South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-12-18
ENGLAND'S DESIRE
FOB TRADE BLAMED
French Resent British Policy
of England First Even
IL Against Ally.

The above paragraph sums up
and boils down the concensus Of
opinions Of certain semi-official cir
cles, Journalists and observers Oh
the underlying reasons for the in
creasing evident EMERGENCIES and
friction between the British and
French foreign Offices.
The bitterness over the Franco
Renal accord and the weisbaden
agreement are only the most recent
manifestations Of a condition that
lies deeper.
The following gathered from
many ources-conversa tons, news
papers and unofficial quarters-at-
tempts 20 set forth the French view
point as widely expressed in France
On the matter of the highest im-
portance in the postwar relations
between European nations.
Russian Trade Relations.
For three years France has been
trying vainly to reconcile her vital
interests with England's desires in
an effort 10 maintain the entente
l COrdiale so necessary to the execu-
tion OF the Versailles treaty. Most
OF the time the British and French
policies have been in accordance;
l but according to the more bitter
comment, that was only because
England's interests happened to be
/ the same as Frances. Whenever
they diverged it was France who in
variably made the CONCESSIONS
Frequently when England's in
terests or policies dictated 1t, the
/ British foreign office or Lloyd
George took independent action
sometimes counter 10 the funda-
mental interests OF France.
The outstanding instances are
England's dealings with the Soviet
government through the so-called
Soviet Trade Commission" and
Lloyd Georges frankly hostile atti-
tude towards Poland in the Upper
| Silesian problem. In the latter in
| stance, according TO the French
viewpoint, the British premier's at
titude virtually amounted to sup
porting Germany against the inter
/ csts OF France.
Soviet Debt to France
Each of these actions touched the
most sensitive point in the affairs OF
nation or an individual-the poe
/ textbook and the national policy.
Literally thousands OF French
men have put millions Of francs in
10 Russian bonds The Soviet gov
eminent repudiates these debts. IN
:he eyes of French bondholders any
dealings by England with the
I Soviets, especially trade relations,
serves to strengthen tIN Bolshevik
regime and lessen just that much
the chances Of their bonds over be-
ing paid.
/ Until the oBlsheviks agree to pay
Russia's debts France can never
view with equiramity any nation re-
them-least of all her former al
/ lies.
France recognized and backed
Wrangel because he promised to
erect a stable government upon
/ democratic principles and recognize
\ the Russian debt England chose
not to deal with Wrangel France
cannot see where it was any crime
/ 10 act as she did.
National Security.
/ Lloyd Georges attitude upon the
/ Upper Si1esian problem touched an
even more vital spot-that Of ma
tional security. The coal and iron
mines of the Silesian basin consti-
tute a veritable potential arsenal.
/ comprising all the basic materials
for making war. Naturally France
was vitality interested in seeing that
/ Germany got as little Of the indus
trial basis as was consistent with
the plebiscite results. She frankly
feared that some day Germany
might use this arsenal in another
war against her. Also naturally
/ France preferred 10 see her ally PO-
land get the lions share.
The plebiscite results were so
scrambled owing to the mixture OF
races, that the exact partition line
was a debatable question. England
I promptly took sides against POLAND
which. in the French view, vir-
tually meant supporting Germany.
7 England claimed the major portion
should go TO Germany. France
claimed IL should go to Poland.
I French public opinion cannot grasp
/ the reasons for England's attitude
T'he knotty problem was handed TO
the League of Nations. But French
men cannot but think that they were
treated unjustly by their former
ally.
RcparatiOn Question.
Perhaps the thing that smarts
most is England's position regarding
| rpearations. 1t is charged that Eng
/ land has consistently tried to make
matters as easy as possible for Ger
many, usually at the expense OF
/ France. II is emphasized that Eng
land Will worry little If she never
gets a cent from Germany. She has
! accomplished the ruin OF the COM
/ peting German merchant marine
and the German navy is at the bot
/ tom OF the sea Her homeland is
\ untouched by war.
But for France with millions OF
/ acres of her richest provinces and
I towns laid waste. the question Of
PREPARATIONS is almost a matter OF
/ life and death. She has already ad-
vanced over 60 billions Of francs to
! her countrymen on Germany's ac-
count for reparationS
IL is widely charged that both IN
/ fixing the amount Of PREPARATIONS and
/ IN executing the collections Eng
\ land has held back. And France is
/ the main sufferer.
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