Evening star., 1923-07-15

| any serious oner from the Omclal
German government. But Germany
has decreed sort of state of war
| against France in the Ruhr---iegally
occupied under the treaty-whtch
Germany calls passive resistance. An
| atmosphere of war exists and while
this prevails with periodical waves
of blood spilling, there can be no
| sane reckoning between France and
| Germany. This passive resistance
| has forced the French to take, re-
pressive measures and enforce
never contemplated and 1t must de-
pend upon Germany. alone whether
\ these are maintained as we'll as the
large number of French troops now
| employed In the ,Ruhr remain there
Eighth. France is ready and will
ing, and has been in the past. to con-
slider seriously a Franco German pact
| Of mutual guarantee and thus find
| way out of the feeling of insecurity.
| which is essential toward a new
! modification, of its relations toward
Germany. But France desires more
than Germanys simple word to be
attached to this pact, because. judg-
ing the future by the past, German
promises are an, unstable quantity.
| Thus is stated briefly Frances
| into as many words as dollars Ed
ward Box offered for solution of
the problem of world peace.
Foreign Minister'S Views.
! British policy is not French policy,
\ and even though the entente is again
restored to some extent, there Is evil
IDENTIFY great truth in the words of
Foreign Minister Benes on departing
from London after he had Impressed
members of the British cabinet that
9reak between France and Eng
W 4. H..
pe. Benes, one of the clearest think
erS In Europe. who had talked to
Polncare In Paris before he went to
London, summed up:
m frankly pessimistic about an
baIiy bay settiement on reparations. /
peIieve all Europe is facing a long
Period OF convalescence, at least ten
or fifteen years. The Ruhr trouble
VIII be adjusted before long. but that
GOES not mean a settlement OF the
ties are bound to arise and when a
lasting solution is found. 1 am con-
vinced that 1t will be with the CO.
operation of America America de-
| peace. But she will ace only in her
own interest-as rrcat nation
should-and on her own terms. in her
| own good time"
Benes' dash from Prague. first to
assure himself on behalf of the little
treaty-born countries in eastern
Europe that France and England are
offer. his good offices with a plan
| which might lead the reparations
question toward the league.
Bepes does not see war during the
continuous pickering in future years
over reparations. but returns to
| Prague convinced that the great ma
tions are interested but not yet ready
| to shove nationalism aside in favor of
| general settlement of Europe's
| trouble.
! Told I'm Conversation.
| A famous French paper. in attempt
ing to bring the reparations question
in the form of conversation between
personalities. suggests the following
conversation between John Bull" and
| Jacques Bon Homme."
! Jacques-You. John, you fought and
suffered four years for right Is 1t
possible that treaties have become
pieces of paper?
John Bull-No.
Jacques-Are not our land, our peo-
pie ruined?
John Bull-Jacques Bon Homme, 1
think of that which has happened
during the war. / want to live IT
peace. I want to revise my commerce
and desire that one should quit talk
ing ABOUT the old stories.
Jacaues-Even forsaking a comrade
in misery? Even helping sink him
further? Even forgetting pledged
word and honor and justice? .s-.se--
John Bull-No, but understand this
matter has got to be arranged.
Jacques-Tve perhaps not been very
intelligent. but neither have you, John.
It's Michel, the German Michel who
has been intelligent in passing himself
on as poor while he has been develop
ing his factories, rebuilding the boats
you took from him and hiding his
wealth abroad and declaring himself
incapable OF paying.
John Bull want to arrange matters.
as you say, but 1t is necessary to look
at the treaty of Versailles or another
one.
JacQues-Look at what we've done
to repair our ruins by not waiting 70
be paid. But what we want above
all. dear John, Is not to have to fight
the war again. There are sixty million
Germans against forty million French.
know the birth rate Is our fault, but
there are those who died and we've a
right to peace now like you and like
the whole world.
| This is the fundamental difference
between French and British views.
Baldwin in his speech to the commons
ceded nothing to this viewpoint and 1T
Is almost certain that Poincare will
cede nothing to British views. The
entente is unbroken. 1t remains as be-
fore a badly battered machine and II
may be doubtful whether British and
French machines are capable of
putting 1t in running order.
4 <v~n.-, --,-.