The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-29
FRANCE SATURATED ID POINT OF NAUSEA OVER NEGOTIATIONS
Think Lloyd George More Anx- lous to Modify Treaty of Versailles Than He Is to
 Enforce That Instrument
By ANDRE TARDIEU former Head of French High (

"ie' hoau oI rrehch Hgh Commission
 SPesiai Iabiegram to The Age Herald
 Copyright, 1921. by The ge-HeraIdD
 NFrnnce continues bitter to England. Lloyd George appears to Frenchmcn to Dc more anxious to modify the treaty of Versailles than to enforce. France asks nothing that was not vouchsafed To her In the treaty and is tired of hay- ing to negotiate with Lloyd George every time question arises under the treaty. full nnd frank discussion must be had to bring about a better unaerstandinE)
 Paris, May 2S.-(Special. )-This weeks long parliamentary debate on the separations and Silesian questions emphasizes certain indications I gave in my dispatch last Sunday about the state of French public opinion. France is saturated to the point of nausea with negotiations which have been going on for whole year with the allies and with Germany The purposes of these negotiations at first was said to be an improvement in the machinery established by the treaty of Versailles. But as time has gone on France has seen that all these so- called improvements have operated to her detriment
 Various Decisions
 At San Reno, in April 1920; at Spa in July; at Paris in January, 1921; at London in May various decisions were reached regarding Ger iln dis armament, all of which in practice re- suited in nothing but the granting of additional postponements to a recall. citrant conquered nation.sf
 As far as reparations are concerned, ci Na fla gressively reduced the total of Frances credits. They receded from I36, ,00O,- 100000 gold marks to 10000, 900 900 and then to 95,O00, 900, ,oo0 and to 6S.- 900, 100000, always without obtaining any effective guarantee of payment in exchange for the reductions.
 1E every case the excuse for the re- auctions was the necessity of main- taining agreement among the allies, which, of course. France ardently de- sires. But we now see, on the one hand, that this agreement has been pursued as an end in itself instead of a means to effective action as it ought to have been. On the other hand it is apparent from Lloyd-George's re- cent oratorical sallies, together with the tone of certain element of the British press that there is strong doubt as to the efficacy of Frances
 
 an accord with England.
 Sure America Understands
 I feel sure our American friends easily understand our state of mind. They are extremely anxious to pre- serve an independence not incompat- able with cooperation with their for mer associates for certain definite ends France has never claimed against Ger many anything but the rights confer red by the peace treaty which Great Britain signed. Therefore it is quite understandable that the French people are growing tired of the necessity of constantly. negotiating supplementary agreements with Lloyd-George. none of which has been advantageous to France.
 The French think that contracts should be executed as they are written The United States has not ratified the treaty of Versailles. and France has not questioned Americas right to act thus. Britain, however. has ratified the treaty and France is astonished to see the British prime minister con- stantly seeking to modify rather than enforce.
 do not know whether Lloyd George realizes fully the consequences of his policy, but l must say in all sincerity that Frances strongly ex- pressed anxiety over his Silesian declarations is due to realization that this attitude is merely culmi- nation of the policy he has pursued ever since the treaty of Versailles was promulgated
 Freedom of France
 Do I seem to be pessimistic about the allies agreement and to recom- mend a policy of freedom for France? Not at all. sBut I do think that France and England must sit down and talk frankly with each other.
 It is quite possible that successive French government, since Clemen- ceaus retirement, have not insisted strongly enough to Lloyd George on the French Parliament's determina- tion that France shall not pay in Ger many's place. But that is what the latest agreement amounts to, on Pre- mier Briands own confession. Noth- ing could compensate for such a sac- rifice except the Aobtaining. through allied cooperation. of firmer guaran- tees of eventual payment by Germany.
 Where are these guarantees? Lloyd Georges attitude whenever this oues- tion arises. Is far from reassurinsr. And when Lloyd George asks France to abide by the treaty in the Silesian mat ter (which is all France ever asked),