TRIBUTE PAID

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1932, Page 5

TRIBUTE PAID

LATE M. BRIAND ARDENT PEACE ADVOCATE. (British Official IT’ ire!ess.) RUGBY, (March 7. The eminent French statesman, M. lAiigtide Briand, ( died at liis Pans home, 'this afternoon. following a •heart attack. M. Briand, who was eleven times iPrime Minister of France, had been a warm advocate for peace among the nations. (Hie played an important part in framing the Locarno Treaty, and was the joint author with Mr Kellogg of the Pact of Paris. His death is profoundly regretted in London, where he had many friends. The King, a telegram to the French President, says: “It is with profound regret that I learned of the sudden death of M. Briand, and I hasten to express my sympathy at the loss of a distinguished statesman, whose labours in the cause of peace and goodwill among the nations will ever be hold in honoured and grateful remembrance,” '

Lord Tyrell, British Ambassador at Paris, transmitted a letter of sympathy ifl'ottt the Prime Minister to M. Tardieu, find also conveyed to him personal expressions of sympathy on behalf of Mr Stanley Baldwin, 'Mr Ramsay MacDonald, in the name of hig colleagues and himself, assures the French Government of their deep sympathy in the great loss the French nation has suffered “in the passing of my old friend. We have oeen working ‘together for well over ,a generation, and I feel his death with peculiar keenness. M. Briand dedicated the years of his long life, without respite, to the high purpose of creating a good understanding between peoples, for which his name will ever be famous, a monument more lasting than bronze 'He was indeed an architect of peace, and ihis loss will be deeply felt, not in France only, but among all nr” 1 of goodwill throughout the world.” When the news of M. Briand’s death was read at the meeting at Geneva of the Standing Orders Committee of the 'Disarmament ‘Conference, delegates stood in silence, with bowed heads. A touching 'tribute was paid by the iChairman, M. Hymans. During the debate in the House of .Commons, on the Navy Estimates, which show a considerable decrease, (Sir Austen lOhamberlain, referred to ■the passing of M. Briand, remarking that the. cause of peace heeded new friends to take' the place of those who paissed away, “‘No man was a better friend to that cause,” he said, ‘‘and fid mail espoused that cftUse tiiote loyally, and we who mourn him may find encouragement and stimulus to continue •his efforts, by following his example," •In an interview at Geneva, Sir John Simon &id: Few statesmen jn our time

had won iso noble a place in the his--4 tory of mankind os M. Briand, alike by jiis love and devoted service to his own country, and by his whole-hearted work for the cause of peace and international friendship. At this difficult moment in the League's history, we ran pay him no better tribute than by doing our utmost to cherish the great institution, to the building of which 'M. Briand devoted so much •enthusiasm. tM. Aristide Briand was 70 years <jf age. He was Premier of France from 1909 to 1911, and until March 1913, for 56 days. He again became Premier in October, 1915, and resigned in March. 1017. but found another Ministry in January, 1921, resigning m the following January. He played a prominent part in the religious and • political struggle years ago, in Trance. His rise to power was rapid, as he only entered the Chamber ot Deputies in 1902. He was Foreign Minister from April, 1925, to 1926. He resigned the 'Premiership on March 6th. 1926, resuming it, and again resigned in June. He formed his tenth Min jstry later, but was defeated.

“THE GREATEST EUROPEAN.” HOMAGE BY CELEBRITIES. PARIS, March 7. In a room bare as a hermit’s cell. M. Briand breathed his last. Despite every care of specialists, rationing, and abnormal consumption of cigarettes, he became unconscious and 'succumbed to heart failure, in his modest home in Avenue Kleber, whither be returned at the insistence of Doctor* •Y'ac.quez .and Marx, who were unable to undertake adequate treatment at his country home in Cocherel. ,M. Briand was in bed since his arrival at liiu. home, and grew worse 'last nigh), being too weak to move .this morning.

He was a bachelor, but a nephew jj>i n d mi-doe, land 'three collaborators. .present at this jdeuth bed. ' M. Briand began his can-er as a contributor to an Anarchist newspaper, as an advocate of direct action, and end ed as a -single-minded devotee to the peace of 'the world. For a French politician, he was rich, but his death chamber contained only a bedstead, s> table, and chest of drawers on which stood a loving cup, die gift iof Mr Au!lien dv.nibcrlain, in commemoration of Locarno

His leonine features seemed to have recovered the strength of youth, as the body lav in a wide white bed, in brilliant limelight, dressed in his custom m-y evening clothes, a wailing the Ly-ing-in-State and national funeral. Celebrities paying their last honing*

crowded into the little pink and yellow rooms, hung with political cartoons, and signed portraits of famous associates. M. Tardicu, white with emotion, stepped from the centre of the hushed group, into the bedroom, and kissed the dead statesman’s hand. A crowd gathered in the street, many unaffectedly weeping. Tributes to the dead patriot were paid by monarch's, .statesmen, and famous peop'e of nearly every country in the .world, echoing iand amplifying Chamberlain’s nob.He epitaph, "The greatest European of us all."

Lord Cecil honoured his statesmanship. Mr Henderson cited the Disarmament Conference as his monument. When the news of his death reached Geneva, the Assembly adjourned. < VI. Bouisson informed the Deputies of ithe death of its greatest orator, nfter which M Ta-rdieu spoke, and the Assembly rose in token of mourning. newspaper tribute?

Leading newspapers devote editorials to M. Br.ian-cTs career. English papers emphasise his steadiest friendship to Britain, through all the years o> war, and it" trials-