The Washington herald., 1921-01-26
Bitter Enders of France
Retarding German Peace
tions, FeFaring People May
Overthrow Ministry.

from experts information already in
hand.
Similar difficulties will be encoun-
tered when the reparations issue is
reached later in the week, after
matters with Austria and Greece
are disposed Of. The attitude of the
English and French press in the
last ten days in anticipation of this
conference is symbolic Of the atti-
tude the premiers OF those two
countries arc compelled to take in
spite of themselves. The English
press has been demanding n definite
settlement, almost any settlement,
that will tranquillize the CONNER
cial world and restore trade with
Germany. British labor, in its at
tempt to solve the unemployment
problem ependently of the gov
ernment. insists that the one in
dispensabie factor to remedy the
situation Is resumption OF trade
with Russia. 1t is just as insistent
upon resumption of trade with Ger.
many, although not putting that on
its official program.
Lloyd George is for getting some
thing definite fixed Immediately in
the matter of reparation. something
Germany itself can be compelled tC
accept rs possible. and Lloyd George
has his public and Parliament bach
Of him in that respect.
Where Views DIyerEe.
Premier BRAND. backed by Presi-
dent Millerand. is for the same thing
but there is this big difference: NJ
BRAND cannot be sure of either his
parliament, his press or the publ.
| TO support him in agreeing now Ia
Il reparation scheme to which Ger.
many can be compelled 20 adhere
France also has her bitter end
| ers,' led by Poincare, who insist
upon measures and methods Of rep
| aration which England and Italy
long since have discarded as impos-
| sible and impraCticRble. BRAND as
follower OF Millcrand in this re-
speCt also believes them impossible,
but BRAND, to guard his govern
ment cgainst speedy overthrow
and keep himself in position to ne
gotiate for the possible. has got to
hedge and temporize with the press
and parliament, to whom fantastic
ngures still seem probable, and
among whom there is just a strain
c
NJ. Poincare refused to enter the
recently formed ministry except as
foreign minister with full powers
to carry on peace negotiations. Pres
ident Millersnd refused absolutely
to have him in that capacity. NJ
BRAND would demand far less of
Germany of Premier Lloyd George
than NJ. Poincare, but would do II
in such a way that he would get
far more.
as ] Cabled January 5. the agree
ments AZ Boulogne and Hythe will
be the basis of discussion of repara-
ton at the present conference, but
what notifications Tpay be neces-
! sary is not known.
SBgEed by Germany.
Officially and psychlogicaIIy there
is something lacking at this con-
ference which existed at the Spa
meeting last July. At Spa the
Allies met the Germans for the
first time since the war to arrive
Pat common understanding. and
in that fact alone the world saw
a sign of hope.
At Paris today the Germans are
asking for the privilege of partici-
patton in the discussion on repara.
tion, but so far have been refused
1t is retrogression from Spa, but
| the Germans themselves are largely
to blame, for their attitude in the
last seven months has been a con-
stant nagging of France.