The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-08-14
Europea
Situati J.;
&.
DANCE { ) )
Neutral Diplomats Insist On
Britain Will Not Permit
France to Remain
in Ruhr.
US. May Have Last Wor

Paris, Aug. 15.-"Perfidious Al
bion," selfish Brittany" illogical
note,' were expressions freely used
today toward England by the French
press, recalling the old days of pro-
Boer, anti-British feeling in Paris at
the end of the last century.
The British expose of the situation
,Ias published here today, and is
making a worse and worse impress
sion, not only in official quarters but
among the people Of the street, as its
true significance is understood.
The exhiliration of the last two
days when the government press was
telling the people of Premier Poin-
cares great diplomatic victory over
Britain by his uncompromising at
titude on the Ruhr question, is giving
place to dangerous feeling of dis
appointment, made worse by the
clear English demand for the pay
ment OF the French debt to England.
L. s. to Have Last Word.
The Temps says that the British
way of presenting the problem
means that America will have the
last word and the final decision to
either leave Europe in a state Of
chaos or cancel all the debts, includ-
ing the British"
The Echo de Paris says:
1T Is logic that the refunding of
the interallied debts must be con-
tingent on payments from Germany.
The great war must not result in the
Latin races being obliged to pay i'm
mense indemnity to the Anglo Sax
ons."
1t is perfectly clear today that
France will not-tal interallied debts
until Germany is forced to pay in
demnity. 1t is also clear that the
French army will continue its occu-
patton of the Ruhr, regardless of
Anglo-Saxon or even world opinion.
Flat Refusal Expected.
Foreign office officials, in the alb
sence of Premier Poincare, decline to
commit themselves, but the majority
Of opinion seems to be inclined TO
flat refusal to accept even n discus
sion of the British viewpoint. A
minority advances the suggestioS
that a French reply to England
might be made as counter-appeal
to the world masses without actually
telling Premier Baldwin that no dis
cussion is possible.
BY this dilatory method the Frenct.
hope to confront Browning street, in
the near future, with the total col
lapse of Germany, which they be.
lieve will alter the situation com
pletely.
Crisis Is Critical.
Viewed by a neutral observer, the
present crisis in Europe is the most
critical since August, 1914, and is
fraught with as much danger. While
nobody mentions this here, neutral
diplomats insist tonight that Britain
will never allow France to remain in
the Ruhr, for the reason that its pos
session of the greatest iron and coal
plants and mines would make il un-
questionably the master of Europ as
the only power able to carry on a
first class war, which is impossible
without steel.
Frances possession of the Rnhr
also gives 1t practical control Of the
biggest chemical plants of Europe
which will be a most formidable
weapon in the next war.
Under the circumstances, the great
est gloom is peryadlng European
which tonight are UNI
able TO see how peaceful solution
can be achieved so long as France
refuses to quit the Ruhr.