Evening star., 1924-03-02
POINCARE ENDANGERED .
BY THEUNIS DOWNFALL
Loss Of Belgian Support is Expected to
Work Changes i'll Con
tinental Adjustments.

, prosperity directly was due to the
growth of trade with Germany.
After the war and the treaty Of
versailles Belgium's ports stagnated.
Antwerp was as dead thing, where
| as before the war it was one of the
greatest and busiest ports OF Europe.
The nations prosperity being so
! closely linked with that of Antwerp
naturally it felt the strain: As re-
suit of the policies of Premier
Theunis in closely aligning his govern
! ment with the proposals OF France, BEL
| gian trade has not recovered to any ap-
! preciable degree. Notwithstanding the
1 brave effort of the people individually
! to set their houses in order and takc
the high road to general advance
! Socialists Gain Aid.
! When Theunis Joined Poincare in the
Ruhr adventure there was general pro
| test through Belgium from the socialists.
They have not, at any juncture, reduced
their demands that the government dis
associate itself from Poincare and the
Rhine adventure. but always We're un-
/! able to accomplish their desires until
| joined by the Flemish Catholics. This
gave the socialists power to strike
Theunis when the commercial treaty
| with France was presented for discus
sions and consequent ratification. But
! International issues dominated the situ-
alton and not purely the commercial
| treaty. =.
AS a result of the overthrow of
/ Theunis, King Albert may pick Van
dervelde, the great socialist states
| man, or some other representative OF
! the opposition, If possible. but event
, ually he may ask Premier JheunlS to
| form the new cabinet. Whatever his
! action, any new government will have
/ seen the handwriting on the wall ana
it may be expected that it will pursue
| policies more in accordance with
those SO closely followed previous TO
the war when Belgium pulled no
one nations chestnuts out Of the
! fire. but roasted her own. In this
! case it may be expected that Belgium
! will approach the Macdonald govern
| ment in England and cut Belgium
! garment more in accordance with the
! British pattern in so far as cont
mental affairs are concerned. IL would
not be in the least surprising to Sc"
Belgium openly taking the side OF
England and Italian statesmen when
it comes TO final approval of the
reparations readjustment as proposeI
by the work of the Dawes financial
commission.
POincare i'm Danger.
Should Belgium veer about, France
and Poincare may find themselves
isolated in resistance to the Dawes
| experts in case the latter demand re-
I
! mission, moratorium for Germany.
aba ndonmeN of the I;uhr enterprise
or in any other way lessen Frances
grip upon the heart OF Germany.
Such q situation would prove en-
barassing for Pofncare. both at homo
| and abroad. and it is believed that the
abandonment OF his policies by Bel
gium will work for his downfall in
/ France. Most certainly would the
| withdrawal of Belgium support in
the Ruhr and Rhineland accomplish
this end. Therefore. it may be ex-
| pected that Poincare will make a
valiant effort to bring the Belgians
once more in accord with the French
| policy, but with the example and
fate Of the Theunis cabinet before
them it is hardly likely that the men,
bers of the new Belgian government
will be quite SO amendable to French
suggestion.
Should France be isolated in future
| counsels. this unqueStionably viii
have a great bearing on her relations
with other smaller countries Of Eu-
rope where prestige undoubtedly will
be lost, this Particularly il face OF
Paris announcement that no more
loans are TO be granted other nations.
Europe may be expected to witness
far-reaching changes. governmental
as well as in economic and financial
fields during the course of the next
six months