The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-02-26

anced by the change In the French
political situation. BRAND, who
accepted in very large measure,
British views about economic con-
ditions and policies in Europe. has
been driven out of office. Poin-
care has succeeded him, and Poln-
cares policy, so far from represent
ing further concession TO the British
view, has already given clear indi-
tenacious resistance.
A Crisis I'm Europe.
We have come therefore to a
crisis in the European situation.
This crisis has resulted from many
things. The events at Washington
contributed, aua,ieis over tne near
east, over German reparations. and
a score of other matters have had
their part. But at the bottom the
situation has developed out OF the
totally changed conditions In Europe
which the war has produced. Great
Britain is endeavoring to deal with
France now as IL II were the France
OF the days before the war, whereas
France despite her great losses in
the war finds herself in a different
position and feels herself another
country from the France OF 1914.
II you go to the bottom of all the
present Anglo-French misunder-
standing you will find that the fall
ure or the refusal of the British to
recognize the change in French con-
dition in Europe explains much II
/ not most. From the moment OF the
French defeat in 1871 to. the hour
of victory marked by the armistice
/ of Rethondes. France was helpless
4 ", Enrnna md man ettra hlv raIauat cd
/ to the position of minor power
She was at the mercy of Germany
and her security and safety de-
! pended upon a Russian alliance and
/ a more or less fragile understanding
with Great Britain. She was Obliged
therefore at all times to restrict hei
activities to the narrowest limits and
TO restrain from any real freedom
of action.
Today the situation is quite diff.
ferent. France is once more, In
every way. for the moment at least
the strongest nation on the contin
ent OF Europe. Not only Is there nc
nation on the continent capable oi
meeting the French military power
in the field. but France has asso-
ciated with herself in a series o.
alliances many of the succession
states, the most important of which
namel, Poland. has replaced Russia
as French ally on the eastern flanl
of Germany.
In this situation France finds
herself threatened eventually by
Germany provided Germany shall
recover her economic prosper
ity and thereafter her military
strength. But 10 Is not less clear
that such German recovery can
only be by and with the consent
Of France. And IL Is not true,
as many Americans and some
Engllshmcn argue, that the fall
ure OF Germany to recover would
carry with it tremendous hard
ship to France. by comparison
with any of the considerable
powers of Europe France would
be immune from any evil consc-
quences of German economic
and industrial degeneration.
Now. in this situation France oc
cupies a strong position. She
recovering rapidly from the conse
quences of the war so far as eco
nomic aspects are concerned. Sh
lost million and a third Of men Il
! battle and nearly half as many Il
cripples, but by the treaty of Yer
sailles she regained Alsacc. Lorrain
with n population of 100000. Tn
recent census showed that wherea
the German population had decline
from 70.000,000 to 60,000,000 sine
the outbreak of the war, the ne
loss in the French population wa
under 100000. While the Britis
losses due to unemployment renal
constant, and 100000 Englishme
are out of work as contrasted wit
10000 Frenchmen. France ha
Steadily and systematically brough
back her fields to service. Alread
more than two-thlrds of her deva
tated area is bearing crops.
Domestic Turmoil remains.
II is true, and Americans shoul
bear the fact In mind. that Will
the French have brought hack the
fields, their factories, their raj
roads and their canals. they hay
hardly more than begun TO rebuilt
their wrecked homes. The peasant
OF France who are today cultivatin
their fields and who last year han
vested crops little inferior to thos
of 1913. are still living In old duf
/, outs, temporary shelters. The
/ present discomfort Is very great, b.