Evening star., 1925-03-01
by OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

from the Reich, direct or in
direct, tacit or actual is a
~ bugaboo that may be counted
upon to disturb the British for
eign Office to it's depths. At the mere
mention of French effort to separate
these historic lands from their own
ers, whether they be league -of-na-
tionized, republicanized or neutralized
as a step to further French security,
British cabinet members set to quak-
ing.
British statesmen in the Paris peace
conference held some of their most
prolonged and exceedingly diligent
conferences over French efforts to
implant in the treaty clauses which
would denude Germany Of her Rhine
land provinces. AS Premier Lloyd
George strenuously fought the French
| thesis in the peace conference, so
every administration since stoutly has
resisted the idea. So set against the
idea of Rhineland separation are the
British that they are ready, in the in
terest of continental peace and equi-
| librium, to make almost, any political
| sacrifice. but this move, no matter
| how successfully it might be sugar
| coated through strict adherence to
| the treaty of Versailles or other
| French pretexts, they are not willing
to sanction. The reason is clear.
| What Separation Means.
| The British know positively, and
| the world knows, that when the
Rhineland provinces are separated
| from Germany under any preteXt
whatsoever there Immediately are set
/ into motion in Germany preparations
| for the next war against France, and
| the British have not completely
| abandoned the idea that "the last
war was to end war" 1t it was not,
| then every effort should be made now
| to prolong the day of military reck-
| oning. Enemies might take away
| other provinces now part and parcel
of the German Empire, but the Rhine
land is different. German literature
and romance are woven about the his
| toric Rhinelands.
! These are as important to social
and political Germany as the very
| bread the nation eats. Any separa-
tion would bring grief to the heart of
| every German, and in grief would
! be born determination to wage what
to them would be a holy crusade of
| restoIa alton. These conditions are not
| theoretical. They are actual. Eng
! land knows that If any one of the
! allies should desire to provoke Ger
| many to warlike wrath then it would
| be only necessary to seriously move
| toward Rhineland separation. AS may
| be expected, England now is resist
| ing and will continue to resist the
new wave of "Rhineland separation
propag ganda that is sweeping France
and which has even forced Premier
Herriot, Socialist that he Is, into
position of mnting that it may BIZ
| necessary for France to continue tacit
if not actual control of Rhinelan6
| regions forever.
Herriot Turns Nationalist.
Herriot. in other words. apparently
has espoused the creed of the ma
tionalistic Poincare, much TO the glee
| of the militarist school of politica
thought in France. This creed was
| enumerated by Clemenceau in the
conference of peace, and ably backed
by French military leaders, who, ap-
pearing before the council of ten,
cited adequate reasons from the
| French viewpoint, at least, why Ger
many should be deprived of her his
toric and treasured regions along the
Rhine. They would have made the
| Rhine Germany's western border
They suggested disarmament and
| neutrality for this section when the
first annexationist demands were
| spurned promptly and more or less
| forcibly by both Lloyd George and
Woodrow Wilson. Then the neutral
ization plea was set forth an
| other compromise, providing that the
League of Nations should forever
| keep an eye over the territory IN
order that Germany should not make
it jumping-of place for future ag-
gression against the French. Their
the republic idea was fostered, and
England was kept on the anxious sea-
two years ago while French-inspiret
leaders were fomenting strife lead
| ing to the formation of republican
government under the guidance OF
France for the Rhineland regions
This movement died, as it was to bt
expected, when the circumstance:
surrounding its fermentation are con-
sidered.
1t is singular and well mark eC
fact that whenever French aspira
tions are involved in any really seri
Gus problems with England, or larger
political problems affecting the futur,
of western Europe. France imme
diately begins to hint of Rhinelanl
occupation or separation.
negotiations Under Way.
At the present moment most ma
| tions desire settlement of the polit
ical questions affecting Germany
France is negotiating with England
on the question of war debts ant
she is negotiating with England il
regard to a future security pact be
tween England, France and Belgium
AS recently revealed, France want
the protocol to the League of Ma
J tions covenant and il she canno
! get this, as it seems likely she will
not, then France wants an out-and
out security pact from England
France, playing on England's desir,
for, restored economic status ant
settled political order in Germany