The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-11

the nations once associated to de-
feat Germany and now hopelessly
divided over what should be done
with the conquered foe.
Gcrmany's Test Coming.
or course the whole question CEN
ters about reparations; even the de-
bate over land armamcnts 10 sub
sidiary to that OF German pay
ments. Next month Germany will
arrive at a test date. She must pay
an installmcnt upon her account
with her conquerors. few months
ago there was general agreement
that she could and would pay. To-
day there is no similar certainty.
Berlin and London are both points
OF departure for rumors Of "A mora
torium, Paris responds with sug-
gestions OF armed occupation, OF
the application OF n process which
resembles the seizure OF the assets
OF a debtor, the application OF the
bankruptcy process.
But what is the use of n new con-
ference to restore confidence or en-
courage economic revival, 10 British
policy and French policy are thus at
odds? AS long as Britain insists
that the solution is the amendment
by reduction OF the financial clauses
OF the -treaty OF Versailles while
France maintains that the solution
is application OF force and the pres
ervation OF the treaty. what can the
American representatives do at a
now conference?
Back OF the British position lies
the British fact. Every British
propaganda from Keynes to Wells
is dominated by the perfectly ac-
curate appreciation of the truth that
unless the European market is re-
stored the plight OF Britain liz dns-
perate. Perhaps, as both aver, the
ruin OF western civilization will fol-
low. Certainly millions OF people
living within the British Isles will
have to migrate or starve II they are
long deprived OF the opportunity to
Tell the products of their labor
abroad and buy food for home con-
sumption with the proceeds. Eng
land became "A factory nation I'm the
asst century and must sell or perish
this means that II must reopen the
markets or Central Europe and OF
Russia and that 1t must do this
quickly.
All this is perfectly clear, but
how are the markets To be rcop-
cncd? Only by getting Germany
hack on her feet and To do this
that the treaty OF Versailles. that
r. the rcparations clauses, must bc
tran, formed. Inhappily at this
point Britain encounters the law
and the police force behind the
law. For the treaty of Versailles
H. the law of Europe, attcstcd to
by British as well as French sig
natures. And the French army -
the police force authorized under
the treaty.
ThuY when Washington saw the
grea; British offensive against the
French army in recent days. Il was
mistaken II IL accepted at their face
value British allegations that France
was militarlstic and seeking by its
armies TO obtain the hegcmOny Of
Europe. such allegations are "oid
stuff OF the war propa gauda era,
| like TO the allegations directed
against British nRvalism by German
critics what the British really see
I In the French army is the power to
enforce the treaty Of Versailles as Il
exists and such enforcement, TO their
mind means postponcmeut Of Ger
man and OF British recovery, with all
the consequent ruin
France On Her Toes.
France, too. sees the army as the
means OF enforcing payment, but II
is payment France wants. England
/ has only a minor share in the repa-
rations and she cannot accept pay
ment even of this minor share with
out grave prejudice IN her own ecu-