Evening star., 1923-02-20

ain could succeed alone: It was i'm
possible for the reparations and res
toration program to succeed without
America. Americans had the worlds
gold locked in their chests and were
suffering from indigestion and sur
felt. They had a moral responsible
ity; they had shared In the war and
helped to break up Germany. Their
president had signed the peace treaty.
and. although the Senate had rejected
of reparations. but because 1t was
unable to accept the league of ma
tions. Americans had morally accept
ed the whole position.
Mr.. Lloyd George made considerable
play with Secretary Hughes recent
suggestions and he wanted to know II
the government was sounding the
Washington government as to wheth-
er they were standing by the pro-
posals they themselves had made to
meet the probable contingency of
failure Of the Paris conference"
Wants America In.
What really mattered. he said. was
to get America in, with or without
league of nations action. He did not
sessed, could refuse an offer made
by the two greatest powers on earth.
that had saved her from being in
the position Germany was occupying
today.
Declaring 1t was needless to revise
the whole treaty as the laborites de-
manded. but that everything essen
tial could be carried within the four
corners Of the treaty, Mr.. Lloyd
George concluded:
II entreat the government to take
the initiative. first by approaching
the United States, and then with the
United States approaching France.
Then. believe. both together will
be able to surmount the difYlculty."
Arthur Henderson. laborite. ap-
pealed to the government not to
make the amendment a vote Of CEN
of the house. Mr.. Henderson's idea
apparently was that many members
would vote against the amendment
rather than risk voting non-conf-
dence in the ministers. and thus the
vote would fail to record the full
extent of parliament's disapproval of
Sir John Simon, former home Sec
retary, supporting the amendment for
the Asquithian liberals. argued that
when the Versailles treaty was made
the world lacked all the experience
wealth from defeated to victorious
nations: hence a great miscalculation
was made, for which It was not Just
to blame anybody in particular.
Therefore. they were justified in ask
ing that the whole problem be re-
ferred to an independent expert tri-
bunal.
BOhnr Law Replies.
Premier Bonar Law, in winding up
the debate, emphasized that, like the
supporters of the amendment, he dis
approved of French action. but was
unable to see that it would help mat.
nt
France, as Mr.. Lloyd George pro-
posed He reminded Mr. Lloyd Georre
that he had himself less than two
years ago proposed in an ultimatum
to Germany that the Ruhr should be
occupied. on the ground of Germany s
The prime minister contended that
If France last August refused to listen
to a proposal to submit the question
to the league Of nations 1t was quite
when French pride was involved, and
he repeated his view that the time
had not arrived for useful interven-
tion. The government was aware az
regard the proposal of the amend :
ment as an utterly hostile act, and
nothing could be done without the
consent of France. The only effect
would be to mobilize public opinion
% Of the s;l world .ssann ssainst France and who
Mr.. Bonar Law expressed surprise
at the amendment alluding to recent
indications Of the willingness Of America
to participate In q conference" and he
declared: There has been no word
written or spoken by any representative
Of the American government that has
suggested willingness to intervene In
the quarrels OF Europe"
The premier pointed out that Mr.
Hughes referred to the possibility of
''distinguished Americans being willing
to serve. "Distinguished Americans"
said Mr.. Bonar Law, were not the
American government. It was not an
indication that the American govern
ment was willing to intervene. The
whole point was whether British inter-
vention should be as friends or enemies.
We have chosen" added the premier.
that It should be as friends, and there
fore we desire to keep the British
troops on the Rhine as long as possible.
That continues to be the governments
policy