San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-23
Deemed a Trick Of German
Nationalist to Influ-
ence Elections.
is AN UNDERSTANDING
National Interests of France
and Czecho-Slovakia
Are the Same.
BY WILLIAM BIRD.

ing POLITICS tnese Gays. PARLIAMENTARY
elections are near at hand in France,
Germany and Italy, while the Labor
government in England, although not
faced with an electoral campaign in
the immediate future, is obliged to pre-
pare for the day when the Liberals
will decide to put - end to its regime.
The desperate character of the Ger
man campaign is illustrated by the
pretended secret treaty between France
and -Slovakia, which Germany
published this week. 1t appears that
this alleged treaty was made from
whole cloth by q humble forger. But
while this forgery may be clumsy
and defeat its own purpose which was
to bolster nationalist feeling and help
defeat the moderates in the elections,
this does not mean there is no truth
in it. Undoubtedly there exists no such
secret treaty between Paris and
Prague as the Germans allege. B t
there is an understanding between
these two capitals which is not the
/ AtcS tlltItANt ~
| is simply that Frances and Czech0-
Slovakia's interest coincide in the CON-
mon need for keeping Germany in
check. The Bohemian republic was
carved from Austrian and Hungarian
territory and Germany before the war
had an enormous trade with what is
now Czecho-Slovakia. The loss OF
these provincial markets, of course,
| is keenly felt in Germany and the
Czechs have reason to fear that with
out powerful ally on their side, their
national existence will be imperlled
Don't Need Secret Treaties.
All Central Europe, indeed, remains
a rot spot or fostering point for the
tracing of new frontiers at the peace
conference which separated regions
that used to work together, depriving
manufacturing districts of their mar
kets, cities Of their food supply and
laboring populations of their work.
shops.
These people do not need secret
treaties to tell them where their in
terests lie. Austria after three year:
Of starvation. had to be spoon fec
by the rest of the world and Hun
gary is rapidly approaching the same
point today and is sending out urgent
calls for international assistance.
In France where the people are able
to breathe freely again since the franc
| staged its remarkable comeback, there
is revival Of interest in the forth.
coming report of the Dawes commit.
tee and the results that are expected
! to come out of il.
A portion of the public has become
considerably agitated by reports that
| Prime Minister Macdonald has pro
posed in his third letter TO Premier
Poincare that the question of security
be left to the League of Nations.
II Prime Minister Macdonald
thinks France will entrust her secur
ity to the League of Nations, he i:
badly mistaken"
| This flat statement was made &c
the writer today by French officia
who is. perhaps, better qualified thar
any other TO make such a statement
because he is intimately connected
with the league and a firm believer
in its ultimate usefulness.
The Viewpoint of France.
Frances viewpoint was summed VI
thus. although he refused to be quoted
directly:
| The whole world today regard!
France as a crippled beggar on tn,
sidewalk who refuses to get out Of
the way and let the traffic proceed
Everybody says that il France would
only step aside and forgive Germany
her reparations debt then all would
be lovely; trade would be resumed
and all nations-the Scandinavians
the Dutch and the Swiss, not to men
ton the British and the Americans
would be happy.
But where would Frapce be? Franc,
would be ruined.
Everybody would be sorry TO Sc,
that. but they would say that aftel
all it was better that France be ruine<
than the whole world.
Naturally. France does not look a
things the same way. France is un
willing to sacrifice her existence TO
the happiness of the rest of t. world
Therefore, France will not submit
the question of security to any inter
national authority until the repara
tions question is settled to her salts
faction. That is plain, clear and logi
cal. But it demonstrates the fulfill
of such proposals as Mr.. Macdonald j
reported to have made. Indeed, it
hard to believe that Mr.. MACEDONIA
has written a letter OF the characte
reported, unless it was for the purpos
of weakening NJ. Poincare's positio
internationally, on the eve OF th
French elections.
Sees Threat in Bonus Bill.
Meanwhile, passage of the Amel
lean bonus bill by the House of Rel
resentatives is arousing apprehensio
in France, for it is feared IA I'M
bill becomes law. America will begi
calling in its war debts. A rreHc
writer sums up this fear in the quei
ton:
"What is the use OF borrowing
hundred million dollars from America
bankers il the American governmer
is going TO call on US tomorrow fo
four billion dollars?"
He adds that this threat constant
ly hanging over the heads Of the uev-c
states in Europe is simply form c
war--a refined form, to be sure, bu
war just the same, as its effect is
reduce the debtors to dependence upo
the will of the American government
That may be over estimating III
situation. but it is certain that thes
debts, until they are somehow dispose
of, constitute or of the greatest oil
stacles TO that basic confidence whjc