The Washington times., 1923-04-10
BRITAIN FEARS
FRENCH AIR
POWER
Told by Experts That London
Could Be Wiped Out by
Aerial Raids.

An exhaustive study of Euro
peGn political and economic con-
ditiOns has Just been completed By
DGOid W. Church, chief of the
London Bureau of International
NeaOs Service and for gears d corr
respondent in Washington. Church
Is q trained newspaper inUestigG-
tor and student of International
conditions. IN has Investigations
he Vistted the continent and spent
considerable time az the Rl,ineLG1ld
and RMhT. In d series of flUe
articles, the first of Which appears
today, he treats of Frances AR
supremacy. Later on he UiL tell
of the keen racial hGtreds IN Est-
rope and quote first hand Dredic-
tioms that ''gategilIG warfare 1OiII
last IN Europe fOY" gears" One
article UiH deal Nth the inter
national debt problem. These
brief analytical articles OM APP
pear daily.
BY DAVID M. CHURCH,
international News Service.
LONDON, April 10.--A new dam
ger is creeping into the European
middle.
The already complicated affairs
of Europe may be further compli-
Gated by Anglo-French air rivalry.
The Anglo-French entente, which
has been one Of the few steadying
factors in the European situation.
is being further strained by the
tremendous air supremacy Of France
over Great Britain.
The British people are becoming
aroused to the speed with which
tower Of military strength which
edge comes q hint OF fear followed
by clouds of suspicion.
Birkenhead Raises Question.
Against whom is France arming?
Lord Birkenhead asked this ques.
ton, and it has been re.echoed
throughout the British isles. In
the House of Lords, in the House
Of Commons, and in the press. there
arg apidly growing indications that
the Sitish people are becoming
aroused over French endeavors to
create an impregnable air force.
Already charges are being banded
about that the Bonar Law govern
ment has been intinidated by this
French aerial supremacy. George
Lansbury. labor M. p. declares
that European policy is controlled
by military strength.
These charges have not fallen
upon unsympathetic ears. The pop.
ulation Of Great Britain has not
0fN
ing the great war. Therefore
they become duly alarmed when
they are told by aerial experts
that the French air forces are
strong enough to wipe out London
and other great cities within com
paratively short time.
British Now Suspicious.
When the element of fear enters
1t is generally accompanied by sus-
picion. That is what is happening
in the British Isles today. The
people are being told that they
need to fear the prepondering SUI
premacy of the French air forces,
and, with their fear, come glim.
n1erings of speculation. These
Slimmering speculations may grow
to a proportion where they will
have telling effect upon European
affairs.
The British government is being
urged on all sides to speed UP air.
craft production, yet it Is reluctant
to do so lest 1t will mean enabafking
upon ~ old world race in arna-
ments. Yet it seems that unless
Premier BonAr Law acts, the
charge that his government repre-
sents a policy of Tranquility gone
mad" will continue to be made and
the people will continue to fear and,
| with their fears will come fresh
speculations and where the specula.
tons will lead no man can tell.
Outlook Less Rosy.
The Anglo.French entente was
badly shaken by the French in.
vasion Of the Ruhr It is being
joggled every day by knowledge of
French air supremacy.
II the entente finally falls, what
next? None can tell, but the out.
look for the future will be darker
than ever, and even with the en-.
tente still technically alive, today
the outlook ie anything but rosy.
These are all pessimistic predic.
tons but it takes a super.optimist
TO see any fair prospects in Europe
today.