The Washington herald., 1922-01-22
By SIR PHILIP GIBBS.

By SIR PHILIP GIBBS.
The passing OF AristIde BRAND
and the coming OF Raymond Poin-
care as prime minister OF France
means broadly that the militsrist
party In France has gained political
ascendancy over the liberal ele-
ments in that country. BY militar-
list 1, do not mean a party which
will pursue an aggressive policy on
imperialistic lines, deliberately
challenging the peace OF Europe.
for France has great need of peace
and her people would not support
any government which led them
into new military adventures de-
manding more sacrifice of blood
and youth. What Poincsre means
TO France-and TO the United
States-is that he has associated
himself with the army chiefs, the
French war ONCE. and the old type
of French diplomacy. and aristo-
cracy, as well as with the great
body of FRENCH bourgeoisie, who
believe that the safety Of France
can only be assured by keeping
Germany in fear OF French mill
tary power and that the financial
security of France can only be
gained by an unrelenting pressure
and demand in regard to German
reparations.
Sensitive Of National Pride.
Poincare and lbs supporters also
desire to maintain the political
prestige of France in Europe. in
the Mediterranean. and the East
and are Jealous OF any power which
1 Hxv
ates the influence of France in any
part of the world They are i'm
mensely sensitive of their national
pride as the chief victors of the
war, and as-thsy verify believe
the saviors of ciyilizs tion itself.
Now. the danger OF this leader
ship by Poincare lies rather in a
state Of mind than in direct action.
II is not that France will demand
the left bank Of the Rhine as Poin-
care. the journalist, used to advo-
cate. 1t Is not that there Will be
an immediate occupation OF the
Ruhr to seize the mainsprings of
| Germany's Industrial machine. as
Poincare also urged in newspaper
articles.
| Poincare. the prime minister, will
not risk such adventures with a
light heart, knowing that the opin-
ion of the world and especially of
the United States and Great Brit
ain will condemn the immense un-
wisdom Of such acts. II is certain
that for a time at least the new
government Of France will continue
the lines OF policy 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 Poin-
care cabinet will put up an in
tellectual and diplomatic resistance
to the new spirit OF leadership
which believes in restoring the
stability of khe world by concilia-
tion, by generous good villas is
| EnEland's peace with Ireland-by
economic altruism, even 10 former
enemies, in order TO restore the
money values and purchasing pow
er of the worlds markets. Poin-
care will go unwillinely. with
stubborn reluctance, raising every
cifficulty along the road of liberal
effort. whereas BRAND, his predeces-
sor. went that way by personal
conviction. though often he had TO
hide behind a mask.
BRAND Advanced Liberal
There is something extraordi-
narily dramatic. and even tragic, in
BRANDS downfall and in his career
as prime minister of France. The
man was kind of Hamlet, absorbed
not in the problem OF murder for
Justice sake. but in the problem OF
pandering to passion and human
folly for a nations sake.
BRAND, in his secret heart. and
in the circle OF his private friends
is an advanced liberal and lover OF
peace-an intellectual pacifist He
doesn't envisage the future of Eu-
| rope as forever an armed camp, with
France as the Sword Of Justice
There is a 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 swaths lik<
standing corn before the reaper's
scythe. He knows that IL would be
the final death Of France. with her
dwindling population. In many