The Washington herald., 1922-05-14
SEES BRITISH RULE BREAKING .
IN STRUGGLE WITH FRANCE


the Germans in the desire to reduce
and with the Russians
in the matter of Polish and Ru-
manian frontiers.
Advantage Lies With British.
Looking at population and ulti-
mate resources, it is clear that the
must lie with the Brit
ish. IL they associate themselves
with the Russian and German
groups. But one mast remember,
as was forgotten with disastrous
at our ow Washing
ton conference, that the immediate
power rests, not with the British.
much less the Germans, but with
the French and their allies.
II one can conceive that France,
Poland and the little entente re-
mained passive while Germany re-
covered and Russia, under Anglo
German exploitation. became pow
erful, the end of the duel would be
easy to forecast. But one must re-
member that this fact is perceived
just as clearly in Paris as in Lon
don-and there is not the smallest
possibility that France will await
passively the ruin that a quiescent
policy would insure.
Situation Takes shape.
Today the situation begins to
take shape with startling clarity.
We have on May 81 a date which
may be memorable in world his
tory and certainly has supreme sig
nificance now. Then. unless Ger
many reverses her policy or ,PDin-
care, goes back .on his Barbecue
speech. Europe will confront a sit
uation in which Germany, having
refused to comply with the terms
served upon her by the reparations
France will be free to
use her troops TO occupy the Ruhr.
and for that matter to so to
Berlin.
In this situation the legal right
of France is undeniable. The
treaty of Versailles established
French right, witnessed by all the
other allied nations and confessed
to by the German signatories.
There is no reason in law. in
morals or anywhere save in expe-
diency, why the French should not
act, If they choose. And so far as
expediency is concerned they are
free to calculate this element as
they please and they do not calcu-
late it quite differently from the
British.
Torn Between Two Policies.
Today Germany is tern between
two policies. One would seek an
arrangement with France. the other
with Britain. Those Germans who
advocate an arrangement with
France perceive that in the last
analysis France has the power
that if she cannot collect, she can
destroy. and that German hopes of
economic and political recovery can
come to nothing II France throws
her victorious army across the
Rhine. Yet to come to terms with
France means payment OF an enor-
nous indemnity. means measurably
French domination of Germany
economically.
On the other hand. Germany may
rely upon the British to save her
from France. She may reckon that
British determination to restore the
markets of the world. the deadly
necessity for the British of setting
the trade of the world in order
again, may compel the British 70
intervene to coerce France, to Ano-
bilize the opinion of the world
against France and thus hoIa
France off during the next critical
years. So far as one can see, this
latter policy has the vogue at the
moment. Germany Is counting ON
British necessity to save her from
the payment of French claims and
the. risks incident to French occu-
patton and invasion.
French Mind Clear.
Underlying all else in the nom
aggression pact, which Lloyd
George brought to Genoa. was this
notion of preventing a French In
vasion of Germany. Underlying all
else in French policy was the de-
termination to prevent Britain from
tieing French hands at Genoa.
France went to the Italian city de-
termined to keep her hands free
Tor action against Germany and at
the decisive moment the speech OF
Poincare at Barbecue made clear
what was in the French mind. N
was an ultimatum. 1t was recog-
nlZed as such and so far 1t has had
no effective answer.
Unless Lloyd George can find
some way to meet the situation ana
to meet French terms within the
next thEee weeks, we have to look
forward to the invasion of the
Ruhr by French troops. Such an
invasion will not mean mere occu-
patton of territory-another abor-
1--WE performance like the march
into Frankfort at the time of the
violation of the treaty of Ver-
sallles by Germany. 1t will mean,
on the contrary. definite occupa =
tlon TO be extended without date.
IL VIII mean that the French will
undertake to operate the great in
nustrlal plants of this region.
Tremendous Blow to Britain.
Now, either way. such a French
action would be a tremendous blow
TO Britain. 1t would give France
the control of the greatest iron de-
posits In Europe plus the greatest
coal resources. both near to the
most magnificent mechanical plant
on the continent. 1t would give
France the means to exploit the
European market, and IL wouId
mean an enormous reduction in the
British coal and iron market ali
over the continent. Conversely, II
the French operation did not nan
out. 1t would mean either chaos on
the continent incident to new
war, or paralysis of the German
which would gravely AFFECT
British industry and multiply Brit
ish unemployment.
British policy must seek to prevent
two things. The first is the economic
association OF France and Germany.
This would spell the ruin of British