The New York herald., 1922-01-22
JEALOUS OF PRESTIGE
Real Danger Is State OF
Mind Opposed to World
Cancellation.
RESISTS LIBERAL EFFORT
Britain Offers Aid, but France
F. Should Not Provoke
. Germany.
By SIR PHILIP GIBBS.

By SIR PHILIP GIBBS.
< The passing Of Aristide BRAND and
~ coming Of Raymond Poincare as
rt4ne Minister Of France means
0sadly that the miiitarist party in
DeaAce has gained political ascendancy
Sver tho liberal elements in that coun-
.try. BY mifitarist do not mean a
.pssty which will pursue an aggres-
rave policy on imperialistic lines de-
.lDaeately challenging the peace Of
-Musupa. Tor France has great need Of
.psaoe and her people would not sup
psst any Government which led them
into now military adventures demand
'hs moro sacrifice Of blood and youth
What Poincare means to France
and to tho United States-is that he
has associated himself with the army
chiefs, tho French War Office and the
old typo Of French diplomacy and
ax1stocracy. as we'll as with the great
body Of French bourgeoisie. who be-
heve that the safety of France can
only be assured by keeping Germany
In fear Of French military power and
that the financial security Of France
can only be gained by an unrelenting
pressure and demand In regard to
German reparations.
Polncare and his supporters also de-
sire to maintain the political prestige
OF France in Europe, in the Mediter-
ranean and the East, and are jealous
Of any Power which by policy or tact
lessness depreciates the influence Of
france In any part of the world. They
are Immensely sensitive Of their ma
tional pride as the chief victors OF the
war, and as--they verify believe-the
saviors Of civilization itself.
Danger Ahead.
Now, the danger Of this leadership
by Poincare lies rather in q state Of
mind than In direct action. 1t is not
that France will demand the left bank
OF the Rhine, as Poincare, the journal
ist, used to advocate. II is not that
there will be an immediate occupation
Of the Ruhr to seize the mainsprings
Of Germany's industrial machine. as
yooincare also urged In newspaper arti-
cles. Pofncare the Prime Minister.
win not risk such adventures with a
tight heart. knowing that the opinion
Of the world, and especially of the
United States and Great Britain, will
condemn the immense unwisdom Of
such acts. It is certain that for time
at least the new Government Of
France win continue the lines of pol
icy drawn by BRAND and that the
agreements made in the Washington
conference will be upheld.
The real disaster to the hopes Of
men and women who are working for
world peace Is that the Poincare Cab
met will put up an intellectual and
diplomatic resistance to the new spirit
of leadership which believes in restor-
ing ne stability Of the world BY oon-
ciliation. By generous good will-As In
Ensland's peace with Ireland-by
eccnomlo aitxu1m, sven to former
enemies. IN order to restore the money
worlds markets. Poincare will 30 un-
willingly. with stubborn reluctance,
raising every difnculty along the road
OF liberal effort. whereas BRAND. his
predecessor. went that way by per-
sonal conviction, though often no had
to hide behind a mask.
Tragedy Of Briand's FAN.
There 10 something extraordinarily
dramatic, and even tragic, in Brands
downfall and In his career as Prime
Minister Of France. The man was q
kind Of Hamlet, absorbed not in the
problem Of murder for Justice sake
hut in the problem Of pandering to
passion and human folly for q nations
sake. BRAND in his secret heart and
In the circle OF his private friends n
an advanced liberal and lover Of peace
IAN Intellectual paciflcist. He doesn't
envisage the future OF Europe as for
ever an armed camp with France as
the Sword OF Justice.
There is horror in his soul at the
thought that the next generation Of
french youth may be called upon to
die, as their fathers did in the last
war. cut down in swathes like stand
Ing corn before the reaper's scythe.
gfe knows that Il would be the final
death of France. with her dwindling
population. In many ways he saw
eye to eye with Lloyd George in the
policy OF conciliation with Germany
10 the extent Of abating reparations
which may drive her to ruin and de-
spair and vow of future vengeance.
In many ways his strange. broodIng.
gloomy. sadly timorous soul supported
the spirit OF the Washington confer
ence. Given free Hand he would
have made France a leader In the fed
Grafton Of peace.
But he held his Office at the dag
gers point. At any moment he knew
he could be struck down by political
opponents led by Poincare. who suf-
frrsd him to hold office only because
nfs personal record as q democratic
LIBERAL secured for the policy which
they imposed upon him as the price of
ofnoe the ALLEGIANCE of the liberal ele-
rnefits in France. 1t was they who
made him put forward the submarine
Ilaam ~ the Joker" In the cards they
played. And II was they who stabbed
rim IN the back when he went beyond
<Lofr ew fvr~xr Sl~,s 49,. u.~~~f-- --.sst.