The New York herald., 1921-10-02
KNOWS WORLDS NEEDS
Germany, Disarmed, at Big
Advantage Over Nations
With Military Burdens.
CRISIS IN UNEMPLOYMENT
Labor's Shortsightedness Seri-
GUS Menace-England Faces
Food Riots in Winter.
By SIR PHILIP GIBBS.

BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS.
Special Cable to THE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1921, by THE New York HERALD.
LONDON, Oct. las outlined in my
despatch last week the Washington
conference for the limitation of ar
maments is going to be seriously af-
fected, at least in the opening cere-
monies, debates and psychological in
fiuence by the grave problems Of
domestic interest which will claim
first attention with European states
men. The definite announcement
that Premier Lloyd George will not
appear in Washington this year is
due to those facts.
Whether the Irish problem goes ill
or we'll, and still hold fast to opti-
mism despite melancholy delays and
alarms, it will demand his guiding
spirit far beyond November. Apart
altogether from that is the question
Of unemployment in Great Britain
end it's dangerous portents for the
coming winter will make it prac-
tically impossible for the British
Prime Minister to absent himself
from Parliament and Downing Street
for any length of time. Pressure is
still being brought to bear on him
to make a quick dash to Washington
for the inaugural ceremony to be fol-
lowed by another visit next year
when the vital decisions will be
made. 1t would be an excellent
thing, and know Mr.. Lloyd George
is most anxious to play big part
at Washington if it is humanity pos
sible, but home duties give him no
rest.
Balfour Graves a Rest.
Arthur J, Balfour is old and tired,
and after his long exile in Geneva
Graves his own fireside. The one
man who in my judgment ought
above all to go to Washington as a
representative of the British Empire
is Gen. Jan SHUTS. There is a move
ment on foot in certain political
circles in England to entrust him
with the high mission. 1t still is re-
membered that during the imperial
conference at London Gen. SHUTS
made a most noble and wise address
to Premier Lloyd George on the prob
lem of the Pacific and the European
position in regard to that problem.
especially owing to the urgent neces-
sity for arms limitation. In the
clearest way he showed how the bal
ance of world fate is shifting away
from Europe to the Far East and the
Pacific and how the British policy
should be such as to make competi-
tion for armament in naval power
impossible.
"The most fatal mistake Of ALL" he
said, would be race in ornaments
with America, which is closest to US
in all human ties, so the only path Of
safety and wisdom for the Empire is
one on which she can walk together
with America, not in formal alliance,
which is impossible and undesirable,
but In cordial understanding"
Has Grasp on Worlds Policy.
To my mind as to many others
Gen. Smuts is the greatest intellect,
the noblest and most outstanding
character in the British Empire to-
day and his grasp Of the essential
lines of world policy and his big per.
spective would fit him beyond all
others to act as the British coun-
sellor at Washington.
I suppose that neither in the
United States nor in Canada is it
fully realized how closely bound up
With the hopes of the Washington
conference and how likely to make
that conference more difficult is the
Industrial situation in Europe, and
particularly, perhaps. in Great Brit
ain. Undoubtedly this coming win
ter Is not going to be pleasant.
Roughly 100000 men are unem-
ployed and already hundreds of thou
sands of them have exceeded the
time limit for unemployment pay so
mat they are utterly dependent upon
relief from local tax rates. But that
relief can no longer be granted 10.
cally because the rate payers cannot
hear any additional burdens, and
local guardians have gone to prison
in patches rather than levy heavier
rates.
1t is now admitted. by Lloyd
Ceo.ge and his Government that un-
employment cannot be left entirely
to local relief and that it is a ma
t.onal problem which must be dealt
with in national way, though in
cooperation with local effort. They
are preparing big schemes which
may tide over the present crisis, :.at
meanwhile labor Is pressing hard
for state support of the unemployed
on generous and expensive lines and