The Washington herald., 1919-06-22


case will. by armed force, prevcnf
French labor from overthrovfng the
present order of society. II may be
that by their support OF reaction
everywhere and their refusal 10 in
augurste reforms at homea tns
French upper CLASSES are brinGinE
about that very calamity they fear.
IL Is clear that the League or
Nations" TO which the French rui-
ing class never did more than lip
service. has no place In the world
policy ! have outlined.
EasIsns sits Tight
EngIand-Turningf from Franee to
her neighbcr across The Channsi. 10
is comforting TO lovers OF peace and
quiet to find that as the pressure IN
the French boiler approaches BURST
ing point and the Imperialist For
eign once sits on the safety valve.
conditions in England appear stesd-
lily to improve. In February the
threatened great strike of miners,
shipbuilders. rsilwaymen and trans
port workers appeared likely serf-
ously TO menace the social order.
The Guards Division was rushed
home from the Rhine. secret In
structions were issued from the
in case OF disorder. and commanders
were ordered to hnd out how faf
their troops. tank crews and afrmen
would go in putting down labor dis
turbances.
These alarming symptoms have
Tor the present passed away. The
genius for compromise that has so
often in her history pulled the Eng
lish out OF holes Is again in ev1-
dence. Labor and capital brought
together by Lloyd George. agreed
on the Whitley plan and are putting
into execution a system OF INDUS
trial councils by which grievances
are recognized and unreasonable
labor leaders and employers alike
disciplined. The agreement to ma
tionalize the coal fields ended a very
ugly crisis.
Revelation Peaceful m
At present the situation is more
promising for an orderly return 70
settled conditions than anyone
thought possible a few weeks ago.
Important social changes in Britain
are inevitable. the great landed es-
tates OF the aristocracy appear
doomed, still higher death duties
and super tax will reduce IL not
for centuries. But these things will
come about peacefully. the Bolshe-
vik leaders Of the Clyde and the
| South, Watson and Macmanus ana
the National Workers Council have
been emphatically repudiated by the
mass of British labor.
All classes in Britain are getting
together TO increase production and
regain the trade lost during tho
war. New markets have been
opened by the terms OF the peace
treaty. Germany's competition has
been destroyed in fields where the
German before the war were rapidly
ousting British competition. and the
English are awake TO the oppor-
tunity that is theirs. Lloyd GeorEs
remains supreme. and whatever the
Tory members OF the Cabinet may
propose he is fundamentally liberal
in his conce ption of policy. He does
not propose to play the old game
that Downing Street has PLAYED so
often, setting half Europe by the
ears against the other half TO main
tain a balance OF power" that puts
Britain in the position OF holding
the deciding voice in any European
dispute that comes along.
Italy Greedy for Power.
Italy-On a smaller scale. the
Italian situation at the moment is
that OF France. Italy has no grand
lose European ambitions. but her
Imperialists desire to control the
Mediterrnean and to ruin the new
Jugo-Slav state, in which they see
Italy's future great rival. AS IN
France. the present government ap-
pears likely to be overthrow either
by the extreme Imperialist wing or
by the Socialists Two revolution
sry conspiracies are in existence.
The government Is trying desper-
ately to play them OF against eacn
other. The continued lack OF coal
for factories. of meat and even IN
some districts OF bread. strengthens
the extremists. who desire to set up
Socialist republic On the other
hand the poet d'Annuizio. who Is a
great political force. is heading the
reactionary movement that seef0s,
after revolution. war on Jugo-
Slavia.