Evening star., 1937-02-18
ENVOY OF FRANCE
REACHES CAPITAL
Bonnet Called Most Impor-
tant Representative of Ma
ton Here Since War.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
Georges Bonnet. the new French
Ambassador, arrived In Washington
last night and will present his creden-
tials to President Roosevelt as soon
as the protocol permits.
Although the new French Ambas-
sador is only 46 years old, he has
already been IL times a member of
various French cabinets and has held
three times the important position Of
finance minister.
He has been described as special
Ambassador. The truth is that he is
a regular Ambassador with no specific
mission in the United States. His
tenure of Office Is only six months,
because under the French law a men,
ber of Parliament--Bonnet Is a dep
uty-cannot hold an appointed Office
for a longer period. Whether he will
demand and obtain an extension de-
pends entirely on how much he can
do here to improve further the Franco
American relations.
The new Ambassador is undoubt-
edly the most important represent
ative the French government has
sent here since the war. He will en-
deavor to keep the President and the
State Department posted on what is
actually going on in europe, to dis
cuSs a new Franco-American CONNER
cial treaty and find out whether the
Government of the United States is
willing to reopen in the near future
conversations regarding the Mellon
Beranger debt settlement.
Beranger. who came to the United
States in 1926 as special Ambassador.
had specific mission-to discuss and
sign a debt agreement. This debt
agreement was refuted by the French
Chamber in December, 1888. when
Premier Herriot resigned because ne
insisted that token payments must be
continued until new debt arrange
ment is made.
The French government and Par
lament have changed their minds
since 1888. In a note sent to WASH
ington in December, 1886, Premier
Blum opened the door to discussion
Of the debt problem. The French
government contends the Mellon
Beranger agreement cannot be kept
because of radically changed economic
and financial conditions, not only in
France but in other parts of the
world But that does not mean, say
the French leaders. that another
agreement should not be concluded;
an agreement in which the new eco
nomic and financial situation of the
world should be taken into consider
alton. Blum made the first approach
in December and considers that the
next step should be taken by the
creditor Nation.
Bonnet, an outsta nding financial au-
thority in Europe, will be at hand in
Washington to provide the administra-
ton with all the necessary data look
ing to eventual settlement Of the
problem.
The new Ambassador has a great
advantage over his predecessors. He
is thoroughly acquainted with the
situation in Europ" and will be able
to give the President and the State
Department first hand information
on the real state of affairs on that
continent. Furthermore, he is not q
career man or an official. He is an
outstanding political man in his own
country and as such he can disregard
all the diplomatic red tape in the
event Of important discussions. He
has full authority to deal with most
problems on his own initiative and
should hitch occur anywhere, he is
in a position TO call up the premier
and talk to him as man to man in
stead of an official talking to his chief.
He is very much in the same posi-
ton as William Bullitt. our Ambas-
sador to France, who does not hesitate
to telephone President Roosevelt from
Paris whenever the situation justifies
it. And the telephone bills of Ambas-