Evening star., 1923-01-07
SHAM PURPOSES
Barred At LAST
Paris ParIey Break Serves to
Bring British and French
Into Open.
ENGLISH PUBLIC ANGRY
German Recovery, Denied by
France, Key to Prosperity of
Island Kingdom.

BY A. G. GARDINER,

BrItain's Greatest Liberal Editor,
By Cable to The Star
LONDON, January 6.-The moment
Gus Paris conference has brought Eu-
rope down to bedrock realities at
last. For four years England and
France have been trying to pretend
they wanted the same thing. Now
the naked fact Is revealed that they
desire entirely different and irrecon-
cilable propositions which, at last,
are frankly avowed
However serious Is the situation
thus created it Is an enormous gain
to have gotten rid of the shams. Bo-
mar Law has done the world an in
valuable service in stating the Brit
ish policy frankly, even bluntly, for
the first time and bringing the con-
troversy TO an open issue after four
years.
Had this course been taken at the
beginning Europe now would be we'll
on her way toward reconstruction.
Instead it is now only realizing the
tremendous fact that all along France
had intended that Germany should
political serfdom. Reparations has
always been a secondary motive in
Paris. The main purpose has been
to keep such u strangle hold on Ger
many as to prevent any possibility of
her recovery.
Stands Made Clear.
Hitherto England refused to come
to grips with the allies on this point.
Now the issue Is Joined and hence
forth England stands for enabling
Germany to recover and pay and
France stands for preventing Ger
many paying in order TO prevent her
recovering.
Laws hand was forced by the in
ternational situation in Germany
Unlike France. England is not self
contained. She depends on Eer for
eign trade for her existence. Without
a revival of Europe the terrible de-
preston in British industry must con-
tinue. German recovery is the key
to European recovery. Hence the
German question becomes a most
vital British question. A strangle-
hold on Germany is a Strangle-hold
on England.
The French policy of administering
Germany as a bankrupt with Afri-
can troops in the background to keen
the German people under control
would mean the final eclipse of Euro
pean civilization. If France chooses
to tread that path alone she will be
compelled to establish an undisputed
military hegemony in Europe and to
maintain it in perpetuity. II is an
| impossible dream. Napoleon only
succeeded in doing 1t for a decade
and Poincare will discover that the
world did not dethrone Prussian mil
itarism in order to make France the
military dictator OF Europe.
The point-blank refusal OF Poin-
care to discuss the British scheme
has created A most unfavorable i'm
preston in the mind of the. English
public. sympathy with France and
hostility toward Germany has been
so ingrained in the minds of the
people here that il is dificult even
now to readjust the point of view
but the events of the last few days
have wrought a profound change
is no possibility OF reconciling the
French and British views.
Britain willing to Pay.
If only money were in dispute
England would pay any price for a
real settlement in Europe with peace
and disarmament assured. The ques-
tion OF Germany's capacity to pay is
one on which the experts of all coun-
tries are in agreement, but France
is not concerned with the economic
facts and refuses to consider them
In her present frame of mind France
will consider no solution that does
not provide for the political suppress
sion Of Germany.
Meanwhile, the hand of France has
been greatly strengthened by her
position in regard to the Turk. The
deadlock at the Lausanne conference
is mainly due to the critical relations
between France and England. The
Turk. a past master in exploiting all
differences between Christian powers
never was in a stronger position than
now. When. France backed him
against the Greeks and provided him
with guns she gained his friendship
Now the Turk is in undisguised con-
fiict with the British.
Much anxiety prevails as to the
course of events in the near east
If the Anglo-F French entente actually
is at an end and France carries
through to the finish her planned
independent action in Germany. The
Turk will become a powerful pawn
in support of the French policy.
Whether France will use this as a
means of keeping England compla
cent or to add to her complications
is q nice question. But events at
Lausanne will give a. clue to the in
tentions of Paris.
Europe has entered the New Year
under dark skies. Perhaps light will
break from the west. We have mons
here.
Copyright. 1921