Eden and Lord Halifax. That COM
muEiQue, like all such diplomatic docu-
ments, was full Of high-sounding sentences,
but said nothing. It was not hard to learn
from the French themselves, however, that
the new rising star in the British diplo-
matte sky, Lord Halifax, had impressed his
chief with Hitler's determination Of pur-
pose. He told Chamberlain that Hitler
means every word he says and when he
talks about Germany's place in the sun
it is not an empty expression.
Halifax prides himself on q great diplo-
matte success. When he arrived at Berch-
tesgaden he found Der Fuehrer considering
colonies as problem No. l. When he left
the Chancellor's retreat in the Bavariar
Alps, colonies had dropped to nth place
Soon after his return to London he ant
crestfallen Foreign Secretary Eden wer,
received by Prime Minister Chamberlain
And Halifax advised the best business mar
who has ever headed = British cabinet
"Give the Germans free hand in Central
Europe and they will have their hands SC
full that they won't have time to think
about colonies-for . while"
More Tory Than Eden.
Carefully, yet not spectacularly dressed
cold. impassive, Lord Halifax is the essence
of what is called an English gentleman
He is and looks the part. Tall, with some
what Tapping ears and cheeks like slices OF
fresh salmon, he represents the British
Tory more than Eden does. Halifax Is well
born. He is the son of Lord Courtney, who
at one time, was one Of the leading laymen
of the High Church of England. He is q
sportsman and, although his left arm and
leg are pAralyzed, he IS perfect shot And
he buys his port wine direct from the Por-
tuguese government, which has inherited
the famous cellars of the former reigning
house Of Braganza.
Although Halifax has been In politics fo1
26 years, he has never before made the
front page Of . newspaper. He is SO strong
q believer in royal commissions Of investi-
cation that . colleague once observed: III
the end Of the world were announced, Hail.
fax would Immediately demand an investi.
CATION to ascertain the frame Of mind Of the
Almighty Himself"
He personally ascertained the frame oi
mind Of Hitler and Goering. The latter h
liked better Together they swappet
stories about big game shooting, lions, wilt
boars, Czechoslovakia and Austria.
With Hitler he made less headway. Ir
matters of light talk, Der Fuehrer spoke
about Wagner's operas, primitive painter.
and other such subjects Of which his lord.
ship had only q perfunctory knowledge.
Central Europe or Colonies.
But on the question OF colonies ana the
Central European situation they under.
stood each other. Halifax, q Tory, prides
himself on being liberal conservative. Al
such, he Is chiefly concerned with the
empire and has less than an academic in.
terest in anything east Of the Rhine or thu
Alps. He understood Hitler's attitude
Goering had been . helpful coach. He
recognized that If Great Britain and France
were less determined in the maintenance
Of the status quo in Central Europe, the
German leaders would be less loud in their
demands for colonies. After all, any good
Britisher would rather yield territory con.
tanning large German, or German-speak.
ing, population than African territories
over which the British flag has been flying
for the last 10 years.