San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-19
AND
FRANCE ARE At
BREAKING POINT
Feeling Aroused Over Note
Not Yet Gained
Down.
WAR IS FORGOTTEN
French Think Action
Speaks Louder Than
Words.
WAR IS FORGOTTEN
BY ANDRE TARDIEU.

Copyright, by the San Antonio Light.
Paris, Aug. 1S.-The feelin; aroused
in France by the British note has not
yet Gained down. And although this
feeling is expressed by certain French
newspapers in a manner neither in
telligent nor measured, it is justified
in sustance and form.
For months and years, Europe's real
trouble has been more psychological
and physical than financial. The note
by Marquis Curzon, British foreign
secretary, illustrates this L.cely. What
the French people feel most deeply
against England, although official doc
ument do not mention it, is that she
has too quickly forgotten the warts
causes, history and consequences.
What hurts most in the Curzon note
is that little phrase hardly three lines
long, in which France and Belgium are
placed in the same place as Germany
where England announces she cannot
obtain from Germany 10, 400. 900, 900
gold marks to apply to her debt to the
United States, she will demand them
from France. Such words cut deeper
than deeds.
away FROM treaty.
As for substance, the note steps en-
tirely outside the only firm ground
upon which the Allies can stand, name
ly, the treaty of Versailles. The Uni
ted States did not ratify this treaty,
but made a separate peace with Ger
many. We regretted it deeply, but we
recognize the fact that it leaves Amer
lea free to propose solutions outside
and even contrary to the Versailles
pact. Not the same with England who
not only signed but ratified the treaty.
Neither can it be forgotten that glove
all it was England ut the Paris con-
ference who insisted on making the
reparations clauses what they are and
when the Allies peremptOrily refused
to discuss negotiations with the Ger
man delegates at the conference. it was
Lloyd-George secretary, Phillip ERR,
who drafted the note.
Now when Baldwin and Curzon
seem to have forgotten all that and try
to wipe ont the principle underlying
the whole treaty, namely, that all dam
ages to persons and property must be
repaired, they take liberties which
land wants the treaty revised, let her
say so. but it is improper to act as il
revision were taken for z; nted, at
least as far as France and Belgium are
concerned. For it is worth noting that
England never suggests modifying the
naval and colonial clauses, which met
the British claims.
Everybody is talking about the split.
But how can an entente. which is not
defined in any treaty be dissolved?
Separate Pact Likely.
The split will come when Great Brit
ain. pushing the Versailles treaty
aside, attempts to make a separate
peace with Germany. This possibility
is not included in Curzon's note nor
directly threatened. but Chancellor
Stresemann's arrival in power makes it
seem likely. In that case there would
be a split. not of the entente, which
does not exist, but splitting to pieces
of treaty sincerely signed.
Happily we are not yet at that point
and there is time for moves toward
Cancellation on both sides of the chan
mel. The British should understand
two things: First. that all estimates OF
Germany's paying capacity. based on
present data, cannot get them any
where; and, second, that all compro-
misses such as CurZon's which would
leave France seven billion marks for
reparations. are unjust as well as Of
fensive TO the country which served as
battlefield for all the Allies. But al