FRENCH ELECTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17350, 15 May 1924, Page 11

FRENCH ELECTIONS.

AMERICA’S VIEWPOINT. MODIFICATION OF RUHR POLICY POSSIBLE. By Telegraph- Press Association—Copyright " Times " Service. (Received May 15 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 14. The Washington correspondent of •'The Times’’ says that the opinion there is that the result ot‘ the French elections will have a moie important bearing on the rehnhiliation of Europe than any development in recent months. It is considered that while the home issues defeated M. Poincare, there will yet be room for sufficient nioditioation of the Ruhr policy to permit of an AngloFrench Entente, without which nothing is possible. It was feared that the growth of Nationalist sentiment in Germany end the gains it had made at the elections would have produced a corresponding effect in France. Now this danger seems to be removed, and interest turns on the effect on German policy of a development, which, in the American view, means substituting moderation and sanity for competition ».nd sabotage. The key to valuation, however, is atill recognised to be the putting into operation of the Experts’ Plan. If this cannot he done without American help, then equally it cannot be done without determination on the part of France and Germany to give the plan an honest trial. lender M. Poincare it was feared that there would he obstacles, and a tendency now is towards greeter optimism, than has been felt for many months and a correspondingly rater belief that next year there may international conferences out of which European reconstruction may ultimately come.