Evening star., 1923-07-08
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

ropes tremendous economic
difficulties, and marking a
severance of allied unity in dealing
| with the perplexing Ruhr and repa-
| rations problem, England soon Will
annouce deflite idividuai courses.
| The Frech thesis in regard to con-,
tfnuation Of the Ruhr enterprise will
be denied. In diplomatic. but never
| theless firm language.
| England almost Immediately will
enter into negotiations with the Ger
mans in the hope Of saving Europe
from complete economic and finan-
ciai collapse.
These are conclusions predfcated
upon reliable dispatches from Lon
don depicting the rapid currents now
| running counter to Poincare's idea
that only in insstence and use of
force can Germany ever be made to
settle her reparations obligations.
Contingencies Involved.
! : But before England acts It reason
ably may be presumed that Premier
Stanley Baldwin will first exhaust
every plan to perpetuate the close
working alliance with France.
] That only Poincare's refusal to
specifically and satisfactorily state
Frances viewpoint as, to purposes.
the minimum sum Of reparations de-
sired, Will bring on break
| That England's private advices from
central Europe will emphasize the
chaos toward which millions Of peo-
pies are swiftly drifting.
| That England's domestic situation
will not permit prolongation Of ne
gotiations or indeflniteness in regard
to iauguration Of reconstructive
processes.
Germany May Acceae.
And. when England finally has de-
cided upon the parting Of the ways
| In 80 far as attempts at coordination
Of the Franco British policies in re-
| gard to Germany are concerned
| England will set forth In detail her
attitude, possibly outlining repara-
tions terms considered entirely COM
mensurate with Germany's ability to
pay.
And Germany, tits believed certain,
will accept the British viewpoint.
In which case the Anglo-German
working agreement in economic af-
fairs of Europe will Immediately be-
como effective, with Italy and pos
sibly Belgium. later. joining them In
a general effort to counteract the evil
effects such drifting. as has marked
the general course OF the allies since
OH
drifting occasioned almost wholly by
the absolute inability of either of the
various preTniers represented in the
supreme council to forgo strictly
nationalistic viewpoints and frame
policies more designed TO the progress
of Europe as a whole.
Movement Gains Headway.
Though, as stated in last Sundays
discussion Of European trends, Eng
Iland was expected to initiate moves
looking toward Independent action
which might later attract the sup
port Of Belgium and italy. it was
not the expected that this movement
Immediately would gain such great
headway. But during the course. Of
tho past week, Premier Baldwin. an.
swsring the insistent demands Of the
Industrial and financial interests OF
England came into the open and though
he carefully RETAINED from so stat
ing, II has boon common knowledge
in London for the past week that the
British cabinet Has mapped an elabo-
rate course Of procedure in case Pre-
mier ,Poincare. of France insists on
retaining his present Ruhr policy
and remains ambiguous as to what
France will and will not demand in
the way Of Anal settlements.
This proposed English course Of
procedure embracing independent &C.
tion naturally has caused much grave
discussion in both Paris and London.
The former apparently has been in
different as to what England does,
Premier Poincare having stated that
France cannot be swerved from her
present courses. While there has
been. f1rmness in tho conversations
which have been held by Lord Cur
zon on behalf OF the British govern
ment and Ambassador Count de Saint
Aulaires and the Belgian ambassador,
It nevertheless is a fact that Britain
loathfully will take any course de-
signed to break the old entente. But
It Is very apparent that previously
Francophile sections Of British
thought now are taking tho lead in
demanding that the. government give
not an inch and definitely establish
the British viewpoint throughout the
| world and act accordingly.
II Franco goes along in concord SO
much the better. II France demurs
further. then the time will have come
to plainly proceed with tho new Brit
ish course of action. embracing. as 1t
undoubtedly will. an entirely new
| trend in continental politics, with
possible British direction rather than
direction through French alliances. as
at present.
sIarriAg for Leader.hip.'
Briefly put, Premier Baldwin and
Premier Poincare today are sparring
for leadership Of the. old world. Since
the Versailles. peace treaty. ascend
ency in things European unquestion-
| ably has been Frances. If the
attributed British purpose Of the mo-
ment IL accurate, then Premier Bald
win immediately challenges French
diplomatic leadership. With Eng
land and italy and the peoples of the
one-time central powers working In
close liaison and with Belgium for
saking Poincare's position. then It is