The New York herald., 1922-01-12
BRITAIN MAKES FRENCH
SECURITY HER PROBLEM
Cessation of Naval RiOalry
and Russian Trade Conditions

$GScQstOH " tv0S~e ANeS~'
and Russian Trade Conditions
CANNES, JAN IL (Associated Press).-
The British memorandum of the pro-
posed Anglo French pact declares Great
Britain makes the security of France a
problem of her own and that she will
be ready again to throw in her forces,
as in 1914. II French soil is attacked
Naval rivalry must be avoided by the
two countries, the memorandum declar-
ing that submarines have proved in four
years experiences to be inapt either in
naval attack or defense and can be
used only to prey upon the merchant
marine. Naval competition. 1t Is added.
would corrode any accord.
Resumption of trade relations with
Russia was declared by the memoran-
dunn to be indispensable to the recovery
of Europe, and the consent of France
to Russian participation in the eco
nomic negotiations was made one of the
conditions of the accord.
The memorandum sets forth as the
British viewpoint substantially the fol-
lowing points
Great Britain cannot agree to post
ponement of the reconstruction of Eu-
rope while meeting French desires re-
garcing reparations and security. The
British Government must be in posi-
ton TO tell the British people that the
two countries are marching together to
restore the economic structure of Eu-
rope. Great Britain considers the first
condition to true entente is the avoid
encs Of naval competition. Therefore
the British Government proposes as a
condition to the contemplated treaty
that the Admiraltfes of the two coun-
xxyffh
their respective naval programs in or
der to avoid such competition
The memorandum also insists upon the
necessity of clearing up the points at
issue between the two countries. There
fore ii says an essential condition to the
proposed treaty is that peace in the Near
East should be restored, and declares
his Majesty's Government is confident
that there are no outstanding questions
which cannot be satisfactorily solved
in order that a treaty of guarantee be-
tween the two countries may be sealed
and confirmed by a complete and dur
able entente.
The intention of the Premiers Is that
no piecemeal treatment is admissible
but that all problems between the two
countries must be treated together. The
memorandum Is largely a restatement
of the speech Of Mr.. Lloyd George at the
opening of the Cannes conference, deal
ing with the whole European situation.
II contends that France Is more for
tunateiy situated than other countries.
inasmuch as. being agricultural and self
dependent. she suffers much less than
England and other rations from unem-
ployment and collapsed international
trade. After emphasizing the need also
to restore Russia, 1t says, with regard
to the safety of France from invasion.
that Great Britain regards this as to
her own interest and therefore Is pre-
pared TO undertake that. in the evsnt
or unprovoked German aggression
against French soil. the British people
viii place their forces on the side Of
France.
The memorandum adds that this will
be- a double guarantee, not only SAFE
guarding France in the event of an at
tack but making such an attack ex-
trennely improbable. because Germany
is wiser than in 1914, when she knew
little of the resources of the British Com
nonwealth. and. knowing that the Brit
ish Empire will stand by France she
viii not likely be tempted to keep alive
dreams OF revenge" 1t is greatly I'M
portant to divert the German mind from
such ambitions, as we'll as TO provide for
the defeat Of such ambitions should they
mature, says the memorandum.
The memorandum proceeds to point
out two alternatives to achieve the
desired results. The first is an often
sive and defensive alliance. which the
British Premier rules out because such
alliances are contrary to British tradi-
tion. Moreover. the British people would
be unwilling to be committed to military
liabilities for breaches of the peace In
central or eastern Europe or elsewhere,
and would not sanction an alliance ap-
pearing to involve such responsibility.
The second alternative Is a definite
guarantee that the British Empire and
France win stand together in the event
of unprovoked aggression by Germany
on French SOIL This was discussed at
the last imperial conference and would
possess greater weight because 1t would
have the British Empires support Mr..
Lloyd George argues that as France
cannot be invaded by any nation except
Germany such a guarantee would secure
her complete safety and this therefore
In the alternative his Majeytys Govern
ment prefer to adopt"
On the question OF submarines Mr..
Lloyd George declares plainly that Brit
ish opinion would insist on a heavy pro-
gram Of anti-submarine craft II the
French demand for submarines was
maintained. The two countries would
mus De launcneu upon naval compeu-
tion.
''The British Government cannot drs-
RIise the fact" says Mr.. Lloyd George
that such a development would react
very seriously on British sentiment tow
and France and French sentiment tow
ard Great Britain. Great Britains sea
coinmunIcations are 10 Great Britain
what Frances eastern frontier Is "a
France. Naval competition In any form
would corrode good will"
Declaring that the time has passe,
when statesmen can pledge their coun
tries to engagements regardless o.
popular sentiment. Mr.. Lloyd Georg,
emphasizes the necessity 20 avoid divid
ing Europe into two armed camps. anc
repeats that the basis for the proposed
economic conference must be that al
nations Join in an undertaking to re
frain from aggression against one an
>ther.
r-ne Italian delegation tonight OK
plains that It's negotiations with Mr.
Lloyd George regarding the propose,
Franco-British pact have been confines
70 the request that any agreement o
this sort be understood as not changint
the, relations Of either party with thur
party. italy recognizes that not havini
a frontier with Germany she could no
logically become a party TO an allianc
designed to secure France on her east
ern frontier.