The Washington herald., 1922-11-07
By FRANK II. sIMONDs.

The first plank IN the platform
of the new Tory ministry in Britain
Is obviously an indorsement of the
Anglo-French entente. Among all
Of the indictments of Lloyd George
none has been more steadily pressed
both in England and out of it than
that of having almost IL not COM
pletely destroyed the partnership
between the two great powers
which united to check Germany in
1914.
For the world. however, the ques-
tion must remain whether the alli-
ance can be restored or not. 1t Is
plain that Bonar Law will be no
more able than Lloyd George to
share in or give his approval to
French military operations against
Germany. He is bound. moreover,
to advocate sweeping reductions in
reparations. Both these things are
essential to the restoration OF Brit
ish prosperity and the abolition of
unemployment.
Lloyd George Backed Out.
On the other hand, there are two
possible compensations which he
can offer France for yielding to q
certain extent at least to British
policy. The one is the British guar
antee against any future German
attack. the second Is the cancella-
tion of French debts to Britain in
return for French agreement to
drastic cuts in German reparations.
Nothing contributed so much to
weaken the Anglo-French entente
as the fashion in which Lloyd
George seized upon the American
refusal to ratify the tripartite
treaty of insurance to get Britain
out of a similar pledge. 1t was his
legal right to do this. since the
treaty specifically required three
ratifications to make II binding. but
in exercising a legal right he put
a very sever strain upon Anglo
French relations.
situation UncomfortabIe.
The Balfour note. which pro-
claimed that Britain would not
cancel the claims she had against
her allies while the United States
insisted upon payment by Britain o:
debts owed America, completed the
wreck Of the entente and did some
thing far worse. it alienated Italy.
Belgium and the United States.
Now, although out of office. George
has obviously challenged his sue
cessor to reverse this policy. Pa
tiently he relies upon popular mis-
understanding and prejudice to en-
barrass his successors, but 1t is
doubtful If Bonar Law will permit
himself to be intimidated.
The truth is that not in a genera
tion has the British position in Eu-
rope been as uncomfortable as at
the present moment. Georges Ger
man policy has al:enated France. his
Russian policy has cost him the
support of Poland and the little en-
tente-that IL. Rumania, Czecho-
Slovakia and Jugo-Slavia- His debt
policy has thrown both Belgium and
Italy into the French camp. Finally
his Near Eastern policy has not
only earned the hostility of the
Turk, but it has certainly insured
Greek resentment, for Greece will
naturally feel herself betrayed.
Moreover, the pro-Greek policy has
added to italian resentment.
Crisis at Hand.
We are, too. approaching a new
crisis in reparations with the COM
ing of the new year. 1t Is not i'm
possible that We are also near to a
complete German collapse. In the
nature of things, since this collapse
is unmistakably the consequence of
German efforts to avoid all repara-
tions payments, France will have a
legal and perhaps a moral right to
resort to force. In doing this she
would certainly gain little material
reward, but on the other hand she
would abolish German menace, for
she will be able so to deal with Ger
many that at least a generation will
pass before Germany can again be
dangerous.
1t is clear, however. that France
is no longer, II she ever was. in .
belIigerent mood. 1t is not a new
war that France wishes, but a
means to meet the staggering bur-
den of the last. Every Frenchman
now knows that reparation must be
cut to the bone; what she shall be
assisted in collecting what is pos
sible and guaranteed. against the
of German recovery.
Law Sees Ixsue.
In addition. Iof course. France
rightly maintains that the same
consideration must be shown her as