10 Elections. A history of the European Parliament at the ballot box (1979-2024) June 2024 | Page 61

One of Louise Weiss ’ strengths was her ability to build around herself a network of permanent and temporary contributors , unofficial journalists and occasional columnists , as well as prominent statesmen and diplomats from all over Europe . Her close circle consisted of distinguished academics such as Louis Joxe , a young history professor ; René Massigli , a young diplomat ; Georges Bonnet , who would later become France ’ s Minister for Foreign Affairs ; Wladimir d ’ Ormesson ; and a multitude of French and European politicians , including Aristide Briand , to whom Louise Weiss was very close , Edouard Herriot , Léon Blum , Paul Valéry , Drieu La Rochelle and Jacques Benoist-Méchin . The foreign names were equally illustrious and revealed a whole network of European elites who embraced the ideals of pacifism based on the new concepts of collective security .
Louise Weiss gave her journal a distinctive style based on the seriousness and quality of her sources ; the aim was to make it an instrument of well-reasoned information on international affairs serving the cause of a true science of peace . Significant column space was dedicated to the economic , financial and trade issues of the time . The weekly publication very quickly became the almost Official Journal of the League of Nations 4 , as it published documents produced by the Geneva-based organisation in full . Apart from the arts and literary section , most of the articles focused on international affairs , the work of the League of Nations , and the economic and political situation in various European countries , because , as the editor-in-chief wrote , ‘ it is through in-depth knowledge of the elements that make up Europe that the workers of the European Federation will be able to work effectively ’ 5 . The aim of L ’ Europe Nouvelle was to explain the increasing complexity of in-
4 . C . Manigand , Les Français au service de la Société des Nations , Peter Lang , Berne , 2003 .
5 . L ’ Europe Nouvelle , 16 November 1929 .
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