The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-26


She has advanced this money
against ultimate German repay
ment. II Germany does not repay
she will be bankrupt. even II she
reduces he- defensive expenditures
to next to nothing. Ten per cent,
think. of the French budget goes
for defense, but much moro THAI
half for reconstruction.
French Polite. New serene.
Reading about the French policy
and. European events from dis.
lance, one might easily gather the
notion that there was profound
military emotion In France and
Chauvinjsm OF great proportions. AZ
close hand, Of course 1t IL clear
that there IL nothing Of the sort,
american notions OF France at the
current moment, however inexact
they may seem TO Frenchmen, are
even more incomprehensibie to
Americans living In France and
keeping In touch with current
French thought,
By contrast with Great britain,
French political conditions are very
serene also In industrial and eco
nomic fields, and for that matter
in the agricultural department,
While Great Britain has two mil
lion unemployed, France literally
suffers from lack OF hands, But
underneath the profound anxiety
created by recent American actions
is the spirit toward France which
they seem to disclose,
What France actually did at the
American conference at Washing
ton and how the United States OH
cially and uloficlally resents this
is vC' little understood, Instead
the : .1rlean policy seems a pure
ly mercenary attempt to oolftNt
debts from an impoverished, Grip
pied debtor. II there is still wide
area of continuing appreciation of
old kIndnesses on the part of the
United States. IT Is not less clear
that there is growing resentment OF
what seems 10 the Frenchman I'M
generous and perhaps little cruel
treatment.
Even up to the present moment
there has been no clear statement
in France OF the fact or OF the ief-
feet of French policy at Washing
ton. There Is a general feeling
that the French diplomats blunder-
ed, but no appreciation OF the eX-
NNhN INV dhAOhl "
feelings involved. To give Poincare
his just due. he is one OF the
Frenchmen with even a measure of
appreciation of the seriousness Of
the situation, and with frank de-
sire to restore old and better rela-
tons.
Ministry Not Extreme.
As have said, the Poincsre gov
eminent seems likely to last a long
time The prime minister has very
definite ideas about Ge1many and
about both military strength and
German payments. They are far
less extreme than Imagined In
America, but are hardly calculated
to fall in with British interests or
present American conceptions.
Perhaps the greatest danger AT
the present moment. outside OF the
total lack of appreciation in france
of the American point of WV, is
the exaggerated American view of
the extent to which American
financial power can be used to
bring Europe by general pressure.
which is a very polite phrase. TO
American ideas. what is most
promising in the present situation,
on the other hand, is that for the
first time since Clemenceau. France
has a ministry which rests on solid
foundations. BRAND was a creature
of the chamber. which held the
ideas OF Poincare. He was afraid
to do what he believed in doing, be-
cause Of fear OF falling. Poincare
has a policy, has the confidence OF
the chamber and the country. and
in the end may well prove a far
more satisfactory statesman with
whom to do business. In any event,
he is qualified to speak for France.
At the moment he is able to speak
confidently, for there is no con-
siderable or dangerous opposition.
Copyright, 1872