The Washington herald., 1921-11-06
Change in Franco-Germ
Status Seen by Observers
Loucheur- Rathenau Preparations Agreement
Forecasts Control of Gallo Foreign
Policies by Cooler Heads.


agreement signed by the French and
German minister Of reconstruction
n being taken by many European
political experts as the first evidence
of q change in policy Of France with
regard to German reparationA II
is being regarded as an indication
that the extremists Of the Poincare
school whose slogan has been
Preparations at any cost" are being
superseded by group Of more
practical men As the dominating in
nuencs In Frances foreign policy.
This group realizes that since Ger
many will very likely be unable to
carry out the terms of the London
ultimatum. France should endeavor
10 make arrangements on her own
account to get what she can.
Under the title The Franco-Ger-
man Accord" in the London New
Statesman. sisley Huddleston de-
velops this theory. Mr.. Huddleston
writes: Always the most dificult
task of the publicist, In the i'm
mense confusion of events. IL to
pick out the thread which runs I'M
broken through the skein- Were
to venture on the nat statements
now. IL might well be that in q few
weeks my conclusions would seem
to be falsifed by staring contradio-
lions. Nevertheless, must risk It
Some months ago I intlmated that
France was taking-tentatively and
cautiously-ths path Of realism.
The crash OF the big patriotic drum
has since been heard; the nfes have
blown At the head Of any army OF
famboyant politicians marching IN
a maze; but In spite of all Ma
tionalist Manifestations still con-
slider IT better TO keep ones eye on
the little company Of economists, of
practical, hard-headed, commercial
men, who. without noise, without
excitement, are proceeding in the
direction Of the only exit I think
they win reach It; while the clarions
are still sounding and the Lefevres
and the Poincares and the Tardieus
are still creating diversions In the
Labyrinth, the Loucheurs viii have
escaped from the tangle of the
treaty. and VIM have the whole of
France with them in their policy Of
collaboration with Germany.
Perhaps my prediction win yet
appear to be coming untrue, but
certainly there has recently been
much corroboration OF my belief,
that real French policy f. becoming
less and less . policy Of coercion
and dislocation, Of occupation and
fantastic indemnities; is becoming
more and more . policy of limited
payments IN kind, OF definite smaller
demands, Of economic co-operation
with the sx-snemy country. There
must necessarily be fluctuations.
AT this moment, for example, there
IL nrst-clRss row going on between
the former President and NJ. Glenn
enceau's chief assistant, which re-
Veals their agreement on one point
tho need for keeping Germany
down, the desirability Of detachinS
In one way or another the RhIneland
from the Reich.
But persist in thinking that.
whatever happens, however the
game may 90 for the moment tn.
true policy to which France Is turn
ing Is that which 10 represented nv
the Observation-Disclosures accord Thu
Loucheur-Rathenau accord ia IN.
central fact in Franco-German r.Ia-
tions-and in Anglo-French rela-
tions.
the Temps has virtually Ar
cepted the thesis that next wear
there must be a formidable rensr-
atoms crisis What the TEMPS a.
cepts may be taken to be the secret
thought Gin this matter AZ anv
rate) Of the chief politician. q,
France. Mr.. Maynard Keynes has
stated clearly-what Is indeed ohyI1
Gus TO most observers, whetbsr a
nancial experts or not-that Ger-
many must ind II Impossible With
In the next twelve months To con
tinue her payments under the Lon
oon agreement The realization of
ibis truth has fallen like a douche
OF colo water on France. 1t Is no
eoor continuing to cherish Illusions.
Ihere Is the brutal, Irrevocable end
Of dreams OF fabulous nnIlIIarSs A.
bottom France Is a country of rooS
sense, Of logic, OF cold Judgments
The accord has still to be raft
ned: the fluctuations, political, eco
ncmic, personal, of which I spoke.
may possibly upset even the wies-
baden plan But make bold To saw
that 10 Is on these realist lines that
French policy must be directed. ana
Is actually being directed. The Mar
Is seen to offer many advantages
It does not, II Is true, promise stu
pendous sums paid over an amaz-
ing period. It promises only seven
milliard marks over a period OF
nve years (No one can see further
nor As far). But Il IL better to
talk IN practical terms Germany
may 60 smash. Germany will nm
doubtedly be in default to the rep
arations commission on which all
the allies are represented. Bun
France has made her own marche.
II may well be that not only will
France ind II advantageous to as
sure herself of the speedy repair
of the ruined regions with direct
German help In material, but that
Germany also will ind It advan-
tageous to pay more to France in
kind for a few years than she would
have to pay in cash. France is Il
repeat IN the hearing Of NJ. Lefevre)
the only allied country that has
effective means OF coercion, and
France Is thus bought of. France,
~ a willing bargain Is to be car
ried out, must in reality renounce
her means Of coercion. Good Fran