Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-25
EUROPEAN PEACE AND DEMOCRACY
HANG ON ENDING FRENCH CRISIS
Sir Philip Gibbs Says All Neighbor Nations Are in
Nervous Tension, With Versailles and Other
Treaties Futile Against Menacing Turmoil.

say there VIII be period o. Str1I0
| and war which will continue until
September, 1886.
1t is significant of human creduiity
and still more of that shadow of fear
which turks In many minds, owing to
the uncertainty of world conditions
following the last war, that this kind
of thing finds its way into serious
newspapers and Is believed, or half
believed, by intelligent folk. allude
/ to 1t only as an example of this psy-
Geological nervousness existing in
Europe today 1t is larnentable that
eight years after the ending of the
World War there is no sense of secur-
ity anywhere and even in well bal
anced brains there Is an uneasineSs
and apprehension about, the near fu-
ture not alayed by League of Ma
tions, peace pacts, Or any other safe
guards.
Specifically, it may seem absurd
that this has been emphasized and
renewed because French francs are
cheap today and because French
peasants object to paying taxes. But
there is a general understanding of
more important issues hanging upon
that French exchange. The stability Of
France is enormously and, indeed, sil-
premely important in Europe. If
France fails and falters because of in
ternal weakness and strife, the flood
gates of disorder will be opened all
around her and all existing arrange
ments to stabilize political and racial
conditions will be in jeopardy. Eng
land, above all, is watching France
anxiotisly. The downfall of the Call
laux cabinet already delayed the rati-
fication of the French debt agreement.
1t may be renewed, but there is no
certainty Of that. Although England
has let France off with so per cent of
her war debt, those moderate pay
ments demanded from her have Gre
ated no gratitude, but rage, in French
public opinion and were one cause,
certainly, of the government defeat.
But IL France does not pay something
of the debt, England. who has to pay
all her own to the United States at
a time when trade conditions, UNI
employment and high taxation are
eating up her old reserve wealth, will
be most gravely affected.
False Press Scored.
Again. French mentality is exas-
perated against England, among the
ignorant classes, because journalistic
propaganda still persists in suggest
ing that England is largely to blame
for the French financial crisis. Eng
land and America, they say, have es-
tablished an Anglo-Sax bloc against
them. England, above all, they say,
has caused their financial troubles by
refusing to act with them against Ger
many at the time of the Ruhr inva-
sion and by acting against French in
terests everywhere. since the conclu-
sion Of the war. 1t Is impossible to
get these ideas out Of the French
imagination, and even highly educated
and extremely Intelligent Frenchmen
are convinced of their truth. I'm
certain of English friendship, despite
thousand proofs and real generosity.
they are feeling their way to new
combinations which they think may
insure their safety in a military and
commercial way.
Fantastic as 1t seems, there is q
growing belief that the future OF
France is bound, up with q Franco
German alliance which would doni-
nate Europe, Personally I think all
that kind of stuff is dangerous non
sense France has brought her
troubles upon herself by refusing to
face the realities of arithmetic and
bookkeeping, by the dishonesty of
many of her politicians and by the
abominable falsity Of French journal.
lists dipping the nation with lies and
illusions. They have still time to pull
themselves together, but not much
time.
For the peace of Europe and the
prosperity of all nations, England,
who remains Frances best friend in
spite of many misunderstanding ON
both sides, earnestly and anxiously de
sires to see France escape from her
present dangers and maintain her
prestige and power in the world. Her
failure to do so would be more than a
national calamity. 1t would be the be-
ginning of the end of European peace,
the open gate to new wars.
Copyright 1897