Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-01-19
THE POINCARE CABINET

THE POINCARE CABINET
THE unexpected resignation OF
the BRAND cabinet in France
and the succession Of Raymond
Poincare to that office, has given
check to all attempts to bring
about reconstruction in the finances
and politics of Europe, because no
one knows just what attitude the
new premier of France will take
toward these questions. His rec
ord in the past is not re-assuring
because he has advocated extreme
imperialistic measures. He was
one Of the great critics Of the great
war minister of France, Clemen-
ceau, and took an active part in the
Reputation by the French people
of the great Frenchn,an who con-
Quoted the war to victory. He was
opposed to Clemenceau because he
thought the Versailles peace treaty
was "too soft" to Germany. and
that Clemenceau was too much in
fluenced by Wilson and Lloyd
George. He favored taking all OF
Germany west of the Rhine from
the defeated enemy and making the
Rhine the French border. He
thought the German indemnity was
too small, and that larger sum
should have been exacted in the
Versailles treaty. Inasmuch as that
sum was twice reduced afterwards,
and temporary surcease OF pay
ments had been agreed on by BRAND
at Cannes, it may be assumed that
the new French minister does not
approve of the latest agreement
for postponed payments of German
obligations. It does not yet ap-
pear what policy he will adopt to-
ward that question or toward the
agreements entered into at WASH
ington by the BRAND administra-
ton. Generally speaking, it is fair
to assume that Premier Poincare
represents the militant, imperial
istic spirit of France. If that
spirit, which was often displayed
at the Washington conference. was
disappointing and irritating to the
British and American delegates at
Washington, and led Premier Bri-
and to speak with some bitterness
of "the moral isolation OF France,
it is fair to expect that under the
new administration at Paris, this
feeling will be accentuated.
Among the measures that BRAND
had just put over as a result OF
compromises with Lloyd George
was a British alliance with France
in event Of an unprovoked attack
by Germany. There was talk OF
Italy joining such alliance, and also
Belgium in return for British pro-
lection extended to them against
unprovoked invasion. BRAND re.
garded this as of supreme and vital
importance to France, and when he
found his successful efforts to
bring it about received with critic
ism instead of enthusiastic praise
in France, he threw up his job in
disgust. What effect the new re-
eine in France will have on the
British alliance treaty remains to
be seen, but it surely will not be
helpful influence. The new pre-
rnier has been much opposed to any
recognition of soviet Russia, and
that fact may make him withdraw
from the Genoa economic and Fl.
nancial conference, for which invi.
tations are out, and to which Bri.
and assented. Different report.
are current as to his probable &C
ton in this respect. But even Il
France is represented at the Genoa
conference, there is feeling thai
its action will be obstructive rather
than helpful. .........
These things are all in the future
to be sure, and as the British ALI
ance is not yet secured it may b
that public opinion will change il
France when sober second though
begins to get in its work amoni
the French people, but it must b.
conceded that the retirement o
BRAND and the succession Of Poin
care as the premier of the Frencl
government does not make for tn,
closing Of the rift between Grea
Britain and France or for tn
peaceful reconstruction Of Europ