El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-03-16
ENGLAND AGAIN LEADS
EUROPE IN POLITICS

ne three countries. Britain, France
and the United States with Lhe
keenest anger, perhaps reserved 1oI
the French - .r.
In recent months, however, me
Italians have concentrated their ell
forts upon gaining British support
and the recent Fiume compromise &C
cepted by Lloyd George and Mile
rand, but rejected by president VII
son. was an obvious fruit OF tnls
policy. Meantime, Italy has supported
the British against the French in the
matter OF Poland, in the question OF
the restoration Of Germany and IN the
dispute over Constantinople-
At bottom the Franco ltalian az
ference rests upon the clash OF two
clear policies. The French desire to
see the three new Slav states, Poland,
Czecho-SIorakia and JugO-Slavia,
strong, because they see IN these
states guarantees against new Ger
man expansion and certain allies IN
any European combination
II Germany attnckH Franco
again, n Polish ally will be Of in
eSffmnhIe assistance. Moreover
without French assistance, the
new Slav states can hardly en-
me italians. on the other hand, are
eager TO prevent the rise on the east
ern shore OF the Adriatic OF strong
Slav state. For then this would be
the Balkans. where they have new
aspirations, both economic and politi-
cal. In the same way they are eager
to restrict the development OF the
Creeks. both in Epirus, the Aegean
and in Asia Minor. while French
sympathy with the Greeks is OF long
Seek to Create Alliance
Thus the Italians have sought 10
create an alliance between the Ru-
80
have even had conversations with the
Hungarians. All three of these states
are at odds with the new JugO-Slav
state, the Rumanians over the banat.
the BuiEars over Macedonia. and the
Hungarians over Croatia The Hun
garians, too, are at odds with the
Czecho-Slovaks over Slovak regions
south Of the Carpathians, which have
been assigned 10 the latter BY the
Paris conference
Two wholly hostile coalitions are
thus in the making, while behind the
present Italian policy lies an ultimate
expectation OF a new alliance with
Germany. who viii share the Italian
hatred OF the new Slav states and be
as interested in the extinction OF
Poland and Czecho- SIovakia. as the
Italians are in making impossible a
strong JugO-Stavia-
As between the two schemes Il
would be a mistake 10 recognize
Britain &1 accepting inc 4AaAAA4 OF
totally rejecting the French But the
British have a policy OF their own.
which Is not political. but economic
They believe il is essential to world
stability. as Il would be obviously
profitable for them, TO get Germany
on her feet economically again But
the French are unwilling 70 see Ger
many started on the road to prosperi-
ty. before their own devastated in
dustries are restored The British,
moreover, are rather hostile to the
Poles and dead against the French
wish to erect a strong Poland at the
risk OF permanent German and Rus
sian hostility.
Thus the British have accepted
Italian support against France and
the Italians have demanded and re-
ceived, measurable British support
which Is expressed in the British ac-
ceptance OF the note, warning Jugo-
Slavia that unless she yields. bowling
TO the will Of Britain and France. ex-
pressed in the last compromise, she
viii have to expect the application Of
the terms OF the treaty of London.
Brings JOY to Germans
For the Germans. this temporary
divergence OF British and French
policies is a thing OF JOY For the
Italians there is a promise OF profit
and present revenge for French re-
fusal TO join them. last winter. For
France the situation IS difficult and
disappointing. But Il may be doubted
II the British VIII support Italian
claims very Tar or actually drift into
Copyright, 1920. by the Mcclure
No r-uuannw SYNDICATE