Evening star., 1924-07-06
MACDONALD SEEKS
TO CURB FRENCH
Would Place Control of Ger
man Problem in Hands of
Neutral Group.
HERRI0T ON DEFENSIVE
British Prime Minister Puts
French Premier in Position of
Backing Plan or Losing Out.
BY WILLIAM BIRD.
BY BILE to The Star.

By Cable to The Star.
PARIS, July 5.-If Ramsay Mac
Donald wants to have the honor of
OUTLYING Edouard Herriot as premier
he has begun well. He has placed his
French colleague in an almost mex
tricably difficult situation, and there
are unmistakable signs that NJ Her
riots parliamentary majority is al
ready crumbling away.
Indeed it is the impression of many
careful observers here that but for
the urgency which all nations feel
of getting action on the Dawes re-
port at the earliest possible oppor-
tunity. NJ. Herriot would be upset i'm
would be postponed.
y Whether because NJ. Herriot is too
inexperienced, too trusting or be-
cause Mr.. Macdonald has stolen a
march on him in manner not al
together fair. the fact is. today that
France will go to London with her
case pretty thoroughly compromised
1t appears that NJ. Herriot will prac-
tically be offered the alternative at
London Of accepting Mr.. MacDonald's
program for application of the Dawes
report or being placed in the un-
enviable position of again making
European peace impossible.
France Faces Choice.
Put very badly, France will have
TO choose between Pax Britannica and
no peace at all.
The crux Of the whole question lies
IN who is to sit as Germany's judge
henCeforth and decide whether or not
she has kept her reparations en-
gagements. Heretofore this question
has been decided by the reparations
support of Belgium and the
fact that the president. who is a
Frenchman. has been casting a vote
as a French delegate. He could al
ways swing majority.
Would Cut French Control.
France would like to continue this
system. which would enable her to
take punitive measures at any time
in the future that Germany, in
Frances opinion, was not keeping
her promises. But Mr.. Macdonald
wants to shear the reparations COM
mittee OF this power and place the
decision in the hands of a body such
as The Hague international court in
which France would not control the
majority and preferably where Brit
ain could always muster enough in
huence to prevent punitive measures
Mr.. Macdonald. by his note to the
other powers, indicates that NJ. Her
riott has agreed to such a scheme
but Herriot stoutly denies it. 1t is
certain. however. that this will be
the principal point of friction at the
London conference.
There is always much criticism of
NJ Herriot for his acquiescence in
Macdonald confidential. This pro-
cedure has enabled Mr.. Macdonald to
get his Interpretation of the decisions
reached in the talk to various Eu-
ropeanS and American foreign offices
first. whereas If NJ. Herriot had in
sisted on full publicity the present
difficulty would have been avoided.
Look to Hughes.
Mr.. Macdonald at London. it is ex-
pected, Will make a strong bid for
strengthening the league of nations
Moreover. he will attend the next
rlenary meeting at Geneva, where
Premier Mussolini. who defied the
pressed his contempt for it, is likewise
expected. Since MusSolini's recent in
ternal- difficulties, he seems inclined
to take more moderate attitude in
foreign affairs. There are indica-
tions also that those under Mr. Mac
Donald's influence and French are
peSsimistic of getting Italian support
for their viewpoint.
Predictions of the outcome of the
London conference would be guess
work. but the best guess is that If
an agreement is reached it will be
in large part through American
influence. Secretary Hughes will be
there and it is reasonable to sup
pose that he will exercise all of his
powers on behalf of the
plan devised by the Re-
publican vice presidential candidate.
Copyright. 1924