San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-15
CLEAR-SEEING ENGLISHMEN

Frequent reading of English publica-
tons can hardly fail to produce in an
American the conviction that the intelli-
gent people of England. in so far as
their judgments are reflected by such
mediums. take a remarkably unpreju-
diced view of Europe's political affairs
They seem to stand up for their gov
eminent when they think that it is right
but to have no hesitancy in expressing
their convictions when they think that
it is wrong.
This refers particularly to expressions
concerning the PREPARATIONS controversy
between Great Britain and France One
might have thought that the English
people as whole, or those OF them who
realize the economic plight from which
their country is suffering as a result OF
non-settlement of the PREPARATIONS dis
pute. would unreservedly endorse the
representations made by their govern
mcnt in its recent note to France. That
they have done nothing of the kind
is indicated by various comments in
English publications. and particularly by
comprehensive review Of the entire
problem as published in a recent issue
Of The Spectator.
1t is not to be inferred that the side
of France is taken by any intelligent
group in England. But while the Eng
lish people in general feel that France
is acting most foolishly in occupying the
Ruhr, not few of them, it seems, hold
their own government partly to blame for
untoward developments which have
threatened to reach a climax in the utter
collapse of Germany and possibly a
super-climax in final disruption of the
entente, with whatever dire consequences
that might produce.
1t is commonly asserted in England
that France violated the Versailles
treaty when she sent troops to occupy
the Ruhr. But that judgment does not
blind the average intelligent Englishman
to the culpability of his own govern
ment in events of which that develop
ment is regarded as an outgrowth. In
fact. The Spectator says that the British
government had at first wished for the
success of the Ruhr project. It's culpa-
bility is described as going farther back
than that. having been expressed when
Great Britain Joined with France in
going outside of the treaty when the
three towns, Dusseldorf. Duisberg and
Ruhrort were occupied
Later, it is pointed out, France with
out giving England any warning, Sud
denly dashed out from Mainz and oc-
cupicd Frankfort and four other towns"
The British government protested The
Spectator recalls, and within three days
the French troops returned to their
legal territory. But there was "a certain
hesitation" in the English manner, from
which the French inferred "that they
might succeed if they tried again. They
were not mistaken. When they occu-
pied Dusseldorf, Duisberg and Ruhrort,
we actually co-operated with them We
thus knocked the ground from under
Our own feet, *** and the weak point
in the otherwise great and memorable
note OF August II is the attempt to prove
Our orsistency."
Such an impartial survey of the sit
uation, evidencing determination on
the part of Englishmen to look cold
facts squarely in the face regardless of
considerations of national partisanship,
is the kind OF survey that all the coun-
tries directly interested in the repara-
tons problem will have to make before
they can hope to reach ANYTHING like a
Just settlement of the troubles that in
fest them.