The New York herald., 1920-12-26
THIRD VICTORY CHRISTMAS
LONDON,S WORST IN YEARS;
FACING FAMINE AND PANIC
Gardiner Takes Gloomy View of Britain's Industrial
Plight, With No Adequate Remedy in Sight Con-
tnent Filled With Paupers, Killing the Market
for Nations Products.

moro prosperous than those OF any
other great nation on the Continent.
1t IS England which is reaping the
fruits of the French policy in Europe.
England lives by trade with the CONT
nent, and she is perishing because that
trade has been destroyed. The French
policy. backed by the reckless profit
gacy of Winston Churchill. British
Secretary OF State for War; and the
opportunism of Premier Lloyd George,
has made a desert of central and east
ern Europe. From the Rhine to the
Urals famine is universal and the ma
tions there are clothed in rags. For
two years the Allies have been bend
ing all of their energies to starving
Russia into submission. They have
succeeded in reducing her to a depth
of misery without parallel in the his
tory of a great civilized people. And
so with Austria. and so with Germany.
We have made continent of paupers.
And without customers we are ruined.
This terrible truth, that ought to be
plain to the understanding Of an in
fant. is now admitted by Premier
before the House of Commons last
Monday he said the only hope was in
the restoration throughout the world
OF more normal conditions. 1t was a
belated confession. For two years
LLOYD George has been dangling trade
with Russia before our eyes, while the
British War Minister has been hand
in glove with the French in every ad-
venturous plot against Russia. And
still the blockade continues, and now
the famine we have made there is
visiting US at home.
But we do not need to go to the
Continent alone to find a cause for the
catastrophe into which this Christmas
finds this country plunged. The an
archy which prevails in Ireland is no
small cause for the impoverishment
that prevails in England. England is
being bled white in Ireland as well as
in Russia. The cost of maintaining
hundred thousand men in Ireland
would alone go far to relieve the in
dustrial problems of this country. And
peace in Ireland would enormously
relieve food conditions here. Ireland
in normal times is the chief source
for our meat supplies, but to-day Irish
cattle that should be hanging in Eng
lish butcher shops are wandering, lean
and unfed, in Irish pastures.
And there is no sign Of any fruits
OF expectance. Talk of n truce Of God
has ended in words. The Carsonites
are still in the saddle and murder and
vengeance still devastate the land. II
this hideous tragedy continues Ireland
will become as complete a scene of
desolation as is Russia. And England
will suffer--and is suffering-with 1t.
The Irish say their nation is awaken
ing. / cannot say as much. 1t is
dazed. angry. 1t is like a bull en-
veloped in a hornets nest, conscious
of his pain, but indignant against his
enemy. Ireland has ceased to reason
and is asphyxiated by the press. 1t is
clear that no remedy can be found for
the misfortunes of that country until,
as Premier Lloyd George says, normal
conditions are restored throughout the
world. But before normal conditions
are restored n sane and wise states
manship must get control of affairs.
And of that time there Is. unhappily,
no immediate prospect.