Evening star., 1924-11-16


financial concessions in the matter Of
the debts.
II the Franco-Germau situation
were as acute as it was two years
ago the outlook for Anglo French
agreement would be rather unfavor-
able, but the situation in this direc-
ton has been mark edly modified. AS
%uNtng that the forthcoming election
in Germany results in triumph Of
The naoderate5. as it seems fair to
expect, there may be period Of calm
IN both sides Of the Rhine. Much
Will depend upon the success o. fail
-'!re of the present conference be-
tween the economic interests Of tho
;|o nations for some sU:t OF tariff
reciprocity. But there seems Il: the
moment fair reason TO expect that
'he French iron ana German coal
masters may com" to an arran ge-
'Hent II they do the gain for peace
viii be enormous, for it will give big
hpsiness on both, sides of the Rhine
additional reasons for exerting their
Influence TO prevent any new disturb
ance, political or military.
League Makes Headwny.
The attitude OF the Tory party to-
ward the league will have an impor-
fant influence upon the British posi-
Ion on the continent, for the league
Is made much hcadway not orly
anonG beliigerent nations of the
World War like France and Belgium,
bat also among ncutrals like Sweden
end Holland and, speaking broadly,
nc might say among all the smaller
r.ations OF the continent They well
"onled MacDonald's support of the
Geneva experiment. and they would
"orrespondingly resent any change in
British policy. When the Tories were
IN power last Lord Robert Cecil rep
resented Britain at the league, and
his enthusiasm in a measure dragged
his party after him, although it was
NOT perhaps too widely shared To
change policy now would almost GER
tainly give France an even stronger
position in the league and in Europe
generally
On the other hand. Tory coldness
10 Geneva might contribute to deter
mining the Germans to remain out
side, despite their present intention.
and 1t would be welcomed in Rome,
for neither Mussolini nor italians
generally have any love for the
league. whose founder they continue
TO dislike for his Fiume course at
Paris.
Continent More Peaceful.
fOn. tho whole, the Tory party can
congratulate itself on returning to
power in a Europe not only vastly
caItner than when it went out of
ONCE nine months ago, but inde-
sGribably more peaceful than when
it. came into power Just two years
ago, on the eve of the Ruhr affair
Then 1t inherited quarrel with
FRANCE of Lloyd Georges making
while It arrived too late to arrest the
conflict in. the Ruhr. which long
threatened to set Europe by the ears
and bring revolution in Germany, if
it did not precipitate a new conf1ic,
on the continent.
In reality British imperial and do.
mestic problems are at the moment
moro acute than those in the foreign
the reason for the enormous Con-
servative victory gained over the
most successful- foreign minister the
British have had for many year
DESPITE the generally favorable sit
uation, however, it is clear that there
are many dangers ahead and that
French and British relations are go
ing. to be put to a test with little OF
no delay as consequence of the
necessary discussion of the debt
question.
Even here, however, it is well te
rcmember that the new British pre-
,nier negotiated the settlement with
rhe United States, which was opposed
by large clements in his own party
and. made the target of malicious
and invoracious attack by his op-
moments, notably Lloyd George. De-
spite British criticism, 1t is realized
in this country that Stanley Baldwin
made the best bargain possible, anc