The Washington herald., 1922-01-04
Demand That He Main.
tain Concessions Claims
At Conference.
RELATIONS NEVER
MORE "STRAINED"
Britain Opposed to Ali.
ance With France" Is
View in London.

BRAND has gone to Cannes for the
most critical international confer
ence since he assumed office early
in 1921. Upon his meeting with
Lloyd George and the allied pre-
miers depends not only the fate OF
his own government. but that OF
the Anglo French entente. with all
the far-reachinG effect upon Euro
pean policies that for the next de-
cade will result from tho supreme
councils decisions.
BRAND has left with the French
demands still ringing in his eaEs
that he shall not yield on any OF
his governments reparations
claims. He has left behind him, as
well. considerable disquietude over
the fact that Finance Minister
Doumer. who signed the August
agreement under which France was
deprived of a share of the first
1000. 100000 marks from Germany
will cOllaborate with the premier
q But although the press is pessi-
mistic it is loudly cheerinG-much
like the spectators at a football
game-for the French team to hold
EN-" in the ardent hope that Lloyd
George will not be able to push the
ball too far into FNench territory
And If BRAND fails to check Lloyd
Georges rush. he will certainly be
sent out of the game.
Relations Seriously strained.
The Franco British entente was
never more strained than 1t is to-
day on the methods to be adopted
to relieve the economic condition OF
Central Europe and Russia. Now Il
is subjected to the additional strair
of the misunderstanding of subma,
rines and the recent quarrel has
produced the worst possible atmos.
-pherc in which 70 begin a confer
ence.
frances share in the mutual con.
cessicns which appear inevitable II
an agreement is to be reached
probably will arouse the bitteres'
resentment throughout the natior
against the statesmen consenting tC
any recession from Frances de-
mands.
Not only the French statesmen
are hopeless. however. Raymond
Poincare. writing in the Matin
hopes that memory of the French
loving Edward the Seventh, who
loved Cannes so well, will domi'
nate the conference" But Balm.
willie, writing in La Liberte. warn:
the English to 'beware-anothei
| time we might answer that your
proffered alliance comes too late
an1 iS ton cOStlV"
Britain Wants No Alliance.
LONDON, Jan. 3. Premier
Briand's expressed desire that be-
| fore the supreme council settle:
| the other momentous problems a
| the Cannes conference a hard anC
| fast alliance between Great Britain
| and France be contracted, meet:
with a vigorous and emphatic an
swer from semi official quarters il
London.
Great Britain wants no alliance
with France" it is declared. "ant
is absolutely opposed to the move
ment aiming at the conclusion o
such an alliance.
| 1t is pointed out that presen
entente-if France will abide by tn
understanding of more than de
cade duration-is sufficient TO
French needs.
But before BRAND seeks an evel
| closer relationship with Great Brit
ain he must explain first the recen
acts which have tended to MAX
France the isolated power in Eu
ropean affairs, it is held.
If. in his announcement mad
just before he left for Cannes, tn
French premier means that he in
tends to put the proposition 70
such an alliance up to Lloy'
George, he must. it is declared
realize that the recent French pol
icy, both in regard to Germany an
the disarmament movement. ha
made a written alliance even
more remote possibility than eve
before.
British War Attitude.
Furthermore. officials said. Franc
must appreciate that if she wer
ever threatened again as she wa
in 1914. Great Britain would auto
matically come to her aid just a
she did when the Kaiser's armle
launched their attack upon her.
At the present moment Lloy
George is far more intent upo
reaching a Pan-European under
standing which would INCLUDE Ger
many and Russia. and il may b
just such an agreement Whlc
BRAND is trying to head of throuS
his suggestion for the creation o
an iron-clad Franco-British all
ance.