Evening star., 1923-05-13
DY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

" HOCGH Great Britain and soviet
Russia are engaging In a tlt
which vet may have FAR
reaching censeqaeneesS though
che allies and Turks at Lausanne
have many hurdles yet to leap be.
fore there can be any hone Of settle
mont of Near Eastern problems and
the whole general European situa-
ton has caused increasing uneasi-
ness, the chief Issue OF the day stAl
IN that Of reparations,
IA was to be expected. France and
Relsium quickly and forcefully stated
that they will have nothing to do
With the proposals made week before
las. by Chancellor Cuno on behalf OF
the German governments
But In so doing they contributed
not one whit nor jot to settlement Of
those general problems npon which
the advance of Europe really dG,end.
French complacencS In the View that
France can do no wrong and that hec
position Is correct In every detail, has
heen furthered, French pride. as
manifest through the fiery Poincare.
has received further strength. Tho
ReiSians remain content to. stand
pride and complacencS with n grim
determination that Belgium shall not
eventually suffer In amy measures
proposed by Germany to pay her debt
for UBIQUITOUS actions in Belgium
during the war.
Englnnd's Tone Firmer.
But the one big. cardinal fact
coming as result of the German
tender and It's prompt rejection. is
the heightening Of belief among all
political parties OF England that the
day fast approaches when Britain
must speak forcibly and demand that
there be some settlepent In the gen.
eral interests Of Europe and for the
allies as 4 whole.
While Italians and the British in
similar fashion have indicated in
flrm way that the text OF the German
tenders are anything but satisfactory
TO them they stand together in feel
ing that the French and Belgian
policies are working for the ruin of
all. 1t is to be expected that in the
future the English and Italian poll
cies will he soliditied and unified as a
matter Of self-protection if nothing
gone out of their way to snub other
allies by their failure to consider the
wishes of those nations, who. after
all, made possible French and Belgian
victory.
True it is. the French and Belgian
reply TO the Germans was submitted
TO both London and Rome before be-
ing dispa tched, but the meager
twenty-fcur hours allowed for perusal
and action was but hint that the
F-ench and the Belgians did not want
other allies to consider the measure
at least did not want them to place
tn 'nSeives in position of debating
which is something Poincare repeat
ed6y has said the French will not
tolerate.
Reaction in England.
But one thing the French did not
Know when the precipitate reply was
r.Spat"hed, ard one that caused some
embarrassment and surprise at Quai
OrSay later. was the fact that the
Germans acted at the direct solicita-
tion of sTremier Bonar Law and the
foreign office of England. Naturally.
after the German effort to open con-
sideratiom of the question was so
lolntediy refused, this had it's re-
action in England. chancellor of the
Exchequer Stanley Baldwin and Lord
furzon. foreign minister. in parlia-
ment plainly indicated their dissatis-
'"N'I''l " Illi DrPClDll9tp
action; This displeasure has found
lodgment in the minds Of leading rep
sentatives of all political parties and
instead of being abated by Frances
half apologies for her course has
been heightened. The present British
government must face a running fire
OF criticism in parliament and as a.
result eventually must mark it's
course along paths depressing from
those of Poincare.
Policies in Direct Conflict.
When Lloyd George was premier
Of England the French rid!culed and re-
viled him for his apparent anti-French
preachments and actions When the
Ronar Law regime came into power
there was rejoicing in Paris because it
was believed that through Lord Curzon
and Bonar Law himself the British pol
Icy would be brought into direct align
nlent with the Poincare adventure in
the Ruhr Though the British cabi-
net has been pro-French in its gen
eral characteristics. 1t is not ono to
depart from staid British policies of
safety and general veal, and these
policies now find themselves in direct
conflict with the principles of France