PEACE IN EUROPE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18750, 2 January 1923, Page 7

PEACE IN EUROPE

EFFORTS OF 1922. MR LLOYD GEORGE’S REVIEW. YEAR OF RESTORED COMPOSURE. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 2L [The following and all of Mr Lloyd George’s articles are copyright by the United Press Association in America (all countries), copyright in Australia and New Zealand by the Australian Press Association, copyright in Britain by the Daily Chronicle. Reproduction in full or part is prohibited.] Mr Lloyd George devotes his fourth article to summarising the efforts of 1922 to re-establishing peace in Europe. He says: During the preceding three years there was not a country in Europe and Asia whose troops were not tiring shots in auger at some foe. America rang down the fire curtain until the hysterical frenzy had burnt out. Was she right? tt is too early to give an answer? The case is only partly heard. Many witnesses whose evidence is relevant have not yet entered the witness box, and it will be eome time before history’s verdict on her attitude can be delivered. The year 1922 testifies to many striking symptoms of a recovery of sanity. One distinguished ceneral declared that at one period—l think it was 1920—30 wars, great and small, were proceeding simultaneously. Who was to blame: Everybody and nobody. ■ When the angel of peace " led the nations out from the gates of hell, no wonder it took the nations years to recover their sight and sanity; but 1922 was a year of restored composure. The outward and visible sign was seen in the changed character of the international conference. The ultimatum kink gave wav to genuine peace conferences. The old method, insisted on by j French statesmen. wa« to hammer out j the demands on the conference anvil and then send an ultimatum to the nations who, in spite of the peace treaties, were j still treated as enemies. The new method was to discuss on euual terms conditions j of appeasement. Germany was not invited to Washing- ! ton, and Russia was excluded for other ! reasons; but at Cannes Germany was represented, both Germanv and Russia had delegates at Genoa. In many respects the Washington Conference was the most remarkable ever held. The great nations for the first time met deliberately to discuss voluntary limitations of their offensive and defensive forces. Restrictions and reductions are often itnpossed on a beaten foe. of which the Versailles Treaty is an example; but at Washington the victors negotiated a mutual cutting down of navies. It is true that France and Italy have not ratified this agreement; that is a disturbing factor; their attitude, if persisted in, will have the effect of upsetting the balance which it took months of care and thought to adjust. We must, however, continue to hope that wiser counsels will prevail. American statesmanship has given a lead of which it is entitled to boast, and 1922 brought this- triumph of good understanding which gives it a splendour amongst the years of the earth’s history. Cannes and Genoa also claim outstanding merit. The nationals who but recently emerged from deadly conflict there came’ together. They sat in council without taunt or recrimination. There was calm recognition, not only of the needs of injured countries, but of the difficulties of offending States. There was a resolve to eliminate the various elements in the disturbance of the political and economic position that kept Europe in a ferment and made restoration impossible. There were three obstacles in the way of realising this programme. First, France’s stipulation for the exclusion from the conferences of the purview of problems raised by the Versailles Treaty. This was a grave limitation. Secondly, America’s refusal to participate. They had probably good reasons for the refusal, but the recording angel alone knows them fully and accurately. Thirdly, there was the fall ( of M. Briand’s Ministry, or the substitution of a less sympathetic Administration. Yet, in spite of all these things, Genoa accomplished- great things. Enemies who had not met for years, except on the battlefield, conversed round the same table, broke bread, and drank wine round the same festive hoard. Before the conference ended there was an atmosphere of friendship which in itself was a guarantee of peaceable relations. Thirty nations entered on a pact not to commit aggression against their neighbours. When they entered upon conference there were few of thorn not oppressed by suspicions that their neighbours meditated violence against their frontiers. All were anxious for peace, but apprehensive of impending war. Genoa dispelled those anxieties. One of the most promising results of the pact is the substantial reduction in the Bolshevist army. That removes a real menace to European peace. .Where does peace stand? The weary ingel is still cn the wing, for the waters lave not yet subsided. She may perhaps and a footing in tho Great West. Britain ;» fairly safe; Ireland not yet; but the Continent of Europe is still swampy and insecure. The recent debate in tho French Chamber on reparations was not encouraging. The only difference displayed was between those who advocated an advance into the Ruhr and those who {ireferred developing the left hank of tho {bine. Occupying, controlling, developing, annexing, they all mean the same thing—tearing the Rhine from Germany and grafting it on to France. There is no peace in this talk. It is £ sinister note on which to end the pacific music of 1922. We must interpret, in connection with the Russo-German agreement since then, the Tchitcherin spirit of mischief incarnate, which has made Berlin the abode of men who are devoting their ingenuity to devising new torments for Germany, who are preparing new terrors for their own and their neighbours’ children. The year ends with rumours of j-reat American projects, financially, to assist Geroany. If such a loan is likel" to materialise the projectors would be wise in imposing conditions to afford a chance of receiving the payment of moderate interest in the lifetime of this coueration. No prudent bankers will lend money on the security of a volcano.