New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-02
BY Frank n. Simonds


n ing in from the great San Rene
conference, two things seem
reasonably clear The British and
the French have, at least for the
moment, accommodated their differ
cnces in the matter Of the enforce
ment of the Treaty of Versailles
and still another desperate effort
has been made to get rid of two of
the main items of unfinished bust
ness left over from the Paris Con-
ference, namely, the Eastern ques-
ton and the Adriatic problem.
AS to the Anglo-French dispute it
Is clear that the first stage in the
discussion was by no means devoid
of bitterness. The press of Paris
and London testified to sharp en-
counter between Millerand and
Lloyd George at the outset, which
momentarily promised to lead to a
break in the ranks Of the Entente,
The British proposed that the Ger
mans should be invited to come to
San Keno; not impossibly they were
ready to appear on short notice.
Ih1s suggestion was heartily in
dorsed by Nitti, speaking for Italy.
But it was defnitively blocked bv
Millerand.
Deadlocked upon the main issue.
for the German question was and
must remain the chief concern of
European statesmen, the conferrees
passed to the debate of the Eastern
question, while behind this screen
there were exchanges in secret meet
lngs between Milleraud and Lloyd
George, presently taking on milder
character as birthday parties and
social gatherings became the order
OF the day. Paris and London be-
came less pesslmistic, Millerand and
Lloyd George began to talk to the
press and, last of all, there emerged
s statement that all had been ar
ranged, composed, compromised.
Test in the Application
Yet we shall do we'll to avoid
too prompt acceptance of the opti
mlstlc statements which mark the
last stage Of the San Reno confer
ence, if only because the world has
mad too many such statements in
past months, all of which have, In the
end, proved to be inaccurate, the
expression of hope rather than the
veraclous report Of fact. The real
test Of achievement must be found
IN the later application Of the prin
clpies agreed upon. Nor can one
forget that Millerand has to explain
his policy to a very censorious
Chamber of Deputies in no mood to
accept any sacrifice of French in
terests and unanimously agreed to
INSIST upon an integral enforcement
OF the Treaty of Versailles.
The main difficulty in the Anglo
French dispute lies in the fact that
there is not any difference between
Lloyd George and Millerand in the
matter of the German question.
Rather, the difference is between
England and France. The English
believe that the existing chaos-eco-
nomic, military, moral--in Europe
can be abolished only by the appli-
cation to Germany of an Allied pol
ICY which will enable Germany 70
get back to work, to begin the ri
gantic task Of reconstruction, one
result of which beginning will be
the commencement Of payments to
France
George said In his interview at
San Reno that Germany was sick.
that her disease had paralyzed her
will apd her brain no longer con
trolled the movements of her limbs.
He brushed aside the notion that
Germany was military menace. he
snapped his fingers at the fears,
mainly French, which are the prod
uct of totally different reading
CT the German situation. In doing
this he voiced the present opinion
IN Britain, the majority opinion, for
there is in Britain, but not in
France, strong minority which
takes radically different view.
But Millerand in his interview
and in his attitude in the confer
ence expressed the French view.
France, resting her case upon the
Treaty Of Versailles, demands that
the first step to be taken in treat
.ng the German patient shall be to
remove his arms. to insist upon,
20 compel, rehabilitation. Nor is
France less determined that, what
ever assistance may be furnished,
it shall not be accompanied by for
giveness OF German performance un-
der the Treaty Of Versailles where
performance ia possible, as It mani
testify is in the case of the coal de-