New-York tribune., 1921-11-26

CcrvTsght. 1921, New York Tribune Inc
WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-An es-
arrangement between Great Britain and
France would be so calamitous a dis
sster that there is but one duty for
writer like myself, and that is to state
the British point of view as simply,
sincerely and comprehcnsively as my
space and ability will permit So Far
as am aware. there is only one opin-
ion ON this matter throughout the
British Empire. We may be right or
we may be wrong, but, at least. we are
unanimous What was said by Tory
Ike Lord Curzon is what has been
written by Socialist like MIR. n. G..
Wells. The view of Mr. Lloyd George
is also the view of his severest critics.
Labor and capital mother country and
colonies, English, Egyptians, South
Africans and Indians are speaking with
one voice. As NJ. BRAND will be told
# he meets his personal friend, Lloyd
George, there are no Francophiles and
Francophobes on British soil France
is our neighbor and her wellbeing is
our wellbeing. Her interests, in our
Judgment, transcend all politics and
all party controversy
The verdict of Britain and her do
minions is this: So far from wishing
for power in Europe, they wish that
the British Isles could be removed
10000 miles from the shores of Europe.
Ten years ago our people were fully
employed, our debt was small and
diminishing, and our taxes were bear
able. To-day we have million dead,
two million manned. million and
a half unemployed, about S45 900 0O0,-
COO of debt, taxation amounting to
one-third our national income and a
surplus of two million women, who are
deprived by the war of their natural
right to husbands, homes and children
Why have we suffered all this? The
answer is, in sentence, the quarrels
of Europe. There is not a responsible
British subject anywhere whose senti-
nent is not to-day that of George
Washington, when he warned Ameri
cans against European entanglements.
The dominions have plainly indicated
that they cannot be bound in the fu-
ture by these entanglements. Britain
herself must always be so bound by
her proximity to Eurepe. She cannot
help it. But Europe has become for
her an unavoidable necessity. The
mind and the heart of Britain are with
the new world, not the old. 1t is only
her hands and her feet that are fet
tered.
u. S. System May Save Europe
The European system of separate
broken down. Most of Europe is as
bankrupt as Turkey was bankrupt be-
fore the war. There must be a new
system in Europe if Europe is to sur
vive. The system that the Briton
wants for Europe is the system that
has worked we'll in North and South
America. On this side of the Atlantic,
there are about two dozen different
countries. Their territory stretches
almost from pole to pole, and certainly
from the Arctic regions across the
equatorial tropics. You have every
kind of climate, of religion, of race
and color, of industry, of government,
but you have peace. In the French
sense Of that word. there is no army at
all in the new world. Canada has only
one soldier to 1000 citizens, while
France has a soldier to fifty citizens
In the opinion of the far-seeing states
men, Europe must be Americanized or
Europe must perish.
The sole issue between US and France
is that we believe in the Americaniza-
ton of Europe, while France does not
believe it to be within the range of
Immediate policy. 1t is not new idea
William T. Stead advocated the United
States of Europe years ago. 1t was the
ideal of Charlemagne. 1t was the ideal
that redeemed the ambitions OF
Napoleon. For the unity of Europe, VIC
are prepared to work with France, all
day and every day. And while we are
NJ. BRAND, we understand to the full
his difficulties. He has at his heels q
party of critics and rivals. They are
men of great eminence, like Poincare
Clemenceau, Tardieu, and Marsha
Foch himself. In France as in all
democratic countries, the man in Office
is doomed to ultimate displacement and
knows it, No man will more fully ap'
preciate M. Brands political per
plexities than will Lloyd George.
If there is t. be this united Europe
England and France must work to-
gether and they must admit Germany
TO their counsels. You may say that
this is out of the question. Then the
Europe is an impossibility. What Lore
Salisbury used to call the concert O.
Europe must, however, be restored
The burdens of taxation in Europe
must be abated. The need for peac,
in Europe must be accepted as final
This at least is the British view. Sh'
challenges point blank the charge o.
N. BRAND that Germany is only wait
ing to spring upon France. She be
lieves that it will only be German.
driven to desperation that will do this
AS indicated day or two ago, Lon
don has addressed some plain words t
Paris. We do not believe for one mo
ment that France will challenge tn
unanimous Judgment of the Britisl
commonwealth of nations, of Italy, o
every neutral ir Europe, and-it goe
without saying-of Germany herself
Opinion in London has passed through
precisely the same phases of opinio
which are now reported from Paris. w
think that we have emerged into
more normal frame of mind. SO far a
we can judge, it is obviously the Amer
ican frame of mind In this countr
there are ten Germans by origin t.
every one Frenchman by origin. Ye
the United States remains united.
Foreign Offices Not Infalliblc
Also. we do not mistake the Frencl
Foreign Office for the French natior
We have our own Foreign Office. w
know how our governing classes mis-
represented our people to the Unite
St~sSs during the Civil War and o.
other occasions also. We also kno,
that war and the preparations for wa
are huge vested interest. Peopl
who make guns and rifles also max
proflts. And some of these people az
powerful in Paris as in other capital!
81 iS not everywhere that YOU will fin