Evening star., 1921-08-07
American Representative, A.
though Only ConsuItant,
to Play important Role.
new CHAPTER IN WORLD
AFFAIRS ABOUT TO OPEN
Fate of Silesia, Situation in Near
East, War Criminals Trials
and Russia on Program.
BY ARTHUR 8. DRAPER.


BY Cable to The Star and New York Tribune.
Copyright, 1921.
LONDON, August "a new chapter
in international relations will begin
Monday. when Ambassador George
Harvey of the United States will
in Paris in company with Premier
Lloyd George, Lord Curzon and Sir
Robert Horne sit in conference with
Premier BRAND Of France. Baron
Great Britain; Premier Bonomi of
Italy and Foreign Minister Jaspaar of
Belgium. At this historic conference
will be discussed the Silesian Ques-
ton. the situation in the near east.
the trials of German war criminals
and recent developments in Russia.
On the eve of his departure for
Paris and under instructions from
Washington, the ambassador has
been at pains to emphasize that he
will sit in the supreme allied council
not as full member. but merely as
consultant and reporter. The very
fact. however. that America will be
table for the first time since R. U.
Johnson attended the San Reno
meeting is indicative of the change
which has come in Americas foreign
policy and also emphasizes the grav-
ity with which forthcoming delibera-
tions are regarded.
Policies Sure to Conflict.
The British cabinet met last even
ing and again today to consider the
details of the policy which will be
followed at Paris. where decisions of
the utmost importance to European
peace will be made.
From this angle. it seems certain
that the British and French poll
cies will come into violent conflict. and
it is quite possible that Ambassador
Harvey. despite his positinR Of aloof-,
ness. will be called upon more than
once to act as an Intermediary and
compromiser. -
For many weeks the British gov
ernment has been pressing for con-
sideration of the Siiesian problem and
Premier BRAND has been constantly
Gil. The French find themselves in
the minority in their attitude toward
Silesia. but they have Italy as an
ally in their near-eastern policy,
though the recent successes of the
Greek army has altered materially
the situation in that section of the
world.
French Spurn Russia.
To understand the British policy,
it is necessary to accept as fact
that Britain has established strong
trade agreement with Germany and
has made a commercial treaty with
Russia To that extent the statement
made recently in Le Matin. that an
Anglo American understanding ex-
true, but it takes a wide stretch of
the imagination to believe that any
more formal deal has been arranged.
French and German business and
financial interests have held several i'm
portant conferences recently. but France
has spurned all overtures from the
bolsheviki, her policy being to form an
also would serve as threat to Germany
on the east.
With these two divergent policies so
much at variance in their fundamentals.
it is plain that the Silesian problem pre-
sents the greatest difficulties. Those
closest Lloyd George declare that the
French policy, if persisted in. will make
Upper Silesia another Alsace-Lorraine
and bring about another war. BRAND
is regarded as personally sympathetic
with the British point of view. and Italy
and Belaium may be regarded as wholly
sympathetic.
Much Depends on U. s. Attitude.
If the French remain obdurate it will
be Interpreted here as final proof that
France has abandoned all interest IN the
Anglo-F'rench alliance.
Much will depend on the attitude
of America. for both Great Britain
and France are eager for American
corporation. Americas relief meas
ures for aiding Russia and Am
bassador Harvey's presence in the
council Will give ohSO Oil SASSlACAS
opportunity to revise her Russian
policy gracefully.
All Europe is suffering from lack
of trade. France as well as the others.
and Russia is considered good
market, however doubtful her flnan-
cial guarantees may be. Eventually
British and American financiers are
expected to give Russia credits. guar
anteed by concessions and raw ma
terials.
Finally, some action will be taken
on the Rhineland sanctions, both
the British and the Belgians favoring
their immediate total withdrawal and
the French determined that they
shall remain unchanged.
TIIPKc Wll nllI1 AME0RA