Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-25

! ton of freedom of seas was settled
! by the device of setting up a league
, of nations. He found it easy to make
bargains with Wilson whenever
France. Italy, or the other allies
made embarrassing demands. 1t was
Lloyd George and Wilson who sent
! the Greeks into Smyrna as a rebuke
to Italy when the Italian delegates
| left the peace conference. What Il
line Of disasters followed that mis-
| take.
| BY accepting the Wilson league of
nations, Mr.. Lloyd George obtained
Mr. Wilson's support in such i'm
portant practical matters as the par
ceiling out of enemy territory among
the allies according to the secret
treaties which they had concealed
from Mr.. Wilson. Mr.. Lloyd George
also cast an anchor to windward by
| bcfriending Germany in the matter of
| Danzig and in the more important
matter of rcparations. He stood with
| Wilson in preventing France from
taking the left bank of the Rhine;
then he made British military al
lance of France contingent upon
Franco American military alliance.
SO France got neither territory nor
alliances. During all the time that
| has followed the signing of the Yer
| sailics Treaty, Mr.. Lloyd George has
stood between France and the COL
lection of reparations from Germany
His reason for doing this was frank
| ly explained. EngIand's factories
were closed and millions of her work.
ers idle for lack of markets. Ger
many held out the hope of furnish
ing a market, if afforded an oppor-
tunity to reorganize her domestic
situation. For this a moratorium
was said to be necessary; hence Mr..
Lloyd George objected to the French
policy of coercing Germany In the
meantime Germany has applied to
domestic improvements hundreds of
millions of dollars that could have
been paid to France for reparations.
| The German merchant marine is now
expanding more rapidly than any
other in the world. Germany's de-
vastated area in East Prussia. over
run by the Russians early in the
war, is now better built up than be-
fore.
4 strong element in Great Britain
has always opposed Mr.. Lloyd
Georges policy with regard to France
and Germany. Another element was
antaGonized by his amazing proce-
dure in dealing with the Russian
soviet. eliminating in his mournful
attempt at Genoa to bridge the gulf
No
organized society. But it was not
until the Near East fasco exposed
Mr.. Lloyd Georges fatal mistakes in
foreign affairs that British opinion
reached the point of repudiating his
government.
The Greeks eagerly accepted the
aid which the Lloyd George govern
ment gave them, and attempted to
take the Turkish homeland from the
Turks. They were finally over
whelmcd and thrust out, with the
consequence that the Turks seemed
TO be about to retake ConstantinopIe.
The treaty OF Scvrcs not having
been ratified, possession of the Turk
ish capital would have been ten
points in law. The british govern
ment was thereupon forced to send
troops and ships to face the Turks
or forego the cherished ambition of
Gaining grip upon ConstantinopIe. !
The freedom Of the Straits" was n
skillfnlly devised slogan, but the !
british nation does not want war and
was discnsted with Mr.. Lloyd George
Tor the manner in which he had !
buns!od Near Eastern affairs.
a change for the better may now
be anticipated. with a statesman like !
Bonar Law as premier for the time
being. Great Britain has nearly
isolated herself under Lloyd George. |
1t Is high time that the empire
should regain the esteem Of its old
friends and allies.