Evening star., 1923-02-18
POWERS SEEK TO SWAY
INFLUENCE OF RUSSIA
France Leads Other Countries i'm Efforts
to Buy Soviet Complacency With
Commercial Agreements.

agreements.
Tchitcherin Comforts France.
Foreign Minister Tchitcherin. in
Berlin during the past week. made it
plain that Russia would not fight on
the side Of the Germans under pres
ent conditions He made threat to
support the Turks in case Turkish and
russian interests are not furthered In
the near east. This declaration
should give heart to the French. who
see in IT tacit Russian support Of their
Runr policy and condemnation Of the
brt'sh IN regard to near eastern
questions However. the Russian
cannot be counted to do what is EN-
pected of him under the soviet regime
But the Tchitcherin statement has
caused renewed activity in the Rus
sien division OF DUAL dorsey in Paris.
Should the French be able to effect
an agreement with the soviet regime
In Russia, undoubtedly II will give
france freer hand in the Ruhr. At
the same time the potential Russian
menace to Poland. Frances offensive
through the weight Of the economic
pacts.
france. with the completion Of any
Russian agreement. could indirectly
influence Russia's foreign external
policies. and she would become the
i
II question. for, with her domination
or Germany. her control of the pow
ers OF the little entente and Poland.
and direct influence upon Turkey.
Germany's maligned ttel-European
scheme OF dominating the whole of
central Europa scheme unfulfilled
would look as mere child's play.
Other Allies Make Tenders.
England and Italy realize that
FRANCE cannot be permitted to gain
the upper hand in regard to Russian
agreements. and il is declared upon
reliable authority that tenders have
been indirectly and unofficially made
looking toward early commercial CO.
operation between these two coun-
tries and Russia. Extent of negotia-
tlons or results achieved have not
been made known. But II becomes
more apparent that Russia vet may
win far-Teaching concessions from
her former bitter enemies If she
waves the saber a little more. vet re-
Trains from actual participation in
any venture aga inst allied countries.
Undoubtedly France through affilia-
ton with the Russians could rob the
Germans of any hope of eventual Rus
sian aid in passive resistance to
Frances Ruhr operations. and this
possibly Is the chief spur to renewed
French endeavos.
In the meantime the French and
belg7ans are pressing home their
stern measures to force capitulatlon
Of Germany in regard to the Ruhr in
dustrial regions. The whole territory
has been sliced from the German In
dustrial body. and though the process
of collecting reparations due has dis
mally failed. in So far as the French.
are concerned, there is every reason
to believe that the French effort will
not be mitigated in the least for
some time to come.
Germans Maneuverinr.
that the German peoples. though rep
resenting a solid wall in so far as real
hatred Of the French is concerned,
nevertheless, are inclined to take ad-
vantage Of the present situation to
further their own internal political
ends. Already the social democrats
and the parties representing the in
dustrialiStS are maneuvering for
advantageous position with the hope
that they may gain eventual credit
for. ending the present impasse in the
Ruhr.
The socialists are demanding that
the German government treat with
the French If evacuation Of the Ruhr
can be gained. The industrialists
\
France are swaying the government
in its efforts toward further resist
ance Of French edicts. However. 1t
is learned. that secretly tenders have
been made to the French industrial
group who, with the militarists, die
tate French policies. looking toward
some arrangement whereby Germany
and France can emerge from the
present situation without actual war
fare.
So far, it has been declared. little
has been accomplished, but that the
French and the Germans. more par
possibility of negotiating the Ruhr
question lends credence to the gen
eral diplomatic viewpoint that if
actual conflict can be avoided both
sides will be ready for negotiation
within the immediate future.
Germany would act because of ac-
tual domestic suffering and industrial
paralysis and the French because she
realizes that her present policy is
costing billions of francs more than
'she can hope to recover without ac-
tual annexation Of the Rhineland and
Ruhr and consequent allied exploita-
ton.
Gesture Toward Belgium.
A gesture toward final settlement
is seen in the German payment of
&c, 100000 gold marks in treasury bills
credlted 70 the belgian reparatfonS
account. This German action un-
dQubtedly is designed to cause a
weakening of Belgian support of the
French cause and unquestionably
will have this effect In case these de-
ferred reparations payments are con-
tinued. The Berlin government has
given the world to Understand that
1t regards the treaty OF Versailles as
having been abrogated by French ac-
tions in the Rufr. Nevertheless. it
proceeds to meet obligations con-
tracted for in favor of Belgian psi-
ority claims. While paying Belgium.
Germany refuses to pay France and
throws obstacles of every conceivable
character before Frances endeavor
to enforce reparations. 1t will be ex-
tremely interesting to watch Belgian
reaction to the German gesture.
But the resumption of reparations
payments to Belgium can do nothing
but enrage France and spur her to
further and far-rea ching moves In the
Rhineland.