RUSSIA AND THE FRENCH ELECTIONS –

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 116, 13 November 1919, Page 6

RUSSIA AND THE FRENCH ELECTIONS

Our estimate Of the high importance of Mr. Lloyd George's speech oh a Russian settlement—coming after the Yudenitch and Kc-lchak reverses—is fully justified by yesterday's late news. The British Prime Minister has deliberately raised the question whether it is worth while to continue the present plan of fighting Bolshevism by means of Russian volunteers backed by Allied—and especially British— men* material, and money ; arid even to raise the question is to strike . that plan a heavy blow. In the usual political manner, Mr; Boriar Law has offered the Commons, a pseudo-interpreta-tion of his chief's Guildhall speech, and has spoken in modifying terms that really modify nothing. Mr. Lloyd George, according to Mr. 'Boiter Law, "merely ex- : pressed the hope that some method should be found for obtaining peace m Russia." Even if the Guildhall speech were confined to that expression—which it was riot—the political effect would be sufficiently important. No Prime Minister intervenes with peace talk at a tune when his side has admittedly sustained serious reverses, unless he 100-ks beyond the military machine for settlement. And to look beyond the compelling force Of war is necessarily to consider a compromise—not necessarily a dishonourable or disadvantageous compromise—with the enemy. To say that there is no discrepancy between the statements of Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Churchill is to say nothing, because Uio Churchill speech—as cabled—asserted nothing in particular except the Allies' lack of a clear-cut policy. The only new element in Mr. Sonar Law's intimation is hia denial of any intention to open peace negotiations with Lehiri and Trotsky before the House of Commons h»3 had Opportunity to discuss the old policy and the new situation. Strong opposition to any compromise with the Bolsheviks comes from France and from the Northcliffe press. Many of the leading public men of France are actuated by conviction, and the Northcliffe press is actuated by opportunism; in which British internal politics may count, for more than Russian internal politics, but, whatever the motives, the Northcliffe papers and the French papers appear to be in line. Political adventure nlakes stfange bedfellows, and The times Would even have its readers, believe that Labour is aligned with money interests, for it asserts that the " immoral Bolshevik peace proposal" is " inspired by international financiers who are anxious to have Russian money." At the same time the Daily Herald, taking the Other extreme, affirms that "Mr. Lloyd George can now be forced to make peace on the terms the Soviet proposes if .the whole of the Labour movement insists." If it is true that Capitalistic realism and Laboliv idealism, actuated by contrary motives, are backing compromise, it now remains to be seen what effect this development in Britain will have upon the French elections. While hesitating to withdraw confidence from the Clemeneeau Government, moderato Frenchmen have viewed wiili o.lwni I.lie oxt*ut (.» wbidi M. Cleuieuceau hm uiiowed himself to

be carried by Wilsonism into courses that claih with tho policies of other Latin races, the Italians and the Rumanians. Insofar as he has been identified as cooperating with President Wilson, Mr. Lioyd George has participated in the distrust with which many Frenchmen—believers in the balance of power—regard " American ideas." Now, therefore, it becomes important to observe how Mr. Lloyd George's Russian bombshell will 'affect French opinion, and how—in face of the pending French elections—it will influence the fate of a Government which is already under some suspicion of having consulted American-British feelings just a little too much; It happens coincidently that the Fi'ench President and the French Foreign Minister are on a State visit to Britain. This Would be in any case an important diplomatic event. And its importance is enhanced by the peculiar circumstances that have arisen. Washington, being for solid geographical reasons free from French nervousness, and not being itself in any political danger^from the "Shaking Hands with Murder" campaign organised by Lord' Northcliffe, Cah View the situation with more detachment than can Paris and London. And Washington, it is cabled, "is inclined to negotiate with Lenin, leaving it to time to .solve Russia's difficulties. #> The Radical Daily News sees' in the military "noil-success of the antiBolshevik army leaders ill Russia the disappearance of an obstacle to compromise; "neither Denikin nor Kolchak is any longer in a position to deny tho Allies' attempts at conciliation." On the other hand, the Gaulois thinks that Mr. Lloyd George is driving the Russian constitutionalists into Germany's arms; while somebody else asserts that, unless the war ends, Germany will be found in alliance with the Bolsheviks. All of which amounts to mutual negation, and shows that criticaJyb-pinioh is for the present groping in tho dark.