Evening star., 1923-10-28
u. S. AND GREAT BRITAIN
ARE DRAWING CLOSER
Chief Result of Reparations Negoti-
atiOns to Date-France Con
tinues to Hold Key.

he stated that Germany would never
be able to pay If civil strife were
permitted to develop. has been vim
dicated.
But French nationalist purpose as
voiced by Marshal Foch. In the peace
conference, and looking toward the
disintegration of Germany has been
achieved to a point where 1t is seri-
ously debated in the chancellories of
Europe, whether the French desire
reparations more than they do the
physical and financial bankruptcy of
Germany. Continued Franco-Belgian
aid for Rhineland separatists in their
effort to pull away from the reich. is
confirmation, in the minds of close
students Of the situation. that France
really prefers the disruption of Ger
many to payment. In some quarters
it Is insisted, reparations are merely
used as an issue to bring about
eventual cancellation of Frances debt
to England and the United States.
In DictatoriaI Position.
Whatever purposes, attributed to
France, it nevertheless remains
fact that France is In a predominant
dictatorial position as a result of the
fruition of PoiEcare's political
policies on the continent. Should he
consent to move whit or jot away
from his present position, unless
there be compensatory gains, such as
the cancellation of Frances great
foreign debts, Poincare knows and
his enemies in France know, that he
then and there would seal his political
doom. And Poincare does not lack
shrewdness in his political manuver-
ing.
When the French premier consents
to a commission Of experts to be
named by the reparations commission
to act in purely advisory capacity,
he knows Of his power within the
reparations commission and his
ability to null all suggestions.
Question Of Fixing Sum.
England hopes that an expert COM
mission, America participating, might
fix an amount of reparations which
Germany reasonably can be expected
to pay. This power the French con-
test. The commission merely must
make suggestion as to the ways and
means of Germany's carrying out
payments provided in the treaty of
Versailles. Torn as Germany is the
French know and every other foreign
Office in Europe and abroad knows.
that the reich in it's present state Of
disintegration cannot pay 231,00o,-
100000 gold marks as scheduled.
Germany can scarcely pay more than
the interest, if that, and particularly
as long as the very heart of indus
trial Germany, the Ruhr. is in alien
hands.
Prospective work Of a commission
of experts is nulled. before it takes
up its work by the almost certain
refusal of France to permit reduction,
unless the debt cancellation question
be considered along with that of
reparations. Secretary Hughes has
made it plain that there can be no
such consideration, as the two ques-
tions are in no-wise related. Poincare
takes a contrary view. He knows all
the while that England still may be
induced to shave the amount of her
loans to France in desperate hope
that out of chaos there may emerge
some degree of progress for con-
tfnental Europe.
Humble Step Forward.
However. there is every likelihood
| that the business of agreeing on
commission of experts to fix the ca
| pacity of Germany to pay will grow
lpace. 1t is, after all, a step forward,
though a humble one.
England and the United States, by
their concerted drive for an end to
the present impasse in regard to
Germany. may be able to build up
public sentiment the world over, in
the face of which Poincare will not
dare fly when the opinions of the
experts are once made known. But it
is more likely that the underlying
hope of Lord Curzon when he ap-
preached the American government.
was eventually to bring about a gov
ernmentaI parIey, at which there
would be general consideration and
revision Of the terms of the treaty
of Versailles. which. admittedly, are
prolonging disorder throughout Eu-
rope, and which have worked so dis
I astrously against the peace promul-
gated by decree in solemn assembly
at Versailles.
Much or little may come from the
present negotiations, but in the final
analysis it still remains within the
province of France to decide what
the eventual outcome shall be.
Unless backed by world public opin-
ion, the United States and Great Brit
ain stand shoulder side by side in i'm
pressing upon the French govern
ment that there must be change of
policy reacting to the interests of
the world as 8 whole, and not to par
ticular nationalistic policy, little can
be gained.
| In the meantime, friends of ultimate
American British rapprochement in
world affairs see long step toward
this goal.