The New York herald., 1921-01-09
France Fomenting Separation Plans Of Bavaria
Due to Latter's Refusal to Disarm Her
Army, Now Larger Than Prussias

difference between the Frenchman and the
Englishman will in the end lead to British
Intervention on behalf of Germany and thus
enable Germany to escape payment and dis
armament. To this cause must be attributed
not few German failures to comply with
the peace terms. Yet this German conclu-
sion is fundamentally inaccurate, because
the Englishman is bound to support the
Frenchman in the end whenever the ques-
ton of disarmament is raised, and the
French can prove German bad faith while
in the economic field France always holds
the power to crush Germany.
This latter circumstances is too little appre-
ciated by the people on this side of the water,
although recognized in Europe. Foch and
Petain in the recent dispute over the short
ening of the period of service In the French
army pretty satisfactorily. proved that
France to-day can dispose of Germany with
relative ease. Germany is not completely
disarmed as she should be under the Treaty
of Versailles, but she could not now resist
French military strength, particularly since
the French hold the Rhine bridgeheads from
Mayence to Switzerland.
Thus, if Germany refuses to comply with
the terms of the Treaty of Versailles If the
failure is complete and unquestioned even
If the allies Of France do not join her, France
has the necessary power to coerce Germany.
Not only that but the whole public senti-
ment OF France would support the Govern
ment in such a case for all France feels
with equal intensity that Germany must pay
and disarm. And there is no power In the
world which in the last analysis could inter-
fere effectively. For France alone remains
a great military Power. Most Germans per-
ceive this, and that is why Germany has, in
most instances, captulated, once she has
been sure France would act and that neither
the British nor the Americans would inter-
pose.
The Bavarian dispute. however raised
new issue, for German unity is involved and
the attempt Of the German Government to
exert force and to coerce Bavaria might lead
to Bavarian secession. If that came France
might be expected to support. rather than
to attack Bavaria, since French policy would
welcome the restoration of the old separa-
ton between north and south Germany.
Thus to carry out the Treaty of Versailles
and to compel Bavaria to conform to French
demands might end by serving French pur-
poses and shattering German unity.
England and France in Accord
On the Principal Issues
In reality the present crisis does not seem
as acute as that of last summer because
there is much more community of action on
the part of the British and the French. The
establishing their case, while the British are
recognizing the fact that they are bound by
their own promises If France proves her
case. Still there is an unmistakable feeling
in Great Britain that the French ex-
aggerating the extent Of the peril and there
will doubtless be protest and angry criticism
IL France compels military action.
But there are at least hints that France
is not much interested now in forcing action
as in establishing in principle the inviola-
bility of the Treaty of Versailles with clear
eye upon the reparations negotiations which
are coming shortly. The French feel that
the Germans trying to wiring economic
concessions by advancing and then with
drawing the disarmament issue, and they
are seeking to block this manpuvre. They
are also concerned with the fact that the Spa
agreement as to coal deliveries has expired
and the Germans have failed to accept a
new agreement much more advantageous TO
France.
In sum. the present German crisis repre-
but 1t contains all the elements which might,
combined, lead to new and very disturbing
situation in which another German revolu-
ton is only the worst of many evil possi-
bilities. 1t emphasizes, too the fact that at
the beginning of the third year of theoretical
peace very little is really settled in the Ger
man question. while. of course, the same is
to be said of both the Russian and Eastern
questions.
Copyright, 1921, by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate