The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-04


) Great Britain and prooaoiy
throughout the world is thar
y,loyd George. as premier OF oa
.~l3rttain during and since the WAT
ba. performed an incalculable serV-
ice to humanity and has. inoeeu'
come to occupy the position VI
human miracle. there nave not peeh
lacking and are not now iackins'
those who look upon the eIsn
Wizard" as an opportunist. a cIes
but selfish politician. SEEKING prin-
r-fpallv to keep himself In power
~ matter what the effect. This
. view 4. voiced by the Economist OF
Tondo, In its issue of November
in an article entitled Policy ana
Principle"
After mentioning the vote or con-
ndence on the Irish question wnich
Mr.. Lloyd George recently receiV-
ed from the house OF commons ana
agreeing that the Irish negotiations
should be continued. the article
states that the prime minister al
though at present right on the
Irish question, Is now advocating
course Numerically opposed to MS
past policy. The Economist be-
lives that this is characteristic or
Lloyd George who. II says. mas
allowed his own principles and
opin!ons to be subOrdinated to the
popular mood and has shaped his
policy at the dictation of his own
keen sense OF what the public at
the particular moment happened 10
want In foreign affairs and in
finance the evil effect OF his con-
Trajectory policies has been obvi-
Gus. for In both his opportunism
has brought him into situation
in which il is almost impossible to
do the right thing" The article
continues:
AT the present time we can watch
the effects of his opportunist policy
working themselves out in the sphere
of international trade. In 1918 the
popular cry was Make the Germans
pay" and the prime minister. recog-
MIXING its popularity and overlooking
its dangers (which have been clear
to him. as they were to all thinking
mem. adopted it, and made it the
keystone OF his campaign Today
we are suffering from a breakdown
of trade and a collapse of the foreign
- exchanges such asthe world has
never before experienced: and It is
80 obvious that the greatest stumb-
ling-block in the path Of recovery
IS the existence of the claims for
PREPARATION which threaten to drain
Germany beyond the hope Of re-
covery. Already the indemnity cry
is less popular than IL was. There
are signs in the prime ministers
speeches that he is not unconscious
of the change in public opinion. and
that he is getting ready to reverse
the policy which he proclaimed so
srdently three years ago. We would.
in fact, be prepared to prophesy that
within the next two years he will
have given up for good the hope of
further reparation payments to Great
Britain, and while declaring his
opinions and his most excellent argu-
ments for not pressing our claims
too hard against the German people.
The writer hopes Lloyd Georges
change Of policy will come
quickly. but he says It would be mucn
better II the prime minister, in this
case as in others. had the strength
to take the right course in the be-
ginning instead OF waiting for that
course to be popular. The article con-
cludes by saying:
Instead of pursuing a definite
cause they are popular, and dis
carded only when they lose their
popularity. The prime minister
will always threaten to resign
rather than sacrifice principle II
he knows that he has a good solid
majority behind him. What the
country wants Is the pursuit OF
principle. even though 1t carry with
il danger of unpopularity and loss
of Office"
Austrian Electrical Industry.
Europe continues active in plan
ming and also in creating and de-
veloping electrical projects, Lenin
is fascinated by the vision of ele-
waiting life in Russia through vast
electrical enterprises. Reliable In
formation from Russia is convinc-
ing that the Bolsheviki have really
made some progress in providing
the benefits OF electricity to a con-
siderable number of people who
never knew those benefits before.
Indeed. news reports have it that in
some places Russians are required
to use electricity whether they will
or no. Italy continues to progress
in Harvesting water-power for the
creation OF cheap electric current
Apparently the electrical industry
of Austria is in better condition
than many of the other Austrian
Industries. Austria, too. is propos-
ing to utilize the natural advan-
tages of her mountain lakes and
streams in the development of
cheap electricity which may have a
vital effect on the future of
Austrian industry. The present situ-
alton Of manufacturing electrical
goods and electrical projects, is
described by DR.. Heinrich schneid-
er. who writes In the Neue Freie
Presse as follows:
The Vienna Fair gave oppor-
tunity to the Austrian electrical
Industry, and more especially to the
producers of special installation
apparatus. lamps. wires. switches
etc. to demonstrate their activity
and productiveness. Keen attention
was shown to these articles. and a
strong demand for them ensued.
1T is noteworthy that upon this
branch OF the electrical industry
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the empire
has had but small effect The
Austrian firms retain a close con-
nection with the Succession states
and their activity cannot be dis
pensed with: nor, in view of the
exchange situation, can they be un-
hidden. The Austrian industry il
therefore not compelled. as is even
the German. to produce ever-ac-
cumulating stocks, nor has any
falling-off tendency as yet been OBJ
served. This is partly due to the
home requirements. Much lost time
has to be made up. and great
electrifcation schemes are seen to
he ,.-ao1,L