Evening star., 1920-06-27
: BY PERTINAx.

(Henri Geraud. Editor of Echo de Paris.)
By Cable to The Star. Copyright, 1920.)
PARIS, June 26.-Once again the en-
tente cordiale has stood the test. France
and Great Britain work harmoniously
together. In spite of many difficulties
in the way. their agreement is stronger
! today than at any moment since the
armistice-which has taken serious wor-
i.gies out of many statesmen's heads.
Now something real can be done in the
way of making Germany begin to pay
an eventuation which seemed very dis
tant only atfew weeks ago.
The main fact to be kept in mind in
order that the new development may be
understood is that Britain is so situated
that concessions seem the part Of wis
dom. Developments in Ireland are en-
barrassing, to say the least. and they
are not much less so in Persia, India
and Egypt. With thes things as they
are, real estrangement with France
would add enormously to the seriousness
of Britain's problem.
And, furthermore, the political dis
agreements which handicapped Franco
British friendship certainly are on the
wane.
Society OF Nations an Example.
Consider, ror example. that society of
nations which was found to be an OBJ
stacle to France every time she asked
for any of those special agreements of a
military or economic character which
Wit IN
Paris to London last week and tried to
ascertain the opinion really entertained
in the highest political quarters there
upon this very vital topic. The uniform
reply returned to my inquiries avs tn
the league was dead and could not be
relied upon seriously to function in in
ternational politics.
Now let US consider Russia and the
feeling so long prevalent that Lloyd
George was prepared to proceed al
most independently, if necessary to
the accomplishment of his ends. which
were a general resumption of British
Russian trade without delay. 1t has
been obvious for some time that the
British premier no longer expects the
for when he began his pourparlers
with Krassin. 1 am even told that
some ten days ago certain ministerial
departments of the British govern
ment were instructed to supply the
prime minister with pertinent facts
and precedents in case he should de-
eide it opportune to expel the bolshe-
visit envoy from British territory.
Effect Of German Elections.
AS if these complications were not
enough, the last German elections
seem to have dispelled almost the
last illusion cherished so affectionate-
ly for so long in London with regard
to the formation of a German govern
ment which seriously would endeavor
to carry out the terms of the peace
treaty.
All these facts account for the new
strength and closeness of the Franco
British understanding which has
been so very noticeable at the meet
ings at the Hythe and Boulogne.
The financial schemes agreed upon
include the payment by Germany of
ann OIL three InlludTQS
of marks gold, a milliard represent
ing in this instance one thousand mil
lions. Thirty-seven of these payments,
due in 1926 and later years, will be
SO increased according to a fixed
schedule that the allies will have re-
ceived at the end of the indicated
period total of between $50 and $50
milliards of marks gold. which it is
hoped will have been raised in the
meantime in the international market.
That this scheme lacks finality there
can be no doubt and it probably will
be further amended before being put
in force, but the important point is
that for the first time Lloyd George
has agreed to the eventual seizure
of German customs receipts if it shall
be found necessary in order to COM
pei Germany to pay off that great war
treaty something it has sadly lacked
Clauses Not Yet Published.
Which brings us to the curious fact
that certain clauses of the agreement
still remain unpublished. one of them
going SO far as to reserve for the