The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-14
LLOYD GEORGE IS IN
 DEEP WATER AS HE STUDIES PROBLEMS
With Near East In Turmoil, as Well as Southeast Eu- rope, Conference Has
 Him Guessing
By GEORGE \. BARNES
 British Liberal lseaaer cial Wireless Dispatch to The As


 Copyright. 1921. by The Age-Heraldl
 London, August 13.-(Special) In view of some of the recent utter ances of his peripatetic political op- ponents, it may be appropriate here to say few words regarding Lloyd Georges standing with the British people, in the event that he should attend the Washington conference. There has been some confusion during the past week arising from an alleged newspaper interview in which it was reported that the prime minister lad said he did not intend personally to take part in the Wash ir gton gathering The report was l duly contradicted. Lloyd Georges intentions in the matter are still unrevealed. He is probably waiting on events, and, like Lincoln in similar circumstances, is willing to be con trolled thereby instead of indulging in the vain hope of controlling them. Meantime, however the near east
 
 Europe. In such circumstances it would be foolish for Lloyd George to commit himself lightly to task which would involve his absence from this country for anywhere from : six to eight weeks at the least. It has fallen to Lloyd Georges lot, l brilliant and volatile as he is, himself 1 to yet interpret and express to other 1 peoples the staid moralities of race. He has been our mouthpiece to the | ever- charging representatives to the allies during the strenuous days alike of war and peace and he has rarely failed to present accurately the na- l tional view.
 l We are, indeed, not little proud of Lloyd George and the part he has 1 played in these momentous times. He has recently been pictured in the United States as a mere transient l figure reflecting fleeting phase of our national life. Nothing is more untrue or, at the present time, more mischievous. We have our own diff i faculties on some affairs for home l consumption and we are not slow in l expressing them. We sometimes say a good deal more than we mean; that is perfectly well understood among 1 ourselves. But when this habit is carried into statements to other peo- 1 pie and is related to international af- fairs, then it is liable to cause mis- | understanding.
 Accordingly, Lord Northcliffe's de- l liverance in the United States may have created false impression. The American people may be assured that the prime minister if he goes to l Washington, will speak with the ] voice Of tha Rritich nation
 Presents British View
 During this week 1t has fallen to the lot of Lloyd George to present | the British view of the Silesian ques- tion to representatives of the allied and associated nations in the su- 1 preme councl meeting in Paris, and he has presented 1t with his custom ary courage and ability. There are unfortunately acute difficulties be- tween Great Britain and France re- garding the outstanding world prob lems which are under discussion and events seem to be marching to a | crisis
 Will these problems be now solved. | or simply shelved? If the former, then Europe may have her time to recover from the wounds of the war. 1 If the latter, then anything may hap l pen. Whether the world would be better or worse, if it has to adjust l itself to new international values is l a problem beyond my scope, but the continued shelving of these questions means that nothing is left.
 Franco-British Entente
 The France British entente has ! been strained almost to the breaking i point and cannot continue indefinite l ly to leave one merely a hope that ~I-- rrst- be a cessation of Polish filibustering, or the British people may demand 1 freedom to take their own course. 1 Silesia is the question of questions at l the moment Delay in It's scettlement means continued industrial chaos in an area which should be at once eX- l plotted for European economic recon i struction. This industrial aspect of 1 Europe's political problems is one which Is not always given the atten- tion it merits at the hands of "diplo- mats and statesmen" The world | lives on it's stomach. The production of goods is the first essential. And | that Is especially true at this time of scarcity. Yet Silesia, which for near I ly 200 years had been one of Ger many's chief industrial assets, has been wasting its resources in riotous living, contrary to the spirit of the treaty of Versailles.
 PrO-Polish Problem
 It is satisfactory to note that dur ing the week there has been some de- flection of the French pro-Polish bproblem.
 The division of the Silesia indus- trial area, according to the plebiscite. is the advance on the French plan. It does not seem to be an ideal arr rangement, and we have yet to see how it will be taken by Poland and ] Germany.
 We here cordially indorse Lloyd Georges Paris declaration that the nations of the British Empire will never consent to be dragged into a war which arises from the oppressive use of superior force >or from abuse of justice in moment of triumph by