The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-22


 which should have familiar sound In America-resembles the Gallic cock "Chanticleer," of whom Ros- tand wrote. This cock believed that if he did not crow the sun could not come up.
 Not Most Important
 Frances recovery Is not a pre- liminary condition to Europe's resto ration but will be a consequence of that restoration, for France, despite her ruined areas, is neither the most damaged nor economically the most important country of a continent whose fate is to be decided at Genoa. Genoa is at the frontier between the eastern and western Ribieras. It is important for America, whether this conference turns toward the ris- ing or the setting sun. If it turns to the rising sun then the cock. whose song and plumage everyone loves, will not have crowed in vain,
 But ere talk of Genoa, 1t is i'm portant to inquire "why was Cannes a failure?" l believe it was due to the Root resolutions adopted at Washington limiting the use of sub marines and forbidding attacks upon merchantmen. This deprived the r against their beloved, but too pow erful ally, England.
 other Causes of Failure
 Furthermore Cannes was a failure because the super -wiseacres of Paris mistakenly thought Briand had se- cret understanding with Tokio and because the Austro Czech agreement and Jugo- -Slav-Rumanian marriages have strengthened the central Eu- ropean bloc and frightened the triple alliance, thereby encouraging the Italians to deal gently with Slav Adriatlc interests and blocking the way to Frances continental hege- mony.
 An additional cause of failure was that Winston Churchill's defensive pact which Lloyd George had allowed to slumber for 14 months and dragged forth only after he had concluded an Irish settlement and friendly un- derstanding with the United States. read too much like a protective con vention. This wounded French pride and over-emphasized Frances just fears"
 Finally failure was due to the fact that the Genoa program for a confer ence in which Germany and Russia were to be present as equals. aroused fear. really justified their time. that FranCe would nave 10 moutIy some what the reparations sections of the treaty of Versailles.
 The Browning Mistake
 On top of all this came reports of varied amusements at Cannes, of din- ner, of golf, of automobile excursions on the Riveria, of the long and self complacent speechifying of the Ger man delegation, which the French surmised indicated an Anglo-German understanding, and the eliminating stupidity" of the Bank of England publicly attesting the impossibility of executing the French separations claims.
 The international picture suddenly presented the most powerful coaH- ton ever seen--of America, the Brit ish empire, Russia and China-eclips- ing Frances plans for supremacy.
 And the culprit of all this was Briand. It was Briand who attained nothing tangible. at Washington. It was Briand who defended the Ango- rams. the murderers of Armenians, with puns at Cannes. It was Briand who could not withstand Lloyd Georges charms. It was Briand who seemed to have alienated the worlds sympathy from the victors at the Marne. It was Briand who must be speedily overthrown so that France, three years after victory, should not be obliged to become a British pro- tege.
 The fact that a nation with so great a power of high accomplishment as France cannot look a reality in the face today, may explain why Pres ident Wilson was unable to accom- plish more at Paris in 1919.