Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-06
Frances "COld Fist
Dominates at Geneva
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, September 5.-Money talks,
and the French domination OF Europe
passes from triumph to triumph.
The formal announcement at Geneva
this week by Foreign Minister Curtius
of Germany and Foreign Minister Soho
the Austro-German customs union is
the eliminating victory of French
diplomacy and what the Manchester
Guardian calls Frances gold fist" The
surrender crowns French successes all
along the line.
Within a few weeks France has sue
ceeded in pushing negotiations for Q
pact with Russia, driving a wedge be-
tween Austria and Germany, and bring
ing Hungary into the French orbit by
loan on terms which compelled the
then Premier Bethlen to resign Office
rather than accept. Austria had no
alternative. being pressed by the Bank
Of England for repayment of a credit
granted at the time of the collapse of
the Credit Anstaldt In the present
state of world finance. France is the
only country with its money bags full.
Meanwhile. Britain, fioundering IN
the political and financial rapids with
5000, 900 in short term loans ire
coverable from Germany alone, is
merely a super in the continental
drama. All her attention is centered
on her unprecedented domestic situa-
ton. The new national government
meets with Parliament on Tuesday with
Scboroo for n the hlIdpet II
is now estimated that the deficiency.
allowing for an expected increase IN
unemployment during the coming
Winter, will reach f170000.0o0.
The writer understands that the pro-
posals which Chancellor Snowden will
present next Thursday will include
suspension of the sinking fund and
economies on the dole and public ex-
penditures amounting to f70 900 900,
f50,000,000. No tariff proposals are
included.
Proposals for cutting the dole and the
social services will be bitterly resisted
by the Labor party, which has followed
Arthur Henderson into opposition with
few exceptions. Premier Macdonald
will depend for support almost entirely
on Conservative and Liberal votes. With
possibly 10 followers from the party
which has deserted him. he expects to
have a majority approximating so and
no doubt exists that he will succeed in
carrying the economy scheme into effect.
How long the emergency government
will survive is subject of widest diff
ference of views. Some Conservatives.
anxious to force the tariff issue. de-
mand an election Immediately upon the
enforcement of the economy scheme
but the general view is that the emery
ency government should continue over
until the introduction of the budget
next. April, and in some quarters the
opinion prevails that the duration Of
the experiment should be not less than
two years.
But these are only speculations, sub
ject to the incalculable operation Of
events. What seems probable IS the
consolidation Of the trades unions, now
robbed of the moderating influence Of
their ablest leaders. in irreco-cil1h,2
opposition and the development o. a
, political struggle on the lines of class
war. Much depends on the ability of
Henderson to hold the wilder elements
in check.
One result Of this preoccupation with
the d7mestic crisis is that for the first
time no leading member of the gov
eminent represents the country at the
! League of Nations Assembly. This
leaves France as dominant on the stage
at Geneva as over the whole field Il
European affairs, and as France has
| habitually treated the League as an
! instrument Of S.."nch pressure, the
! atmosphere 81 League circles Is de-
pressed.
(Copyreh:, 1917