Evening star., 1922-01-25
Anglo French Agreement.


Presenting to the French chamber
of deputies the latest Of this winters
bumper crop Of treaties. the draft
OF an Anglo-French alliance, former
Premier BRAND declared, in the
American equivalent: you've want
ed something for three years: I've
tried at Cannes to get 1t for you.
Here it is; take it or leave 1t. I'm
through"
AS the situation appears over here.
the attitude of the French press in
dicates that, unless the treaty is ma
terially modified, 1.-The deputies may
repeat what the United States Senate
did to the Versailles treaty, as the
Hartford Times ldemocratics pre-
viewpoint it will be difficult to ~un-
derstand their position. Although
Americans do not think much Of
alliances; even for other nations"
the Elmira Star-Gazette undepen-
dent thinks there is not much to
criticise" in the proposed treaty be-
tween Great Britain and France. In
1t the paper reports:
Great Britain pledges herself to
go to the aid of France with all her
IL France is attacked again by Ger
many. And Britain gets her
full equivalent, as usual. French
militarism is deprived Of all legiti-
mate excuse for being. Brit
ain, moreover. will have freer hand
cording to her own ideas. and to
foster the revival of central Euro
pean industry, trade and consuming
power for the sake Of Britain's own
business prosperity"
But the French press feels that in
negotiating this agreement "the pre-
mier has made too many concessions"
the Indianapolis News independently
says. and has offered a "one-sided
bargain" for French approval The
Houston Chronicle independently
In its opinion all Lloyd George has
done in the matter is ito sell France
an embossed declaration of prevailing
sentiment" for which France must
pay by giving up "her military pro-
gram. her idea of coercing Germany,
her unyielding posture toward repa-
in exchange "for something which the
whole world stands ready to give
without recompense."
Neverth eless. the guarantee now Of
fered France Is exactly what she has
been insisting upon, and the alliance
her than to England, most American
writer's believe. Great Britain was
not tho prime factor in launching
such an alliance, 1t is pointed out; in
deed. 1t undertook ito guarantee
French security" the Baltimore News
tho French announced that they would
not play the game under any other
conditions" and while the proposal is
meeting with opposition, now that 1t
has taken concrete form, the News
does not consider it serious, for "the
Gstu l1p
like the Old Guard, which dies but
never surrenders." The New York
Times Independent democratic) also
does not believe that France will
miss the chance of striking hands
with England in an agreement which
would mean so great benefit to Eu-
rope and all the world.
The Chicago Tribune Independent
now open TOR a revision Of the
French program that win make
everybody happier" Primarily In
tended TO guard France against s pos,
thinks that "in its working the al
lance will necessarily take a larger
scope, and II 1t is used wisely 1t may
do much to improve and stabilize
both political and financial conditions
it is Of vital interest to tho United
states, in the opinion Of the st. Louis
Globe-pemocrat (republican). for ''in
permitting and aiding in the revival
Of European industry it will quickly
create q demand for material and
foodstuffs that We can supply, and
the stability that will be established
viii gradually restore sound financial
conditions, making credits safe and
interchange Of commerce profitable"
France and England "have dfifted
10 far apart In the three short. years
since the victory" observes the Aber-
deem (S. d. World (independent),
sthat they glare at each other now
across the channel" and one Of the
Important achievements Of the alli-
ance, tie Indianapolis Star (indepen-
dent republican, agrees. will be to
"restore the solidarity between the
two allies which existed during the
war"