The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-09-01
Former Premier Tells of Bat
tie of Pens and Type
writer's.
By DAVID LLOYD GEORGE,
Former Premier of England.
1928. By United Feature

BY DAVID LLOYD GEORGE,
Former Premier of England.
Copyright, 1928, By United Feature
Syndicate.
LONDON, Sept. 1.-The pen
and ink joust is to be suspended
for a fortnight whilst the figures
of British unemployment are
leaping upward. When the ex-
hausted British knights have
been reinvigorated by French
waters, they will once more
charge full tilt at the French
champion-at least they will
have made up their minds by
then whether they will shiver
another fountain pen against
his plotting pad. This is the adj
vice ponderously and pompously
rendered them in inspired ar
ticles.
So far the French nation is jubilant
that NJ. Poincare has scored heavily
on points. He is a DETER penman and,
moreover, he does not delegate his
draughtsmanship to a committee OF
ministers all holding irreconcilable
views as to how to proceed, when to
proceed, and whittier to proceed, and
amongst whom there is no agreement
except on one point-that no one quite
knows what action to propose. Up to
this last reply they cherished the vain
delusion that the French could be
sheIled out of the Ruhr by reproaches
which were both querulous and apollo
getic That is not the way to shift
continental craftsmanship from it's
purpose.
French Better Informed
The French foreign office is better
informed as to cabinet divisions in
this country than are the British pub
lie. It knows that the prime min
lister and the foreign secretary dare
not take measures which will hamper
French action in the Ruhr. When the
Tory die-hards placed cooperation
with France in the forefront Of their
program they honestly meant IT. For
them 1t was not a mere manoeuvre to
unhorse the Coalition. They cannot
therefore support an attitude of re-
sistance to French pressure on Ger
many is to them a continuation of
the evil Of the coalition they over
threw with the help Of Mr.. Stanley
Baldwin and Lord Curzon. They will
not tolerate it.
That explains the Importance Of
British diplomacy in a situation which
Is so critical to our existence as a
great commercial people. The cabi-
ret can agree on wordy notes. They
are hopelessly divided as to action.
They have therefore dispersed for and
wide to search for fortuitous guild
ance hither and thither-some in the
tranquility Of their English country
homes, some in the healing springs
of France, some in the mists Of the
Scottish moorlands. Mayhap one of
them will bring home a policy accept
able to his colleagues.
Refuse to Move inch
1t is all very humiliating to the
Empire that raised 10000. 900 OF men
and spent 10000, 100000 pounds of
it's treasure TO win the war. The net
result of the voluminous correspond
ence on which our rulers have con
centrated months Of anxious wisdom
and unwearying hesitancy is that the
Allies whom we saved from destruc-
ton refuse to move one inch out Of
their road to secure our friendly COM
partnership. They are marching reso-
lutely in one direction whilst we are
shambling along in another.
We have Travelled long distances
from each other since January last,
and we are now altogether out Of
sight Of the position we held in COM
mon when we met the Germans at
Cannes early last year. The Entente
has never been more cordial than it
was then-it has never been more
promising of hopeful partnership for
the peace Of the world.
But NJ. Poincare had no use for
the dove Of peace. He wanted to fly
his falcon. He had trained and bred
1t in the French farmyard. and there
Il has brought down many a domes-
tic bird successfully. When his chance
came he few it at the wounded Ger
man eagle.
Entente Brought Down
Quite unintentionally the hawk has
brought down the Entente also. 1t
may not be dead, but 1t has made it's
last flight. Henceforth international
arrangements will be on a less exclu-
sive basis. France is irrevocably COM
nnltted TO the exploitation Of the Ruhr
by force. That is what pay or stay
means.
To that policy the majority in this
country are definitely opposed. If the
die-hards in the Cabinet we're by any
chance to win, and either Mr.. Bald
win surrendered or resigned in favor
of Poincarist administration in this
country. neither he nor any possible
successor could carry the country