The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1921. THE SUPREME COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14600, 25 February 1921, Page 4

The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1921. THE SUPREME COUNCIL

The meeting of the Prime Ministers of England, France and Italy to discuss the future conditions of half the world lis a momentous business. It is a curious sequel to a war fought for democracy that such absolute power should be placed in the hands of three men, n" ►whom one, the Italian Prime Minister, fell from office because he was not prepared to enter into the war. Not only is the power which the Prime Ministers exercise free from any Im•mediate check, but 'he discussions arc In Id in secret, and the only information which the public receive is in newspaper interviews accorded by the differon! Ministers These interviews commonly emphasise the entire union (rf the three potentates, but give different accounts of the decisions which have been arrived at. Under these circumstances it is not strange that the commencement of each conference is heralded by a swarm of speculations by the correspondents who are in attendance, who in ibr absence of definite Information offer us more or less probable guesses las to the altitude of Hie different Prime Ministers. Among he evils connected with this form of settlement is the doubt which exists how far the'attitude of the Ministers expresses the will of ; the people. The only authority the decisions can have rests upon (heir acceptance and support by the people. There is' sonic reasonable doubt how far the people of England and France are prepared to go in support of farreaching plans in the Near East. The two countries are supposed to be at variance in their ideas of the course which should be pursued towards Turkey. We trust, thai the statement thai Britain is not prepared I" hand back Christian populations |o Turkish rule is correct, for nothing worse could be imagined. Their fate was bad before, and will be worse now. for animosity has been increased by the Christians' sympathy with the Allies, in opposition to that of the Turks with Germany. At the same time it would be an exceedingly difficult thing to intervene with an armed force in Asia Minor. We have dissipated our forces in Persia and Mesopotamia in search of oil and agricultural wealth. Both enterprises have ironglil us in conflict with the people. Tiien again, the Mohammedan sympathy wilh Ihe Turks is creating; additional trouble for us in India. I| is a difficult problem, for there i he no question thai we have a moral < '> towards Christians whom we encouraged to dcclarp themselves on our side. But important as the question of the confirmation of the Sevres treaty which deals wilh Turkey may ho, it pales in significance to thai it the German reparations. The derision which is arrived at in tin- latter case may effectually modify action in the former. France threatens, and ncrmanv fears a further invasion of armed forces, and Ihe effect of such action if it be taken will lie fell nver the world. The sum which fi.is' bom mentioned as that which the Germans should pay is an Impossible line. Under I lie threat of invasion llio Germans will probably agree to pay, but will fall short oT the amount. If France persists in demanding tier pound of flesh, we may sec war again sooner than most people, expected. A more probable estimate of the future is that Ihe economic depression, which will be greatly increased by the ruin or Central Kurope, i will subvert Hie (iovernmenls of mnn> | rounlries. Unemployment, is rife, even ; in Britain, which is iiiiiiinasiirahl> belle,- j ..if! than any Knropean founlr>. This j unemployment affects Ihe factory opera • I live, more than any other class. Under |lh; stimulus of high protection (ior- J many, France, [lnly and Austria in- j creased the nuVnhers of men following j such avoeatioiisyto an extent far beyond what could be 1 fed from the produce o l ' their own country. Their fate will be Irag-ie, and is already so. The effect ! however, will nu| b inflned to the countries named. The world is poorer and inusl content itself with less. This will react on lb" demand for food and raw material, and we shall feel the j

efforts in every country. M p n are still discussing Ihc problem from, the point of view of armed strength. There arc other considerations even more potent which will have to be considered. The German War Minister warns his • fellow countrymen that a refusal on 1 their part to agree to the Allied demands for indemnity would lead to ruthless methods of occupation on both eastern and western frontiers, and he points to the fact that 200,000 Poles were massed on the German frontier. This is the first we have heard of .this ■Polish concentration, and we hope fer--1 venlly that it is not true. Poland can- , nut afford I" maintain such an army. i France cannot afford to pay her to do I so. Poland cannot afford to incur the : perpetual enmity of Germany by taking p,;rl in the quarrel, though she has undoubtedly plenty of grounds of com- ' plaint against Germany for her conduct ' in the pasl. If, however, she is to , behave as badly now there is no future : for either country except constant 1 hatred and occasional war. There is. if course, a more immediate reason why any such action on Poland's part-would 1 be deplorable, for it would almost certainly bring Russia into the.flcld. She Ihas attempted to Bolshevise Poland, 'without success, but she has her agents •in large numbers in Germany. So far the Germans have shown no tendency to accept Bolshevism, but misery and despair arc strong arguments. If France occupies Germany with armed forces, we shall probably have war, and shall certainly increase tin; trade expression. 11, is to be hoped that Mr Lloyd George will take his stand on this, and not agree to a mischievous and impossible course for the saEe of preserving a nominal union. It is not, likely that : Italy will agree to follow France, for she has already resumed trade with both Germany and Russia. . France has great wrongs, and much cause to fear Germany's hostility in the future. She cannot get, reparation in full, for it is ; impossible, and the effort to do so by invasion can but increase the hostility between the countries. The Germans • nppealcdjto force as their argument, and icentrated the world against them. The statesmen might take the lesson to heart, but unfortunately war seems to have brought them to the German point of view, instead of showing them the futility of it. The world has had enough of war, and the statesman»of the future will require to seek peace and ensure it, if lie is to obtain the confidence and support or his people.