S114—I have read with interest the excellent article by Professor
Brogan on the Franco-British crisis, which was published in the issue of July 15th of your journal. Though I do not think I can quite agree with all he says (in particular, I am not certain that he does not over-estimate the amount of trust *hick the French masses had come to place in the British as a body), I do share his opinion that there is a grave danger of a crisis between the two peoples. And that, as he remarks, would be much more serious than a crisis between two Governments.
The question, therefore, seems to me to be what are we British, as a body, going to do to ward off this danger, to restore confidence, affection and to further develop trust except to talk about it and deplore it? Obviously, the move :s ours, if only because the diminishing friend- ship is largely our own doing, because we took too much for granted, particularly that the mass of the French people would understand the purity of our motives :11 matters of colonial and foreign policy. There is, I am told, an association in Britain whose object is to further Franco- British understanding. It seems to be very unobtrusive in its work. Has the executive committee of the association ever heard of the success which has attended the very active efforts of the France-URSS association all over Continental France and in some of her colonies? And if the committee has, are they considering taking steps to do likewise?-1 am,
Sir, Your obedient servant, F. C. STONE (late British Vice-Consul, French Cameroons). 7 Rue des Orchidies, Monte Carlo.
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