The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-08-20

Poincars fell back an his &6hy
alternative which was q strangis-
hold on German trade
DID ever the world set int, sucA Z
hideousne0f L. there any po1E3614
solution? French isolation In Ep-
rope 10 no solution II a a1m6st
the worst that could happen be-
cause Il will prevent any co-opsrz-
tion between tragic things not
leading TO the reconstruotion. but
to the disintesration Of Europ&-
Lord Grey has said q wise word "a.
where he pointed q way OF escape.
from this horrible dilemma In
doing so he voices the opinion Of y
millions Of plain men and women :,
OF Great Britain. He rebuked the
government for doing the little
thing when they had q chance 20
do the big thing. Even now it 10 y
hardly too late 70 DO the big thing :
and that 70 sponge out the Bal
four note and make . new ofer
TO France in the most mae1edi-
srosity OF which the British pso- :
pie are capable and Il 10 unlimited
when the call comes TO the best
that 10 In them and not thu worst :
should wipe Ont Debts- -s-s.
That ofer should be complete In =,
its abolition OF debts 20 Great
Britain. Already Lloyd George has
agreed TO drop something more u
than 1000, ooo. 600 900. He should
go further and drop 2.soo.ooo. 600. 900. :.
Of this mythical unrealizable
money which hangs like q curse a
over the spirit of Europe. u A.
waive all claims to German in-
IDENTITIES. He should now offer
to nberate France from similar
burdens and at the same time
pledge himself to assist France by
every possible means 70 obtain
sumcient money from Germany TO I.
pay for the devastated areas n
more than that But no less than
that. F.
And in return France would be
asked TO make q solemn pledge to =,
refrain from wrecking the policy
In Germany provided her security
10 guaranteed by Great Britain re-
garding any future possibility OF
war with her old enemy. That
would be the big thing to do-ths
biggest thing In the world There
Is majority in Great Britain
ready to do IL IL they get the lead. =
Nothing else than that will save.
Europe from further decay and,
Central Europe, widespread de-
spair.
wosld Save Eurepe- as' -
i doubt whether the big thing
will be done, because there An no
man big enough IN England today,
not even Lloyd George, to rise so
high as that and lead the people
with him. II would not be an
empty sacrifice II would touch the
pocket of every man and woman. .
II would keep them poor. But a.
would save Europe from disaster
and be a stupendous moral victory
which would ring down through
the ages. $500 e.
What is the reason that, after
nearly four years OF so-caned
peace. Europe 10 in such q tragic
state? 1t 10 that in the Versailles
treaty that the victorious nations
did little thing instead Of a big
one Ignoring simple economic.
laws they played the game with
such enormous greed that no ma
tion on earth. not even the United
States. could have produced the
fabulous wealth demanded of Ger
many. Then upon those mythical
figures France. though not Eng
land, built dream castles which are
now dispelled by the cold frost Of
reality. --..a'
Nations Are Bankrupt
The nations are economically
bankrupt now because they were
spiritually bankrupt nrst. II they
had followed the lead Of idealists
who were for peace. mercy and
construction. instead Of vengeance
and illusion. they would have been
materially richer today and Europe
would have been uplifted TO a new
plane OF hope. They were warned
but did not heed the warnings.
There are some OF us who SUI
fered insult because we pointed out
the truth three years or more ago.
The truth still remains the same
Only by spiritual philosophy. based
on forgiveness of sins and debts by
fraternal cooperation between ma
tions, can this old Europe be saved.
There is no hope for that, I fear.
until this generation passes with
its memories and passions.
Our only hope is in leaders who
are now unknown. Until they come
Europe will stagger through years
of turmoil and decay and increas-
ing misery. Only England stands
now. as always. strong and stub
born against all the buffetinss of
fate. and those who hope she As
weakening will be disappointed
yet. For though the British peo. F,
pie are hard pressed they will ana
can stand a lot Of knocking And
in my opinion they are going TO
get Il.