The New York herald., 1922-01-30

statecraft and that the concatenation OF
international financial interests Is the
surest safeguard of peace been so
lamentably exposed as II was by the
outbreak and experience Of the war.
But that doctrine has left its marks
upon the generous iucidity Of French
political intelligence Those marks viii
not readily disappear. though they may
be partially removed by wholesome
massage Of facts.
In any case II is becoming clear in
France that mere foreclosure on Ger
many and the mere, employment OF force
to exact the payment Of reparations are
not likely to yield an adequate remedy
for the present difficulties. The diff
culties are real. They are also urgent
1t is moreover undeniable that II Ger
many ever Is to pay what she can and
must in common justice pay, the main-
tenance OF pressure on the German Gov
ernment and people Is indispensable for
a period Of years. Nay, It is recog-
nized even by the Germans that without
such pressure no Government will be
able to extract from wealthy private un-
dertakings and individuals in Germany
the contributions to the national ex-
chequer that they must be required to
make. ~
Must Remove Suspicion.
But 1t is coming to be realized IN
France that the best II not the only
means Of applying steady pressure on
Germany lies in the establishment of so
thorough an understanding with Great
Britain as to permit of the friendly
treatment Of any question that may
arise and the removal Of the atmosphere
Of. suspicion that has until recently viii
ated and to great extent still vitiates
Anglo French relations.
Lord Grey is perfectly right when ne
says that at the present moment there
is less confidence and. good understand
ing between the British and French
Governments than there has been at
any time since the Entente was made in
1904. He is equally right when he adds
that is the most serious fact in Euro
pean politics at the present moment and
it is essential that it should be looked
fairly In the face and that 1t should be
improved"
His diagnosis OF the reasons for that
fact Is not exhaustive. but undoubtedly
the practice Of political Jerks" by the
Supreme Council has been very largely
responsible for it, What the system OF
Jerks has cost the British Empire
since the ar1nistice future statisticians
may compute; at present It can only
be said that the loss politically. eco
nomically and financially is immeasu-
rable The system has deprived the
British Government of the great ad-
vantage it would otherwise have pos.
sessed of placing its political sanity al
the disposal Of the world, using its COM
parative immunity from she'll shock as
an international asset.
OF the contingent drawbacks such as
the coal strikes Of October, 1920. ane
last spring. which are the offsprint
with tho bar sinister of the British
treatment of the coal question at the Spa
conference, 1t Is needless now to speak
But the Jerks system. with its con
comitant Of surreptitious selfishness. un.
doubtedly has engendcred an atmos
phere OF international suspicion that &C
counts for much of the distrust where
with, for example, the proposed Genoa
conference still is regarded.
sincerity at Washington.
In a large measure most OF the sue
cess achieved by the washington con
ference is attributable chiefly to tn
quiet sincerity of It's proceedings. Suci
| Jerks" as there have been have com'
mainly from France-and France Il
now beginning to regret thein-but II
| one or two aspects it Is fair and righ
| to say that the British conduct a
washington has been impeccable. Lore
| Lees blunder IN attributing to Frencl
| submarine officer that officers sum
| mary Of German opinion seemed Z
SAVIOR Of malice. and It has been AM
still is resented in France, IL indeed no
| in the United States, as malicious.
Malice in politics is a luxury which
! involves O. tax far heavier than tina
imposed by the French exchequer upol
those who frequent French hotels ant
| restaurants. 1t is best avoided. Il
other respects the dissemination by Brit
| ish journals of unfounded or exaggerated
rumors unfavorable to France also-no
without malice-is regarded by i'll dis
posed French writers as proof OF per
sistent British hostility. Trankness
sometimes even ruthless frankness, Is
requisite in commencing foreign reia
tionships, but = where suspicion an'
malice creep in serious harm may b
done.
! I make no apology for repeating tn
warning I telegraphed from New Yorl
December 20 that "in the ultimate ap
portioning Of blame Thy American opin
ion), should blame unfortunately nav
to be apportioned (for any failure o
the Washington conference), the short
! comings and mistakes Of the British
policy In regard to France during re
cent months and years would fnfallibl.
be remembered against US to our hurt.
Broad Basis Sought.
II is only by finding a broad basi
for agreement that England and Franc
can regain for themselves and 70
Europe some measure of. American goo
will and confidencc-and both are wei
| worth having.
But here for the moment Genoa stand
athwart their path. No one quit
knows what Genoa means. The plac
| Ii not suited for conference. tn
program is vague. A strange yearnin
for Boishevjst favor that has appeare
again and again in British official &C
ton seems in some way to have inspire
II. while about the whole hangs tn
mist of British electoral tactics. Neithe
French nor American public opinio
viii be likely to approve the conferenc
unless II is quite clear that attendanc
shall not imply a recognition of tn
Soviet Government. and that the poesi
bilities theoretically excluded by tn
preliminary conditions won't becom
concrete issues during the proceedings
Far greater clarity and precision
much fuller preparations than may
possible during the next few week.
would seem to be essential IL the Geno
conference Is to- do good and not evi
It should therefore be seriously cor
sidered whether In the present conditio
of affairs OF the world It Is advisabl