Evening star., 1924-08-17
MACDONALD HERO
OF LONDON PARLEY
Strange Reversal of Fortune
May Make Pacifist
Saviour Of Europe.
BY 4. G. GARDINER.

BY Radio to The Star.
LONDON, August 16.-This has
been week of extraordinary alarms
and excursions in connection with
the reparation conference. The out
look changes from day to day, al
most from hour to hour.
AT one moment all prospects of
agreement seemed to have vanished.
and the arrival by airplane from
Paris of former Premier Poincare's
secretary to interview Premier Her
riot before breakfast was taken
an omen of the worst. This incident
followed NJ, .Herriots dash to Paris
td consult his colleagues, which
seemed entirely satisfactory on its
results. Then came the sudden
change and the thermometer fell be-
low freezing.
The only question seemed to be
whether the conference should break
up or adjourn. Thursday NJ. Herriot
made two important CONCESSIONS
first, evacuation of certain Rhine
ports and zones between the bridge
heads as soon as the Dawes plan was
in operation, and, second. abandon
ment of the claim to maintain French
and Belgian railwaymen in the Ruhr.
The writer has strong reason to be-
lieve that hancellor Marx and his
colleagues sent to Berlin a strong
recommendation for full acce ptance
OF the proposals
Macdonald Distinguishes Self.
After the conference adjourns
Prime Minister Macdonald will be
able. to take d. muchneeded rest in
Scotland, with the consciousness of
having made the greatest stroke for
Europe since the outbreak of the gar
His good fortune in the matter has
h; do
cesSorS had to wage a hopeless fight
against the obduracy of former Pre-
mier Poincare, Mr.. MacDonald's ac-
oesSion to the. prime ministership CO.
incided with the fall of that formida-
bile enemy of European reconstruct
tion. But all lagree that Mr.. Mac
Donald has managed the situation
with conspicuous skill and judgment,
and his prestige at the moment un-
doubtedly is high.
1t is remarkable that the success
of. the labor government should have
been achieved in the field of foreign
affairs. In domestic matters labor S
record is regarded as equivocal, but
the tendency has been to keep TO the
beaten path and avoid extreme meas
ures. This undoubtedly has strength
ened their position in the country, and
when the election comes it is expected
that they will increase their numbers.
In any case, Winston Churchilis s
slogan that labor cannot govern
now is regarded as out of date. And
if a European Concordat is put to
their credit, the old gibe will lose all
It's force.
1t. will be one of the strangest re-
versals of fortune in history if the
man who, during the war, hardly
dared show his face in public. should
live as Europe's deus ex machina.
Fair Crowds Fall short.
London has gone to the grouse
Moors and the seaside. and is empty
except for the 100000 left behind
and the visitors who continue to pour
in from the provinces and foreign
lands. attracted by the Wembley EN-
position. Ten million people now
have visited the. exposition. but as the
total hoped for was, 100000 and as
there are little more than two months
10 run, the prospect of realizing eX-
pectationS is not high.
It.is anticipated that, as in the case
Of the Chicago Exposition; the volume
of visitors will ,increase during the
later period. but little now is heard of
the proposal to reopen the exhibition
again next year. Only bumper sue
cess this year could justify so daring
an experiment.
Tom Gibbons has left for America
after his five or six minutes battle
with Bloomfield. The affair was quite a
grotesque fiasco, and the experts are
unanimous that England is without
any tirst-class candidate to put in the
field against the American master
pugliSts.
Resentment Over Fight.
Much resentment is felt at the
whole circumstances Of the fight,
which bears the impression of a mere
money making enterprise. The result
in this respect. however, was a rather
squaiid failure. It appears that the
promoter was in bankruptcy and en-
gineercd the match in hope Of making
a great profit. But in spite of enor-
NOUS boasting, the attendance was
only. half what was expected, and
Gibbons and others were left to take
legal proceedings to recover what is
owing them. The affair has thrown
great discredit on the boxing world
and should lead to stern measures to
prevent the recurrence of SO malo-
dorous an accident. 5,s.;.--
Copyright. 19o4l
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