The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-05
By ARTHUR PoNSoNBY, M. P. By arrangement with "Reynolds' News
 paper" of London
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LONDON, Nov. 4.-The extreme complexity of modern life is far more baffling than most of us suppose. But the complexity of domestic and social life is inconsiderable as com pared with the complexity of com mercial, industrial and national life, and when to these are added the in- finite ramifications of international intercourse, which is worldwide, small blame to us If we fall to grasp the full significance of the events and disputes about which we read.
 When, moreover, certain influences are deliberately screened and pur- posely concealed so that we may not be aware of their existence, when deceptions are practiced on us in order that our energies and efforts may be enlisted for a certain pur- pose while an entirely different pur- pose is being pursued, it is not to be wondered at that we become bewil- dered and fail to understand the pro- ceedings which superficially tell us so little.
 Wrong Phrases Are Used.
 To put it more plainly. when there are international disputes and con- flicts, we are headed off with phrases about our country's honor" 'the sanctity of treaties" "the enthrone- ment of right" international jus tice," and various other sacred causes" Whereas the real words that ought to be used, and which repre- sent the actual motives for conflict, are markets" "coal," "iron," "oil."
 To put it still more bluntly, greed is the underlying cause for quarrels between nations, and governments are obliged to conceal the truth in their desire to enlist the assistance of their people by trotting out va ri int ie f4f1 1e-o -o1 tags in which to clothe the sordid material economic facts.
 If 1t were not for the coal in the Ruhr and the iron of Lorraine there would be little or no dispute between France and Germany.
 In every case in recent years a close investigator would have no diff ffculty in discovering beneath the network of falsehood with which critical events and wars have been overlaid, some plat for the exploita- tfon of markets, the securing of con- sessions. or the development of spe- cial enterprise.
 ManipuIators Pull Strings.
 Ministers, governments, armies and peoples all become puppets in the hands of those who manipulate the controlling wires of great industrial concerns, and therefore mold public policy. These manipulators are able to remain in the background, hidden and unknown, while they watch, guide, control, encourage, or check the. powers best suited to carry out their purpose.
 It certainly is not, by any means, fully realized what an enormous part Is being played in modern interna- tional politics by oil
 The nation which has the biggest supplies of oil can dominate the seas both from the naval and commercial points of view, and reduce all rivals to position of dependence. Oil im- mediately becomes not only a com mercial but a diplomatic and mili- tary factor of the first importance.
 Whatever we may read of the ut terances of statesmen at internation- conferences, whatever language they may use for public consumption. oil IS in their minds, their hearts and their souls from start to finish.
 The competition, intrigues and machinations of the magnates and great oil interests during the last ten years or so read like the pages of a dime novel.
 If people want to fight for oil let them But let them call 1t oil, not honor.