Evening star., 1924-06-29
PREM|ERS UNABLE
T0FORCE ACCORD
Expressions of Good Will
Between Macdonald and
Herriot Empty of Facts.
BY MAMMALIAN HARDEN.

BY Cable to The Star.
BERLIN, June 2S.--Regarding the
photograph of Herriot and MacDon-
aid at Chequers playing at being
friends. the eXiled emperor in
Dutch castle might exclaim, That's
what l taught them"
During the thirty years Of Will
helms unfortunate reign Germany
saw many pictures of monarchs and
ministers of different countries shak-
ing hands and looking tenderly into
each others eyes. Each time it was
said that peace was sealed. But
denly replaced by such realities as
grenades, submarines, air bombs and
poison gas.
Feeling Ran High.
Despite the disappointing expert
ences of four years of horrible
slaughter, simple minds believe that
FrancoBritish relations really are
as represented in the photograph.
They forget that only last month
feeling in Paris against Great Britain
was more bitter than it was against
Germany. France imagined that she
had been forsaken by Great Britain
and cheated out of victory. She con-
sidered the claim for payment of war
debts contracted in common cause
as unjust. and suspected malicious
finance had caused the fall of the
franc. She was arming on the sea
and in the air for a possible conflict
between the allies of yesterday.
England, while increasing her air
force and submarines. often declared
that nothing had been changed in
the European situation since France
has become as arrogantly militaris-
tic as pre-war Germany. While the
entente was developing scarcely
he
tinually of visits and conferences
where complete agreement" was
reached, and saw ministers of both
countries-Lloyd George. Curzon, Bo-
CUES, BRAND and Poincare in close
intercourse
Depend on Chance.
Have these differences disappeared or
are they only forgotten? The prime min
listers certainly desire democracy, peace,
execution of the Dawes report and re-
turn of the warm glow Of the entente
cordiale. But, firstly, they are not mas
ters of their parliaments. and they are
dependent on chance majorities whose
disintegration would cause their fall.
Secondly, their opinions are more op-
posed than those Of Baldwin and Poin-
care about democracy, the league of ma
tions, aims and methods for execution
of the Dawes report, and last but not
least, concerning interailed debts. Not
only is Macdonald a Socialist and Her
riot a radical bourgeois, hostile to COM
munsm and also to the capital levy, but
also because the former aims at a Brit
ish world state which the latter fears
and opposes as humiliation of Frances
position in the community Of nations.
No Bridge BY Words.
Such a gulf is not bridgeab,e with
the words of the official communique:
The two governments have decided to
conclude a pact of continual collabora-
ton These empty words are to be in
terpreted according to taste. The Labor
government will be tolerated until the
league of nations, under British infiu-
enoe, has forced Frances resignation
and has restored the balance of power.
Will this satisfy the French republic?
Can Europe recover under conditions
which make her more than ever the ap
pendix of British world interests? Will
reaching a direct understanding with
France she preferred an arrangement
that will throw her back into Eastern
Europe, helpless and defenSe!ess?
Macdonald and Herriot imagine that
il is possible to do away with Nationalist
tic madness by promising good treat
ment to Democrats and Republicans.
This would have been effective if it had
come sooner.
The Chequers stars are like the police
men in Offenbach's operetta. who sing:
BY an unfortunate coincidence we al
ways come too late
The Dawes report will be accepted,
but only one symptom of Europe NAL
ady will disappear for a time.
Copyright, 1924