Evening star., 1924-01-20

DOCK 10 any settlement, there is some
skepticism as to what the financial
commission may or may not be able
to accomplish further than set in mo
tion steps toward the stabilization of
German currency.
No matter how stable German cur
rency may become, it will not remain
SO unless, first of all, Germany is per-
mitted to restore her industrial and
financial life and be permitted q
moratorium for period of four to
six years, or until she may recover
from present evil economic and social
conditions.
Herr Schacht. governor of the
reichsbank,- father of the rentenmark
the newer and more stable German
currency, will arrive in Paris
today with his advisers and on Mon
Cay will appear before the financial
commission to reveal just what Ger
many may or may not do under pres
ent circumstances. He will be given
a fair hearing. and the financial ex-
perts then may adjourn their Paris
sessions and go to Germany to make
personal investigation. Under the
whip of Gen. Dawes much work al
ready has been done and ii is eX-
pected that within a. space of a very
few weeks the financial experts will
have practical recommendations to
make to the reparations commission.
German government officials are
declared to be particularly desirous
Of proving to the financial experts
baf nd ryil re in
every degree in order to prove Ger
many's good faith If Germany can
prove her good faith in the adjust
ment of her financial affairs, unques-
tionably the financial experts will go
far in their recommendations II
helping Germany to her feet
MacdonaId's Greed
One of the most significant am
nouncements in Europe in the past
year, barring possibly Gen. Dawes
own utterances in opening the meet
ings Of the financial experts, was that
of Ramsay Macdonald in the com
mons and which foreshadows Eng
lands stand in continental affairs. He
declared:
II welcome the question pf foreign
affairs" he said. THE position be
comes more and more serious.
"At this moment Great Britain
stands toward continental Europe
with no decisive or effective policy.
II IS time we had a change in that re-
spect."
1t was very curious and melan-
results of the last election and the
prospects of a change in government
had done more to bring Great Brit
aims influence into the minds of the
dominating continental statesmen
than the last twelve months of the
government. From a humanitarian
viewpoint, what was going on IL
plorable.
ANY one with heart or any COM
mon human sentiment, reading the
tales of destitution and experiences
the harrow that is being driven over
the men and women and the children
above ALL who has felt no impelling
sentiment as a result, is certainly not
been proud to associate with the
name Englishman," he said
,, That ought to be stopped. This
country ought to speak quite plainly
about it. and ought to be prepared TO
take its share in starting policies and
creating machinery that would effec
tually stop what / have described.
From a political viewpoint, every
day accumulates danger. The state
of Europe IS far nearer that of 1912
than any one cares to think about
rival armies. rival nationalist policies.
the expenditure of enormous Sums OF
money not on reconstruction, but in
preparing again for destruction; ma
tions that were allies glarlng across
at each other in only semiconcealed
hostility.
THAT is the sort of thing requiring
the whole-hearted banding together
of the men and women of good will
tof all parties, to try to bring back the
sane, serious, solemn influence of this
country, so that a new leaf may be
anu new pioSpSSlS opCHCus
1--WE want more skillful handling of
diplomacy and more objective observ-
ance of other peoples susceptlbilities,
and at the same time a friendly but
firm assertion of our own interests.
We want a European outlook in the
background of all and. given that,
do not yet despair of Europe.
I'VE must have new beginning.
We cannot be disregarded; our in
terest will not allow US to be disre-
i that no nation in Europe wishes to
disregard us If we show enough self
respect to impress 1t upon them"
Macdonald's utterances. are tine
tured with mercy. but bear unmis-
taxable evidence of an iron deter
mination. On how far he may in
f1uence the labor groups of other na-
tions to cooperate, of course de-
pends his future effectiveness in
swaying other nations to his view
point, that but vaciilating foreign and
dome site policies that have prevailed
in England since the time of Lloyd
George are at an end must be taken
for granted. And, with firm deter
mination to impress its viewpoint in
continental settlements, England may
withstanding Frances apparent de-
cided advantage at the moment.