Evening star., 1923-11-18

ment- Germany actually has not set
out to heighten the estrangement.
merely bfdfng tho time when she
knew that IT would become acute.
! Poineare Stands Firm.
| 1t would appear on the face of ad-
vices that the hour has arrived when
both London and Paris may openly
| go their separate ways in affairs con-
tinental. Premier Poincare insists
| that the Germans must pay the total
amount of reparations fixed by the
council Of London, approximating 1872
000, 900 gold marks. All other powers
say that 1t cannot be done, because
or Germanic disorganization. Poin-
care seized the Ruhr and Rhineland.
Far from being a profitable adven-
ture, 1t has been a burden upon
French finances and today the Ger
mans are no nearer to admitting
| French supremacy than they were
In the beginning. Poincare believes
,, that little more pressure, and then
| little more, eventually will break
the Germans to a point of complete
capitulation to the fullest edicts of
the French. The British continue to
doubt 1t and at a cabinet session on
Friday it was announced that the
British government would resist the
French thesis that to force the custer
of former Crown Prince William
from Germany and compel Germanic
capitulation to allied military con-
troll there should be enforced further
territorial sanctions. The British
ambassador in Paris. Lord Crewe, will
object to the point OF breaking with
the French. That this course Is with
in sight is indicated by the state
ments of Premier Baldwin and King
George, they preparing the. nation for
some such eventuality.
Would Free Frances Hands.
Poincare in the face of the British
announcements processes to be grieved
that the political policies of the two
governments should bring split How
ever, Premier Po.ncare possibly is
aware of the fact that such a split.
which probably will take Italy away
from the alliance, undoubtedly will free
Frances hands.
That France has not gone even
farther In impressing sanctions upon
Germany for unwarranted evasions
OF the peace treaty Is probably due
to the possible i'll effects of such ac-
ton upon Frances allies. If the al
lies are the first to bolt in perpetual
ing French policy then Premier Poin-
care will be left with an open field
| before him and can jump hurdles
| whensoever OF wheresoever they may
arise. without some one hanging to
| his coat tails and impeding his prog
| reSS.
How far France will go. once It is
determined that there can be no hope
of reconciling the viewpoints of the
Quail dOrsay, Rome and London. OF
course, is conjectural, but there Is
every reason to believe, in view OF
the tremendous demonstrations in the
French chamber of deputies every
time the premier mentions forceful
application of the French viewpoint,
block to the complete application OF
the nationaIistic school of thought
| which has insisted that France should
occupy Germanic ports and even
| should press on to Berlin and stay
there until the willy Teuton has bent
knee in supplication and obeisance.
What Other Nations May DO.
The question naturally arises as to
what other nations not desirous of
seeing French purpose fulfilled in
all its details will do in order to off,
set unquestioned French superiority
| on the continent. There Is no doubt
that further extension OF French
policy within Germany will bring
shivers to the spines of every states
| man in Europe, because 1t honestly is
believed that going central Europe
Is essential to the progress of the
continent as a whole and they can
not believe that French purpose will
accomplish anything more than dis
integration of Germany within the
next decade. only to see from the
ruins stronger Germany emerge to
throw off the yoke Of France, mean
ing. as this will, a war OF far-reach-
ing proportions.
Possible Future ALignments.
, UnQuestionably England will work
In closest alliance with Italy in any
measure designed to adjust the cha
otto situation. and 1t Is even hinted
that eventually there will come from
this union definite Understandings be-
tween the two and Germany and Rus
sia. This. however, Is looking far
into the future, but there is little
question that political tendencies
would rapidly veer in this direction
If the Russians ever should present
a form of government more In ac-
cordance with the accepted tenets.
And, should England Immediately
cooperate with the Germans in any
understanding. unquestionably there
would come heated clashes between
British and French interests. which
eventually might result In far more
than a mere severance OF co-opera-
tive relations.
No matter how much such contin-
gencies are frowned upon at the
moment, no matter how much they
may be "pooh-poohed.' nevertheless
they are placed well within the realm
Of possibility. because OF the diver
gent political tendencies and con-
tinental 5ealousies.
With Europe in a state Of fux any
thing may happen. Again there may
emerge from the present-daY political
chaos a national Moses leading all Il
the promised land