Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-28
REACTION CLOUDS
BRITISH NEW YEAR
Fall of Macdonald Puts Eu-
ropean Cancellation Policy
in Danger.
ny A. G. GARDINER.

BY RADIO 10 Inc Sthr
LONDON, December 27.-England
has been absorbed this week in the
celebration of Christmas, and all ac-
tivities OF public life have been sus-
pended for the domestic gayeties OF
the senson. The exodus from London
Just before Christmas was unprece-
dented.
The main stream of holiday makers
in search Of the sun flowed to Swift
zerland for Winter sports and to the
Riviera, but an unusually large pro-
portion went this year to Madeira
whose visitors included those ex-
tremely dissimilar spirits. Lord Biz
kenhcad and George Bernard Shaw.
Ramsay Macdonald, former premier,
who, il was understood. intended to
visit America. has gone instead to
the West Indies until the reopening
OF Parliament.
Wave Of Reaction.
In view of these circumstances,
public affairs are Quiescent, but the
advent of the new year Is over
Swallowed by many immediate prob
lens, the most difficult of which con-
Germ the return of the allies TO Ger
many This situation has been COM
promised by a wave OF reaction which
| the Macdonald ministry in England.
the sweeping victory of the Repub-
| lican party in America and the re-
suit of the German elections.
Premier Herriots position in France,
| in view of this tendency, is felt to
be weakened, and prospects Of the
| more conciliatory policy. which was
| inaugurated during 1924. becoming
| firmly established are none too cheer
| full.
| Evacuation of Cologne.
! The most critical element in the
, immediate situation turns on the
| question of the evacuation of the
| cologne area according to the terms
| of the treaty. 1t is understood the
| council of ambassadors will advise
the allies to postpone the date OF the
| evacuation on the ground that agents
| Of the Control Commission have not
! completed their Investigations ano
| that delay in the proposed converse
| lions regarding the protocol makes
immediate evacuation inadvisable.
/ But tho German Nationalist arc
| exasperated at the suggestion of de-
lay and suspect it is related to an
| indisposition on the part Of France
to carry out the terms of the evacua-
ton of the Ruhr. They point out
| that occupation of the Ruhr is illegal
under the terms of the versailles
| treaty and that 1t is now proposed
to commit a further illegality in re-
gard to Cologne in the interests o,
maintenance of the original inegality
| in the Ruhr.
Movement to Right.
| The outlook is made more Difficult,
by the movement of Germany to the
Right and the strengthening of the
Nationalists' position. Thus reaction
evokes reaction, and the fall of Mac
Donald in England is seen to have
| definitely chilled the atmosphere OF
the European situation.
| The question Of evacuation turns
largely on the subject of the dis
| armament of Germany, in regard tc
| which widely different views pre-
| vail. But 1t is obvious that any
serious failure to carry out the
evacuation undertakings will be con-
construed by Germany into an attempt
on the part OF the allies to get be-
hind the Dawes agreement and re-
turn to a policy of sanctions.
Meanwhile, the hitch in the Franco
German trade negotiations continues
| owing to the political disagreement
in regard to the Saar Valley. The
| French claim that territory as bar
| gaining counter in the negotiations
but the Germans refuse to recognize
this claim and under the Versailles
| treaty their insistance that the Saa
cannot be regarded as French terri
TORY Is indisputable.
| Much curiosity prevails here re-
| garding the silence of the Labor dele
CATION to. Russia which has not yet
returned. Their extravagant praises
Of the working of the Soviet system
while in Russia aroused great COM
ment here and their return was
awaited with extreme interest. Blu,
now NUNS the word" and it 1:
supposed the delegates are having ar
Uncomfortable time Of 1t with labor
leaders here who have no disposition
to be tarred with the communis,
brush.
| Copyright. 1924