The Irish standard., 1919-05-24
The Fight for the Spoils of War

1HC I6ul
Europe is completely out of hand,
and nobody is prepared to say what
viii happen next. The general COM
ment is that nothing has been done.
This expression take to be inexact.
Pretty much everything that Great
Britain wanted done in odd corners of
the world has been assented to. The
Pacific has been cleared of Germans,
with Australia and New Zealand as
benefciaries. Britain is to have her
way about Southwest Africa; thus a
thorn that has been an annoyance for
forty years has been removed. Britain
is to have her way in Palestine and
Mesopotamia, too. thus, as Paris pa
per with taste for military metaphor
puts it, securing possession of the gla-
els before Egypt and the glacis be-
fore India. The Independent Kingdom
of Arabia is to be British protector
ate. Indeed, one Paris paper ex-
pressed regret the other day that the
Conference had admitted to its DELHI
erations the picturesque and eloquent
Emir from that country, on the
ground that he is dependent upon his
monthly check from his British pro-
tectors. In East and West Africa
there are some areas where CONCUR
renee in British wishes still lacks de-
finition, but there is no apprehension
that it will be withheld. The other
main phase of British purpose has
been met by the abolition of the Ger
man navy and the reduction to nullity
of German maritime prestige. From
the British viewpoint, therefore, it
cannot be said that nothing has been
done.
France has not Jared quite so we'll.
Alsace and Lorraine are considered
to have been restored, the only oppo-
sition heard being an occasional insis-
tence on the part of Germany that the
Provinces be allowed to say whether
they want to be restored or not. The
opinion in Paris is that they do, but
the referendum idea is secuted. France
has also been conceded a protectorate
in Syria. 1t is not as extensive as is
desired, for there are some parts to
which Britain presses claim fortified
by possession.
Italy has arranged about her north
ern frontier, at least with her Allies.
There is an area still open to dispute
with the Germans. Italy's claims to
the Dalmatian side of the Adriatic
have not yet been conceded, but
whether she eventually gets what she
wants there or not, she has formally
declared her intention of finding EN-.
ployment for the energies of her peo.
pie in the effort to. guide and direct
the future of the Balkan area. Bel
GUM has had to wait. So has Greece.
The United States has not asked for
anything, unless it be the withdrawal
of Mexico from the present contem.
plation of the League of Nations.
Then And Now.
Under the order of unfinished bust
ness the story reads rather differently.
Three months ago Great Britain was
clamoring for money and the Kaiser's
head. There is still a demand for
money, and Mr.. Lloyd George is point
edly reminded that what the Germans
do not pay, the British taxpayer must,
and that he had better not come home
to angry taxpayers if he is concerned
for his future. Not much is heard
about the Kaiser's head. There is
more anxiety about a renewal OF
: trade, so that work may be found fol-
the million and more men who are
waiting for the factories to open. 1t is
not the unfinished business" so much
that is bothering England as the new
business
Dissatisfied France. +.
With France the position is not at
all so satisfactory. There has been a
great deal of damage done in France
and the nation stands under obliga
tion to make it up to the individual
losers. But who is going to make II
up to the nation? That is what France
wants to know, and she has not been
able to get satisfactory answer from
her friends. If, one Of these days, II
comes out that there is little OF NO
money to come from Germany, there
is the prospect of good-sized row in
France. There are signs already that
the Government, which has to explain
why France gets a great deal less
money than is needed, will have there
q f%or VOW hriof oud vorv atronuOI1a