The New York herald., 1922-06-04
Even Young Aristocrats
Support 1t Because 1t Holds
Country Together.
NEED INTERNATIONALLY
Moscow's Delegates Might Be
Forced to Accept Conditions
for Credits.
BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS.

BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS.
Special Gable to THE New YORK HERALD.
LONDON, June 3.-The most notable
event of the week in regard to Euro
pean settlements was clear indi-
cation from France that 1t was ready
to drop the threat Of immediate in
vasion of Germany should that coun-
try default on indemnities. It has
taken long time to persuade the
French Government that seizure Of
the German industrial cities would
create a new chaos and more immi-
nent dangers in Europe. What has
finally persuaded them is not only
Lloyd Georges straight talks at
Genoa, but the direct message to the
Conservative party. through Bonar
Law as it's mouthpiece, that Frances
warmest friend, England. would not
support her If she put new military
pressure on Germany to extract in
IDENTITIES beyond the German means
to pay. Besides q warning it was ike
an electric shock to Poincare's admin
istration.
1t made them realize sharply that
II they gave orders for march into
the Ruhr after May 81 1t would isolate
France from Britain. That thought
of isolation, though often envisaged
calmly in the French press, became
dntolerable when shown as the inevi-
table result of the present policy. Wiso
counsels prevailed that the enormous
Importance of British friendship to
France is not to be risked at time
when the German Russian alliance
raises a new bogy in the French imag-
ination. It is possible that loan will
be made Germany on her Industrial
securities under secret guarantees II
she checks the use. of the printing
press for paper money, stabilizes the
mark, balances her budget by more
drastic taxation.
Struggle Only Postponed.
This will be compromise, postpon-
ing struggles that cannot be averted
more than few years. I do not
mean necessarily a military struggle.
though Europe is still a powder mag
azine, but a tremendous struggle that
one day must be decided between
ideals OF European unity based on a
real permanent peace pact and the
old international balance OF power in
which groups of nations face other
groups with such equal strength of
arms that they hesitate to violate
each others rights.
: Lloyd George with usual dramatic
instinct touched for a moment with
r<1, 1t<xhf ~ L, II.
darkest problem. will a hungry Rus
sia." he asked. "sit quietly while it's
children are dying? That is not the
experience of the past" He meant the
experience of past history outside of
Russia, as, for instance, when Napo-
leon broke the blockade Of France and
led his hungry legions to loot many
cities, ravage many countries, over
throw many thrones.
Lloyd George has not been to Rus
sia. He speaks only through the gift
of imagination and knowledge of
human nature. have been to Russia
and seen it's ruin and agony; I sup
port his view by saying 1 cannot
imagine those hundred and fifty mill
ion people sitting down quietly to die
as so many are now doing in spite Of
worldwide efforts of charity on behalf
of the children. God knows If there
will be another drought this year. If
that were to happen, as it is prophe-
sled, there will be famine from one
end of Russia to another, and those
people would get on the move as sure
as hungry locusts gather over harvest
fields in search of food. Any kind of
world is preferable to such lingering
death, and Trotzky could rally up his
i'll fed legions for any desperate ad-
venture.
Fears Russian Warfare.
There are some who hope and think
Tchitcherin's failure to obtain loans
or credits from the 2acifist elements
at the Genoa conference Will over
throw the Bolshevist Government.
am not one who thinks so. did not
meet a single man or woman in Rus
sia, including those of the old regime.
who believed the Bolsheviki were
menaced by internal revolution. The
time is gone past for that. Ever
the young aristocrats are serving as
Red officers or Soviet officials, first
for a means of life. but, secondly. be-
cause they are willing to support any
government which holds Russia to-
gether and prevents further anarchy.
The futures hardening spirit among
the Russian leaders will defeat the
moderate pacifist element. That will
assuredly happen IL The Hague con-
ference does not lead to more definite
results for Russia than Genoa. In
that case am convinced that Lenine
and Trotzlsy, the inner council OF
Soviet wire pullers, will conspire for
a world war as one means of escape
for tie Russian people. IL viii be a
conspiracy with German militarists--
by which / do not mean the German
people--who would accept aid from
fne devil himself for tie joy OF
vengeance.
have enormous pity for the Rus
sian people. They are as good peo-
pie as any one; they are brave. patient
kindly, simple folk. They are just
victims OF tragic fate beyond their
power to alter or control. They are
peasants who love their land, their
gomen folk and children and desire