The Washington herald., 1921-05-29
BRITISH AND ITALIANS SUPPORT
GERMANS TO PUT RESTRICTIONS
MIXTURE GROWTH OF FRANCE
Allies in World War Now Become Keen Rivals
For Dominant Power on
Continent.

4A~44>s
cal and some Of the most righteous
actions In all British history have
resulted from the application Of this
policy. but Americans should per-
ceive IL is policy. not morale, and
British defense OF German integrity
today is no more than the pursuit
Of British detectives, as always.
Now. If one turns to the French
situation, exactly the same conditions
persists. The whole history Of mod
ern France is dominated by the de-
sire and the necessity of France to
keep Germany divided. weak, broken
into small states. The reason is that
whenever Germany has been in any
measure united and. France weak.
German or Austrian armies, count
ing Austria as the great German
power she was before the Napoleonic
era have overnowed into France as
they did in 1870 and again in 1914.
Battle Is Age Old
The advance of France to the
Rhine under Richelieu was no more
than the instructive desire OF France
to place between herself and her
hereditary enemy, the single barrier
which. from the days of Rome on
ward. had been a real obstacle to
predatory German tribes. French
history from the time of Henry w
onward has been a desperate battle
to hold the northern frontier and the
eastern gateways into France. When
France has been strong she has
pushed beyond the frontiers and
conquered. when she has been weak.
she has recoiled and suffered de-
yastating invasions.
France made an alliance with
Russia in the closing years OF the
last century to protect herself, to
obtain a measure of independence In
Europe, which had been lacking
since Germany conquered her and
reduced her to the level Of a sec
ond-rate state. French safety rested
henceforth upon the certainty that
a fresh German attack. and many
were threatened. would be accom-
panied by a Russian declaration Of
war. And when the war came, while
German troops were victoriously
pushing toward Paris, Russian in
Vasion in East Prussia recalled the
German corps, with which the Marne
might have been made a German vic
tory.
Seeks Old Frontiers.
Germany defeated, France had two
political objectives. The first was
to re-establish her northern and
eastern frontiers. She sought to do
this by military il not political oc-
cupation of the left bank of the
Rhine from Holland to Switzerland,
In addition. she claimed the Sarre
basin. most of which had been
Frepch before 1914 and had come to
France. not as a result of CONQUEST.
but by peaceful bargain with Aus
tria, the ancient owner. Her sec
ond objective was an alliance with
an eastern neighbor OF Germany,
which would insure a war on two
fronts for Germany. IL she made a
new attack upon France.
But since Russia had fallen into
anarchy and worse. there was no
present possibility of a restoration
of the old Franco Russian alliance.
AS a consequence France had to find
new ally and she tabled upon Po-
land, historically bound to France
oy many ties, and now as a result
of her liberation, to become a CON
siderable state. All French policy
at Paris and since Paris has cen.
tered upon making Poland as DOW
erful as possible. And fundam.n-
tally. II is well for Americans ia
perceive. that here is no question ~
sympathy for Poland-althourb
there is much in France. but r.rsIr
of French interest.
Poland Is Battle Ground.
But Poland was certain to becom.
the battle ground of France. and
British policy for the size ana i'm.
portance Of Poland was sure 10 he
determining factor in French in
nuence and power. To put the
thing simply, Poland could she have
Danzig' the eastern marches which
she mas disputed with Lithuania and
with red Russia, would be a state
OF between 3o,000.ooo and 40, 900 ooo
win an area greater than that of
britain or Italy and almost equal to
tnat or Germany. as reduced by the
treaty or versailles. II, in addh
uon. Poland could obtain the coal
neIos OF upper Silesia, she would be
d great power. once, her unification
were completed.
ana this new great power would
IN tne nature of things, be an ally
ana even a subordinate of France
pound to the republic by every pos
Siole tie. Moreover, Polish armies.
onicered and trained by French gen
erals would IN closest union with
the French. supply military
strength which would be tn. CON
trolling factor on the continent
holding Germany in restraint don,I,
mating the east of Europe and. in the
nature OF things, bound to Rumania
another important element In tbs
new Europe. by an inevitable ali.
ance against the common Russi,n
enemy.
Baked by British.
Ihus 1t has resulted that on eyerv
occasion when a Polish matter has
oeen up before the Paris conference
OF the supreme conference. British
poIlcy has been fatty anti-Polish. II
was Lloyd George who prevented
foiish ownership outright Of Danzig
anu OF upper Silesia, who reduced
the Polish corridor II was a Brit
ism high commissioner OF Dsnzip
VINO refused to let French munition.
pass to the hard-pressed Polish ar
miles, when the bolshevists an.
preached warsaw.
IL was Lloyd George, himself, who
PROPOSED. while the reds were still |
aaVancing. that Poland agree TO a |
treaty which would have cut in half
the area of the new state.
BY contrast IL was weyKand and
MS French subordinates, reinforced
oy French munitions. and ably as
sisted on the civil side by Ambassa-