New-York tribune., 1921-02-27
Lloyd George
Faces Defeat
On Irish Issue
Debate i'm Parliament Tues.
day to Bring Crisis; Rad
ical Change i'm Policy
go Avert Fall Predicted
May Renew Truce Plea
Weakening of Powers ON
Turkish Treaty Also OPP
crates Against Premier
BY Arthur S. Draper

From, The TTibane's European Bu-eas
Copyright. 1891. New York Tribune Inc.
LONDON. Feb. 26.--A crisis in Brit
ish foreign and domestic affairs seems
near. The Lloyd George government
has just passed through it's most dis
astrous week since the end of the war.
The Irish policy of the government and
the administration of Sir Hamar
Greenwood, as Chief Secretary for ire
land. are tottering, and the Parlia-
nentary debate on Tuesday may see
the fall of both. The Irish Secretary
will have fively week end in COM
pany with the Premier at Checqpers.
Ireland's government is the most
embarrassing problem before Lloyd
George and may be responsible for
serious split in the Cabinet, which
would be bound to drive many Coali-
zionist members of Parliament into
the camp of the Opposition.
Sir Hamar is practically discredited
and is being attacked on all sides,
whereas month ago he enjoyed the
support Of majority. There is little
possibility of the government falling,
but there is every prospect of impor-
tant changes in policy being made.
When the Archbishop of Canterbury,
Arthur Balfour, H. A. l.. Fisher, Her
bert Asquith, Viscount Grey and Gen
eral Crozier, the commanding officer
condemnation of the governments
present policy in. Ireland something is
bound to happen and quickly. Fresh
efforts to make peace with the Sim
Feiners may be expected. The British
public is now Slnsisting that the truth
about Ireland be TOLD and its demands
must be answered.
Defeat Once Narrowly Averted
The government escaped Parliamen-
tary defeat by q margin of ten votes
in the debate on{ nat onal economy.
The significance Of this vote is found
in the fact that the opposition was COM
posed largely sof coalitionists of the
nservative faith. Such q desertion
of their chief is calculated to frighten
Lloyd George ~
But the. governments troubles are
not confined solely to domestic ques-
tons. At the Turkish con erence moth
ing was settled except what was done
through individual bargaining The
French took the Kemalists under their
wing and played them against the
Greeks, who are proteges of the Brit
ish. Instead of making the Treaty Of
Sevres a vital document, having the
power Of the Supreme Council behind
it, the London conference finds itself
further away from a unanimous settle
ment than before it met. Almost
thirty months after the armistice the
Allies are tied up in a mass of war
details from which each group of
statesmen is trying to untangle itself
xxsiS = Sap pt.f ax.l fOe J. -
ish are, sore, the Greeks are sore, the
Kemalites are delighted, the French
are satisfied, the Italians are hopeful
and the Armenians more depressed
than ever.
The next question is whether the
forthcoming conference with the Ger
mans will prove more successful At
the moment London is not unlike Paris
two years ago, when the capital was
crowded with statesmen gathered to
set the world Alright. The chief differ
ence to-day is that no Anne rican off,
cials are pushing in and out of the
conference. There is no Woodrow Will
son and there is no Colonel House.
America has dropped out of the pic
ture.
MiIder Terms Probable
The absence Of Russia at the Turk
ish negotiations was not commented
upon at the conference, but there was
one thought in the minds of all dele
gates. The absence Of America dur
ing the German negotiations will be
equally unsatisfactory. Some radical
changes in the terms drawn in Paris a
month ago are expected and even
France is prepared to make conces-
sions Lloyd George may for domes site
reasons plead that the terms be soft
ened. He may fall back on the atti-
tude of British labor. At least that is
the tip being circulated now.
The last week has proved that the
British and the French have no agree
ment to share their influence in the
Near East and in the West, and conse-
quently Lloyd George may be expected
to differ widely from the French pol
ley toward Germany. 1t is becoming
clearer that America will have to make
her settlement with the European ma
tons separately with Germany, with
Britain and with France. The Supreme
council is proving just as unsatisfac-
tory as the coalition government. Ra
slonalism is going stronger as the war
becomes more and more a memory.