26 APRIL 1919, Page 2

Readers of history will remember what happened at the Congress

of Vienna in November and December, 1814. Russia wanted all Poland ; Prussia wanted all Saxony. Metternich emphatically said " No " ; Caatlereagh also emphatically said " No." Talleyrand, the arch-manipulator of the Conference, who, though he represented the vanquished, behaved as though he were the victor, played off the two against the two, and in the end he succeeded in bringing France into a defensive affiance with Austria and Britain ! The result was that Alexander bad to give up part of tabard instead of getting the whole, and Prussia instead of getting the whole of Saxony had to take less than half. That is a pretty good warning for those who are fond of failing to see the wood for the trees.