The Washington herald., 1920-11-22
Great Britain and Russia.

II
that the anti-Russian policy was shortsighted
which he and his party inherited from Lord
Seaconsheld, and which he, Cecil and cynical
reahst defended stouty and practiced remorselessy
whenever he, Salisbury, was in power "We backed
our money on the wrong horse" was his laconic
sporty way of admitting that the gamble in state
craft had been against him.
Lloyd George, under pressure from two groups
ordinarily at variance issues domestic and for
gn the traders and the laborers has decided to be
Russophile and not a Russophobe; and therein he
differs from his predecessor. Which group has
had the greater influence in shaping his decision is
debatable question. But combined their realism"
has conquered, and democratic Great Britain and
comnunistic Russia have come to terms on a policy
toerable to Italy but adverse to the convictions of
France and the United States
OF course the British ministry is yet far from
fully recognizing the Moscow government politically
considered The compact nominally only has to do
with trade, markets, debts to be paid and such
mundane things. But the Russian camel has got
his under the British tent, which is what
Lenine wanted Nor will he worry much about
such official pledges he has given to call off his
followers from communistic and ant-British propa-
ganda in the Near East and in Central Asia AS a
state othcIal he can be immaculate in honorable
obedience to his word and the power behind the
throne in the Third International he can still en-
gineer the boring in campaign" that in Asia has
only one OF many continents for an experiment
station
France and the United States happen to be
Somewhat more skeptical about the veracity of the
Moscow governments formal statements than are
the British. They have precisely the same desire to
enter Russian markets They quite as keenly de-
p1ore the Russian masses misery Moreover they
happen to have had rather riendlier relations with
Russia IN the past than has Great Britain This
being the case, it might be argusd that they would
lead in opening negotiations with Lenine Why
have they held back? Why do they refuse to risk
any chance of backing the wrong horse? Mainly
because OF their lack of faith in the sincerity of the
present Russian government, which in its present
leaders hands is avowedly Machavellian in its
statecraft. Lenine openly teaches doing evil that
good may come; saying one thing and meaning an
other; promising this, and doing that. The end
Justihes the means, he openly declares
If Great Britains labor forces like to tie up
with a movement that its political side formally
teaches such creed, they must pay the price some
day in disillusionment. If the British ministry
harassed at home and in peril in Asia wants to
gamble on compact pledging cessation of propa-
ganda by Russia, it may plead dire necessity
But it cannot plead ignorance
Moreover there is detail of the matter in
which the French are especially interested which is
hnancIal to be sure, but not insignificant neverthe-
less. France, republic, may have been both fool
ish and untrue to republicanism by investing 81
much OF her peoples savings in Russian securities
Nevertheless both in law and in morals she has
claims the Russia that is and that is to be- and
that must be paid Certainly Great Britain with
her enormous investments in non-British lands and
with her traditional attitude of rgor in protecting
these investments, hardly, even by implication
afford to make light of the principle at stake Ye,
n she resumes relations with a government about
whose intentions to pay national debts incurred by
an earlier regime there is any doubt what will the
moral effect be?
= While commenting upon this theme If NAV moi
be altogether inopportune to note that the British
policy is not being defined by the house of com.
mons after debate of the pros and cons whereas
Millerand has the French national legislature back
of him, and the Department of State can point tc
national poll indicating disposition on the part
of America to ally itself with any government in
Europe monarchical republican or communistic
There never a time, during recent centuries
informed British students of parliamentary his
tory say, when the rank and file of the peopIe
through chosen legislators by general elections
had little to do with shaping the national foreign
policy. Defense of this condition by Cecil like
Arthur Bafour, is expcabe; but responsibility 70,
it by commoner like Lloyd George explains why
liberalism in the realm languishes