The Washington herald., 1921-12-11

how are the markets to be reopen
ed? Only by getting Germany back
on her feet, and to do this II is ak
iomatic to the British mind that
the treaty of Versailles. that is the
reparations clauses, must be trans
formed. Unhappily at this point
Britain encounters the law and the
police force behind the law. For
the treaty of Versailles is the law
of Europe. attested to by British
as we'll as French signatures. Ane
the French army is the police force
authorized under the treaty.
Thus when Washington saw the
great British offensive against the
French army in recent days. 1t was
mistaken If II accepted at their
face value British allegations that
France was militaristic and seek
ing by its armies to obtain the
hegemony of Europe. Such allega-
tions are old STUFF OF the war
propaganda era, like to the allega-
tions directed against British ma
valism by German critics. What
the British really sec in the French
army is the power to enforce the
treaty OF Versailles as IL exists and
such enforcement, to their mind.
means postponement of German
and of British recovery. with all
the consequent ruin.
France Wants Cash.
France. too, sees the army as the
means of enforcing payment, but
1t is payment France wants. Eng
land has only a minor share in the
rnR n fen NJ
payment even of this minor share
without grave pre- judice 10 her own
economic establishment. But France
can take all Germany can pay. and
being able to take it, she is Just as
honest in believing Germany can
pay as Is Britain in the gertrude
that she can not. Now in this sit
uation, il Germany does not pay.
France can use her police force,
just as long as she is able to main
tain an adequate force.
The worst thing about the situa-
ton from the British point of view,
then, is that France has the law
and the power both on her side.
at least this is the present situation,
II you break down the French army
the whole situation will be changed.
Hence the attack upon the French
army the effort to force the Issue
of land ornaments before the
Washington conference, the GER
tainty that the effort will be re-
newed IL there is another confer
ence. All talk about French mill
tarism qua militarism is arrant
nonsense when it is not deliberat.
propaganda.
What the British see clearly is
that when Germany refuses to nav,
either because she can't, or because
she won't. the French army can
quickly move to the Ruhr. can oc-
cupy the industrial regions of the
Rhine Valley. France can foreclose
on her claim, that is the amour, OF
H. The Germans can not prevent
IT, Europe can not stop 1t; the Brit
ism nave no resource to halt Il. The
law is on the French side, and the
law is supported by the power.
Might and technical right are
Joined.
Portends Economic Ruin,
Yet such occupation means in
slant disaster to much of Enron.
and to Britain first of all. No one
can forecast what II might nean
politically in Germany. but IL wouId
certainly bring economic confusion
and II would surely spread further
paralysis in the markets of Central
Europe. Factories in Britain wouId
nave to shut down, unemployment
would mount again. Thousands.
hundreds of thousands, of British
"orkmen would again have TO de-
pend on the largess of the state for
existence.
In a word, IL France should seek
oy force to apply the Treaty of YER
sailles, as IL was written, and still
STANDS as IL Is her legal right to
DO such course might bring, If
not ruin at least fresh financial and
economic disaster to Britain. That is
why Britain clamors for the elm
nation Of the French army; that
is what is at the back of the mind
OF Mr.. Wells and all those who
snare his Views. i do not mean that
they are thinking only of Britain;
the disaster would extend far be-
yond British shores; but nowhere
would the suffering be more consid-
cradle.
By contrast, despite all the ar
guments to the contrary which
have filled American and British
newspapers. such policy would
bring no considerable discomfort to
France. She can feed herself, she
has all that she needs save coal
and coal she would obtain. indeed
monopoly of the coal supply OF
the continent, IL she occupied the
Ruhr, since her Polish allies will
have the fields OF Upper Silesia I'M
der the recent decision of the
league of nations.
Gains Either Way.
Even II Germany should smash
utterly. as some prophets forecast,
France would gain in security
what she lost in reparations. She
has received no money on the rep
arations account yet The British
would now reduce the mythical
figures which exist. But the more
the reduction the less concern In