New-York tribune., 1920-04-25
The F resent Crisis Is Due to the Clash
Between British and French
Interests I

1lllC
the disarmament clauses Of the
Treaty Of Versailles. Lloyd George
did not back down in the Frankfort
issue, but he thus carried the dis
cussion to a new field, in which he
purposed to support tb1 French.
Moreover, supporting the French
demand for compliance with the mil
itary clauses Of the Treaty Of Yer
sailles could awaken only approval
in Britain. The agitation in the
United Kingdom against the eco-
nomic clauses Of the treaty has been
very widespread, but there has been
no opposition in any quarter to COM
pelling the Germans to lay down
their arms, to abandon that military
system out Of which came the re-
cent world tragedy. Not only this,
but fair-minded Englishmen have all
agreed that Britain could not we'll
ask concessions on the economic side
on behalf Of Germany and at the
expense of France, while on the
military side Germany continued to
constitute an unmistakable threat.
Admit the Junker Peril
How great this threat is, recent
events have shown. Even the Brit
ish journals which have most Bit
terly opposed the economic phases
of the Treaty of Versailles have
been forced to concede that the old
Junker element is still in control in
Germany, that the army remains in
the hands Of the men who used it to
attack the liberties Of the world and
outrage the most rudimentary rules
Of civilized conduct for four long
and terrible years. The history of
the recent insurrection has not been
misread, even by those who would
be most willing to believe that con-
ditions were otherwise.
Thus, in returning to the discus
sion of the disarmament Of Ger
many, Lloyd George has for the
time being avoided the danger of
a rupture in the Entente, a separa-
tion of France and Britain. To
threaten the Germans with block
ade if they continue to refuse to
lay down their arms, to menace them
with renewal of the interruption
of the flow of foodstuffs into the
country, to choose this moment when,
in advance Of the harvests, the food
supplies Of Germany are at their
lowest point, this is to do something
which may be considered as effec-
tive, provided only there is behind
the threat the readiness to translate
words into deeds if necessary.
But here again arises the old prob
lem, To what extent can one be sure
that the policy proclaimed will be
followed? The Supreme Council has
uttered more ultimatums in the last
year than any other similar body,
than any absolute monarch, ever Sc.
pen to. But, on the whole, it has
gracefully eaten its words on almost
every occasion, whether they were
addressed to Russia, Poland, Ger
rlaDy, Rumania or any other state,
big or little, friendly or hostile, in
Europe or Asia.
The reason has been found in the
facts which I have recorded, the
facts of allied domestic political con-
ditions. America has declined to
follow Mr.. Wilson. He has tried
and failed to persuade his nation to
bear any responsibilities or burdens
in the matter of world readjustment.
Lloyd George, more agile than
Mr.. Wilson, has managed to retain
his position of leadership in England
but only by resigning the function
Of leadership and placing himself at
the head of several professions, one
after the other, professions which,
in turn, move in one direction and
then in the opposite.
1s Friend of France
In my judgment Lloyd George is,
at heart, sympathetic with France
and would rejoice in seeing British
sentiment back policy Of compelling
Germany to disarm. There are in the
history Of his relations with France
in all the critical hours of the war too
many evidences Of real feeling to
warrant the suspicion that he would
deliberately frame policy which
envisaged the abandonment of the
French, mean invent a policy. But
the difficulty so far as he is con-
cerned lies in che fact that were the
question Of his own political future
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