The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-13

Copyright, 1922, by The Argus.)
Washington, Jan. 13.-For the
first time since the European war
a French cabinet crisis has a di-
rect bearing on the policies of the
while it may seem paradoXial TO
say it, the truth is simply that the
out-g going of Premier BRAND is cou-
pied with an optimistic expectation
that his resignation will prove the
most beneficial thing that has hap
pened in the European situation in
three years
The United States government
has refrained from expressing it
self on the subject of European
reparations, yet it was watching
with anxious eyes the continuous
sniping behind the back of Prem
ier BRAND and it knew that no pro-
gress could be made in Europe un-
i'll there was showdown between
the extremists represented by Poin'
caire, Foch and the military crowd
who want to force Germany to pay
the exaggerated figures called for
by the reparations agreements thus
far and the moderates who be-
lieve world reconstruction hinges
upon a conciIiatory policy and a
shaving down of the reparation OBJ
legations.
Sympathy With BRAND.
The showdown has come at last.
Few officials here believe Premier
BRAND was in the wrong when he
resigned and laid the case before
the whole world. To have kept up
negotiations while there always
loomed up behind him the political
backfire of his opponents was
simply to keep Europe in an un-
settled state and make the forth
coming Genoa conference on &c
onomic affairs of doubtful value.
The general opinion in official cir
cIes here is that eventually BRAND
will be vindicated but that it may
| take time for the new party in
power in France to come around
to his viewpoint.
Tho prediction is that the Poin-
care party will either fail at its
task and compel BRAND to be call
ed to power again or that the facts
of the European situation will
gradually force Poincare to adopt
a policy virtually the same as that
proposed by BRAND. Which ever
way it turns out, the judgment
here is that the cabinet crisis in
France clears the air and ends the
period of uncertainty between the
two major groups in French poll
tics who have permitted the in
tricacies OF their quarrel to reach
even to the Washington conference.
@Sticker- in Genoa Meet.
Fortunately for the United
States government it had not ac-
cepted the invitation to attend the
conference at Genoa. NJ. BRAND
made it clear to the French cham
Der that America would come into
the conference but he was simply
anticipating certain acceptance
when he used the phrase. "Ameri-
ca has agreed" The truth is that
the United States informally indi-
Gated her intention Of joining an
economic conference but wanted to
know more of the program and
SCOPE of the conference before an
nouncing official acceptance. AS
| it is now the United States finds
itself in an even more inquisitive
mood. If the Poincare group
means to insist on the letter of the
Versailles treaty and use military
force to make Germany pay heI
obligations, American participation
in the Genoa meeting is unthink-
able. In a sense the new PoincarC
ministry in France will find along
| side the government of Geral
Britain. the United States-in ex
amining the practical aspects o
economical reconstruction.
1t would not be surprising If the
bringing OF America into the Genof
conference was the very frs
stumbling block the Poincar'
! nartv would encounter The Unit
Continued on Page Two)