Third Battle

The late great Gustav Stresemann, Foreign Minister of Germany, was a sober man. When he laughed it was news. Several years ago bullet-headed Herr Stresemann lunched with his good friend Aristide Briand in Geneva and at one remark of Brer Briand's gave vent to a laugh that rattled the champagne glasses. What was the story? Reporters have wondered for years. Last week Sir Austen Chamberlain told the press what M. Briand said he said to his friend Stresemann.

Stresemann: Between friends, what is your opinion of War guilt?

Briand: I am sure that history will settle the question.

Stresemann: And what do you think history will say?

Briand: My good friend Stresemann, I am not a prophet but I truly think there are two things history will not say; that this time, France was the aggressor, or that Belgium invaded Germany. (Hilarity from Herr Stresemann.)

Brer Briand is proud of the quip. He calls it the Third Battle of the Marne.

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