The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-07-17
France Has
World in
Its sCrasp p
Ruhr Tieup Predicted to Re.
suit in Appeal to Amer.
lea for Relief Next
Year.
Y ear.
Concessions Laid Down
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

BY MARK SULLIVAN.
London, July 16.-Regardless OF
merits, and regardless in the long
run OF the result, the French have sor
the moment Won a victory of form.
For three weeks the British have said
TO the French. twas your program.
and we will say whether we will 60
along with it." The French replied,
You tell us your program and we
will tell you whether we will go
along"
The British will tell their program
Curing tho present week. This, how
ever. is an easy sort of tactical vic
tory that can be won by merely
standing still. Much more substan-
tial Is the fact that Britain now has
Italy on her side. that Belgium's in
terest leans more and more strongly
to the British than to the French,
and that the Vatican is following a
vigorous course of action which is
helpful to Britain and harmful 10
France. In addition, several neutrals
like Holland that are hurt even more
than Britain by the industrial paraly-
sis in the Ruhr, are identified with
Britain's interests.
France Faces Isolation.
If the program which Britain will
lay down this week should appeal
powerfully to the United States, the
isolation Of France would be com
plete.
There are two main concessions
which France wants to force from
Britain and which it thinks it is in
a strong position to get. One is that
Britain should join in the demand
for cessation Of passive resistance by
Germany in order to save France S
face and give color of success to the
occupation of the Ruhr.
Britain Is unwilling to do this pub.
fciy or formally, because such action
would be inconsistent with the cor.
nerstone Of Britain's position, which
Is that the Ruhr occupation is Illegal.
But Britain could and would find a
way to counsel Germany informally
TO withdraw passive resistance II
E>itain could know that this would
be followed by definite solution OF
the reparation question, prearranged
between Britain and France, includ
ing fixed date for the ending Of the
Ruhr occupation.
Wants First Payment.
The other concessions France
wants from Britain is that the first
$4,000, 900 600 paid by Germany shall
be devoted to restoring Frances de.
vastated territory, leaving Britain to
wait until, and If. Germany pays
more than sG.O00,000 This priority
TO France would postpone Britain not
only as to her share of reparations,
but also as to receipts from France
on account of the debt which France
owes Britain.
This waiting for a sum certainly
contingent and quite possibly never
TO be paid at all would be the sever.
est sort of strain on Britain, since
Britain has already promised to pay
and actually is paying. the debt il
owes to the United States.
The French, frankly cynical, say
that they cannot meet their pay
rents to the United States without
receiving any reparation money. AT
the same time France cheerfully and
firmly insists that Britain shall not
receive any payments, either from
Germany on account OF Preparations
or from France on account of her
debt, for many years. if ever.
Frances Pride Hurt.
ze, RI -
like to see Britain paying her debts
to America. France does not think
~Srica should be paid any OF the
money owed 20 her by any Of the al
lies and regards Britain's paying
America as an injury to herself
France believes that time fights on
its side, and under all conditions that
is true.
on the same day that Premier
Baldwin made his speech. Britain 8
export figures for June. were made
public. They were about Il per cent
lower than those for May. by about
the same percentage July exports
will be lower than June's. This show
ing. which is result OF Frances
paralysis Of the Ruhr, is nothing
short OF slow death for Britain
France counts on this, and enjoys
such wounds TO British economic
strength with as frank pleasure as
she received the news of n military
victory over Germany during the
war.
BY continuing TO hold the Ruhr
France, in both a military and an
,,nr,,fc t,araivefa will bn stich that
Britain but the whole world by the
throat. America Is by no means
emitted from the victims. II the oc
cupation OF the Ruhr is maintained
in It's present form the resulting eco
nomic paralsis will be such that
about the only goods America vii
sond TO the continent next year vii
be consignments from Herbert
Hoover and the American relief ad
ministration