Evening star., 1922-03-26
GREEKS AND TURKS
FAR FROM PEACE
Alliance Between Angora and
Moscow Seen as F0ment-
ing Trouble.
EFFECT OF WITHDRAWAL
French Fear Berlin Nay Think
U. S. Supports Her by Re-
moving Troops.
EFFECT OF WITHDRAWAL
WUYIHS 1IUUPS'
By ANDRE TARDIEU,
,rmer French High Commissioner to
America.


BY ANDRE TARDIEU.
Former French High Commissioner to
America.
By Ca BILE 20 The Star.
PARIS. March 25-Peace between
the Greeks and Turks is becoming
increasingly difficult. Angora's de-
mands, which include not alone
Straits of Adrianople and all of
Thrace, are exorbitant. Unquestion-
ably there is direct connection be-
tween the Angora policies and Mos
COW.
This is the outstanding feature of
week filled with happenings. or
rather with the beginning Of hap
sequels to know what will develop.
The request of the foreign ministers
of Great Britain. France and Italy,
made to the Greek and Turkish gov.
ernments, initiated one proposition
The action OF the reparations COM
mission in advising Germany OF the
amount that will be reduced from the
payments due in 1922 if budget fiscal
reform measures outlined are adopted
was the second. The third, OF
course. was the statement of the
American government that there will
be no more American troops on the
Rhine after 1922.
The first. naturally, is of the utmost
interest because of the danger in
allowing the Turco-Greek conflict to
continue indefinitely. The Angora
demands bring to the front the treaty
Of friendship between Angora and
Moscow, whose existence former
Premier Aristide BRAND denied last
year, but which now is an admitted
fact. Even the text of the document
now is known. Everything today
points toward a united diplomatic
while the approach of the Genoa con-
ference encourages them
Germany Alarmed.
In connection with Germany, the
government there seems to have been
alarmed and discouraged by the repa-
rations decision, which is divisib]e
into two parts. The first concerns
the payments collectible in 1922. The
second outlines the reforms demand
ed in the internal budget, which Ger
many must adopt before she will
benefit by the reduction proposed. The
1922 payments are decidedly lower
than the figures adopted at London
posed not to regard this as sufficient
compensation for the severer condi-
tions demanded for the future.
These conditions will be worth
exactly what the allies make them
worth. In substance they mark,
first effort to apply articles 241 and
24S and annex two of the reparations
sections of the treaty of Versailles
These never have been applied until
now. AS to form, they restore the
necessary independence of the rep
rof r,iS nj WI 7
sonally refused the presidency in
February. 1920. believing that the
participating governments had usurp-
ed its functions. Poncare was ap-
pointed after my refusal, but he re-
signed three months later for the
very reason I had refused the post.
Power Is Restored.
Conditions became worse yet in
1921, when, despite the commissions
unanimous opinion, the governments
excused Germany from the payment
of 12,O0o,000.0oO gold marks, which
the treaty required should be paid
before May of that year, and again,
commission, in. December. 1921,
1922.
Had this method been pursued
further it would have been better to
abolish the commission entirely. 1t
is excellent that they have decided to
restore it's powers. and it will be
good to see the commission again
reach a unanimous decision. Then
we will see whether the restoration
is a real one.
The announcement that the Amer
lean forces will be withdrawn from
the Rhine causes mixed emotions.
Sentimentally the French are grieved.
because the brotherhood in arms of
the "doughboys'' and the "poilus" re-
mains sacred thing, and one we
cannot forget. We also recall that
the. American President, in 1919,
called the Rhine the frontier Of free
dom. Politically the impression is
slighter because every one recognizes
that the United States. having failed
to ratify the treaty. can have no OBJ
Rhineland. Their remaining only
would aggravate the financial diff
culties which the Boyden note so
painfully revealed. And again, in
international. like personal relations,
there is nothing like clarity, and per-
haps Europe, seeing the United States
refuse: to interest itself in her af-
fairs, will make a much more serious
effort to untangle them unaided. The
only danger is that Germany may
think, or pretend to think, that the
United States is supporting her
against France.
1t is the duty of the American press
to dissipate this confusion, whether
intentional or otherwise.