The Washington herald., 1922-10-30
Europe's Political Upheavals
Delay Reparations Question
England, Germany and
!. Italy Stirred by
Changes.


In the throes Of a political campaign.
Italy In the midst Of . Fascist up
heavai. and Germany Witnessing q
socialist attempt to oust the wirth
government. all progress looking to
the political and economic recon
struction of Europe 10 indefinitely
suspended.
France. strangely enough. 10 the
only nation enjoying comparative
quiet. There Is the recurring ques-
ton: ''wiil France be nextr' Every
where else there is disturbance and
uncertainty.
All of the old phrases regarding
European chaos can be busted on
and applied perfectly to present con-
ditions.
Bonar Law Bewfldered.
Premier Bonar Laws appeal for
Tranquility comes In the midst of
such disorder as a strange. longing
note. The British premier reflected
the helpless feeling of every one
when he naively confessed: The
people hardly know where they are.
and / am one Of them" He NOT only
reflected the bewilderment .of the
British government. but he accu-
rateIy described the situation pre-
vailing Throughout Europe. Bonar
Law is weighted down with party
pledges at home and abroad which
are admittedly difficult. II not inn
possible of fuifllment.
Italy Yields TO Ney order.
Italy has apparently capitulat~d
to the Fascist. bent on introducing
a new school and economic order in
italy and, a policy of extreme ma
tionalism in that country's foreign
relations. The Fascist policy OF the
Mediterranean for Mediterransans'
may mean a dangerous experiment
resulting in untold foreign compli-
cations.
Germany's political and industrial
conditions are steadily growing
worse. while the mark keeps on it's
downward course. Political disor-
ders. such as the recent plots TO as
sassinate President Ebert and Chan
cellor Wirth may break out into
violence at any moment
Meantime such questions as repa-
rations. the interallied debts, and
the general welfare OF Central Eu-
rope probably will be set aside until
after the British elections Bonsr
Law. bent on caution. does not de-
sire to strike out on q new foreign
policy until the electorate returns
him a majority.
=. Ceapi,e.fea sx rslsssesI > :
Thus. with politics forcing further
postponement of an economic set
tlement, anything may happen. One
thing is certain. there is more diff
ficulty ahead over the reparations
question. With the mark COM
pletely broken down reparations
payments in the near future are out
of the question.
Sir John Bradbury. British mem
Der OF the reparations commission,
spent the weekend in consultation
with Bonar Law preparatory to the
trip OF the commission to Berlin to-
morrow Sir John sought to learn
the new governments view on the
reparations question. but the pre-
mier's instructions were confined TO
generalities, Bonar Law himself ad.
mitting the reparations situation Is
the hardest knot that Great Britain
has to untangle.
Dtsagrees win French.
Bradbury, who desires a two or
four-year moratorium on German
payments. finds himself In disagree
ment with the French. who are
seeking to impose the most drastic
control over Germany's finances,
amounting to an allied receivership
for the Berlin government.
While Bonar Law hopes for
smoother relations with France. II
is a certainty that Great Britain
will not consent to France cripplins
Germany. On the contrary. Great
Britain will demand that Germany
be allowed to reconstruct herself
In view of these diverse position,
Great Britain and France may nno
themselves clashing on the repara
tions question once more
Meanwhile the confusion through
out Europe is a signal for a re-
alignment of policy by the various
nations. The nature of this realign.
ment is impossible to predict un,
til the present eruptions subside.
Copyright, ls22)