Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

716 DER FUEHRERFrance's old allies, nor Russia, her possible future ally, will be invited.Russia had openly and deliberately come forward as a possible ally ofFrance since her friendship with Germany had grown cold. By way ofthe League of Nations, which Soviet diplomacy had formerly regardedas an instrument of the bourgeoisie in its class struggle against theSocialist fatherland, Russia indicated her desire to form part of France'ssystem of collective security. The decision in the struggle for andagainst the continuation of this security policy again depended upon thedomestic political constellation in France.Barthou, a man of the Right, wanted to accept England's proposal andnegotiate with Hitler if England promised adequate garantiesd'execution; this, at the risk not only of alienating Russia, but also ofweakening the French ties with Poland. But Edouard Herriot, who foryears had favored a Russian alliance and wished to incorporate it intothe system of general security, once more opposed negotiations withGermany. He was still the leader of France's strongest party, a kind ofincarnation of French democracy; and Premier Doumergue yielded tohis demands. Thereupon Barthou threatened to resign; Doumerguereplied with the same threat, and he proved the stronger. The Britishplan for negotiations with Germany was rejected.On April 17, Barthou received R. H. Campbell, the British charged'affaires, at the Quai d'Orsay and handed him a note complaining ofGermany's rearming. The German military budget was cited; Germany,the note said, was openly showing that she now no longer intended toabide by the Treaty of Versailles. Henceforward France must think ofher own security on which depended that of other nations, too; furthernegotiations were futile until Germany returned to the League ofNations. Therefore, 'France regrets that the action of a third party[Germany] should abruptly have rendered vain the negotiationsundertaken by the two countries [France and Great Britain] with equalgood faith and good will.'This note was of historic importance: it put an end to the dream of aFranco-German agreement. No doubt German armaments had madesuch an agreement a very difficult task; but France under-