POSITION OF FRANCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11306, 4 September 1922, Page 5

POSITION OF FRANCE

WORSE THAN INDICATED

“TIME THAT THE VOICE OF AMERICA WAS HEARD.” “A CHILD OF EUROPE.” By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received September' 3, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 1. Mr J. M. CoS, a former Governor of Ohio, addressing the American Luncheon dub, declared that France’s condition was worse than France indicated. He, however, was an optimist, and thought things would work oat all right provided European statesmen would 7 meet their task with the same vigilance and fidelity as heretofore. The backbone of France lay in the sanity of the present public opinion. Sbs had raised enormous sums internally on the promise that the liability would eventually be met by German indemnities, Unless the question, of reparations was settled there would be on economic collapse, ' and the franc would follow the mark. Mr Cox paid a tribute to the German President Ebert and Chancellor Wirth.’ Germany, he said, had ' bran living on the sale of marks in America and England. NO HERMIT EVER DID ANY GOOD. Before the war trade balances were against her; now they were enormous, and three and a ban billion dollars worth of marks were-held in foreign countries. It was time that the voice of America was heard and she took a share in the policy of international concern. No hermit ever did any good to the world. America was a child of Europe. Let her make her contribution in oomman gratitude to the recuperation of Europe. European confusion had been contributed to by the American policy of isolation. There could be no permanent readjustment of European civilisation until .America was part of the general equation. He was sure America’s decision, as to the proper thing for Europe to do, would be acquiesced in by France and Germany and all interested nations. BAD GRACE TO OAST BLAME. Americans were perhaps inclined to blame. Franoe for her militarism. Let them remember that as America had not made good in the matter of guaranteeing the security of France, and luntil she did so it was bad grace for her to blame Franoe for taking the steps she would not have done if the Tripartite Afireement had not been denounced by the United States.