Evening star., 1923-11-16
VERSAILLES PACT
HANGS BY THREAD,
Reputation seen
Political UpheavaI Indicates
Treaty on Verge of Being
Completely Scrapped.
BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER.

BY Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1923.
PARIS, November 1.-THE fate of
the entire Versailles treaty today
hangs in the balance.
Doubtless one more effort will be
made to save this historic document.
but the positions taken by Germany
on the one hand and France and
Great Britain on the other make
the success of this effort doubtful.
So far as prognostication can be
risked at present. it appears probable
that the Versailles treaty is about to
be scrapped. In short, the gravity of
the situation following the develop
ments in Germany and the break
down of the Franco American nego-
tiations for a committee of repara-
tlons experts is such that it can no
longer escape even the most COM
placent eyes.
Germany appears to desire to disre-
the Franco Belgian occupation Of the
Ruhr already has rendered it defunct
Ihe German program seems to be to
resign itself temporarily to the loss
of the occupied areas and do as it
pleases in the unoccupied areas.
Want Army Restoration.
The program of the German right
seems to be establishment of uni
versal military service. Intensive
manufacture Of munitions and prepa
rations - diplomatic and otherwise
for eventual war against France and
for reconquest of the lost territories
Great Britain openly supports the
German thesis that the Franco-Bel-
gian occupation Of the Ruhr broke
Baldwin intmated that the time
probably was at hand when Great
Britain would find itself no longer
able even to try to cooperate with
the allies.
Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton, a high officer
of the British army, has published a
book denouncing France in bitterest
terms and urging a British Russo
German combination against France.
France considers that Germany al
ready has broken. the treaty definite-
ly, first by her long passive resist
ance to the Ruhr occupation; second.
by authorizing. the return of the for
mer crown prince third, by formal
refusal to allow the allied military
control commissions to resume their
duties in unoccupfed Germany. and
fourth, by resuming the manufacture
of arms and swelling the ranks of
the reichswehr far beyond the treaty
French information further indi-
Gates that Russia has begun impor-
tant manufactures of war supplies.
apparently in agreement with Ger
many.
Unity Held Impossible
= France had hoped until Thursday
that this attitude on the part of Ger
many would finally provide the oc-
casion for re-establishment of allied
unity, but Thursdays meeting of the
conference of ambassadors indicates
that small probability remains OF
such a happy eventuality.
AS French opinion Is unanimous
that Germany shall not be allowed
openly to f1out the treaty. France has
officially asserted that in case the
allies refuse to act in common with
France she will act alone.
France recognizes that this Will
doubtless mean the end Of the Ver-
sailles treaty, and she is rapidly re-
signing herself to this tragic con-
summation.
The practical effect of the scrap
ping Of the treaty, so far as France
is concerned, doubtless will be that
France henceforth will consider her
self freed from all previous prom
ises regarding the eventual evacua-
ton of the Ruhr and the Rhineland,
will collect what reparations she can
from the territories under occupation
and will carry out certain small
strategic extensions Of the zone of
occupation and will take within the
occupied territories such measures
for her future security as she con-
siders imperative.