Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-21
BV BIRD

Special Wireless to The Great Falls Tribune
Copyright. 1922. BY The Great Falls Tribune,
London, May 2O.-Some idea of the
inflamable state of Europe may be
pleaned from the fact that the guar
antees of the mutual non-aggression
pact now are phrased in months in
stead of years.
Lloyd Georges original non-aggres-
sive agreement was to cover ten years.
The truce finally obtained operates
barely nine months.
Europe is not ready to agree to keep
the peace much beyond the present
year of 1922. After that what! The
significance of these facts is deeply
impressing the British nation. They
now are behind Lloyd George SO far as
foreign policies are concerned, almost
to a man.
This is a sharp change from last
week. The people now believe that
their premier worked day and night
at Genoa against threats of war deter
mined. to bring about lasting peace if
possible and finally obtaining by super
human effort a brief truce during which
new peace efforts can be put forth.
Nation Will Applaud
When Lloyd George appears in the
house of commons Monday or Tuesday
he will receive the biggest ovation of
his career and the whole nation will
echo it.
The nation would applaud him if he
were to say that France today was
the biggest obstacle to peace. although
he will not say it. Those who say
that L>,-J.,L .,E1;. 4,,,, - Co., %ha
entente at any price are mistaken.
Englishmen. especially those whose
sons fought, bled and died beside their
French comrades would regret an
open rupture for sentimental reasons.
but will not blame their government if
it comes. They regard France rather
than Russia as the main obstructionist
at Genoa and are astonished at Lloyd
Georges attitude toward France.
Paix BRITANNICA
British public opinion considers
Lloyd George as the great peace maker
and France as a sabre ~rattling nation.
An impartial observer. however. cannot
see it that way. Lloyd George was
working for peace, but peace on Brit
ish terms-paix B%rittanica. France |
Obstructed such a peace not because
Il TduCc NdHtS WIZ UuL DeCduSe SIZE
wants peace on other terms. The
test of Lloyd Georges disinteretedness
in seeking European peace easily is
made. One need only ask what has he
ever done toward reconciling France
and Germany. The answer is nothing
and the reasons are clear. The ira
ditiOnal British policy is to divide Eu-
rope with England holding the balance
and making all others dependent on her
friendship at n price. Franco
German unity is the last thing England
would foster. If it seemed probable it
is practically certain that London
would do everything to fOrestall it.
The British tory 'die-hards'' say t,
that Lloyd George is destroying the
British empire but they know full well
that he is working for a European
peace on British terms only and will
accept wal rather than any other
peace. Il
If France and Germany tomorrow
made a pact similar to the Russo
German treaty of RapalIo it would es-
European continental peace on
a rock foundation but it would also be
the greatest blow British foreign pol
icy ever suffered. No informed hon
observer will question that. And
that shows better than anything the
essential difference between peace and
paix Britannica.