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Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1923, Page 2

t Thk descriptive account of the entry of ; the French into Essen can he read ! from two points of view. There could 1 he delight in the thought that Ger- : runny was militarily subjugated and i dare not, could not, lift a gun or a ! sword to thwart the march of the over, mnsjejipg vjft'.’hh There cmtld I'd rc=

! u r et in the thought that France should resort, to such provocative menus to ! nssert her own impotence. In the ' minds ol the Germans at home and aliioad, the thought, of the marching French will rankle indefinitely. They will he looking for another “Day" when it might be possible to wreak revenge on the hated French 1 While the march ' of the French was no doubt a military spectacle, cajried through with militaiy precision, it would not be the outward ! evidence of a brilliant victory. Doubt- : less it will be generally realised that ' if the position were reversed and GerI many had won the war, the military j exactions would have been more severe would not have •»et*n so loiiK delayed; hut tile war was and won. not

, to carry afai the spirit of war, but to . | end war. Great Britain fought on to ! ' end war. and to make the future se- , u,e for civilisation. America was I,cut. ;on an equally noble mission. Now France by its snowy parade has di-- ' counted those high aims, and has brought to nought the mighty effort which (loured iorth such blood and treasure that the world would he safe mi the future. Borhaps all the blame might not iie laid at the door of Fiance. |l America had co-operated ! ' finish him job; if the United States had stood hv France in peace as in war time, a different situation would have ruled in Europe to-day. But Frame has used her opportunity in her own way. She has lived up to her military repul itinii ■ and succeeded in sowing seed which will produce an ominous crop tor future generations to garner. The march nniv have been inagiiitieent. It display- : ed all the glory and might >4 a conquering power, hut it did uol make for la better civilisation, for the amity of ' nations, lor future peace between neighIjois. It appears to have been n great mistake, a tremendous national error | of judgment.

A member of the British t ahiucl broke tin, silence according to Monday’s cables, cl Great Britain's altitude towards the Franco-German situation. Mr McNeill reviewed tlm position very clearlv and certainly dispassionately. The outstanding feature ol liis remarks was the evident unity displayed in the minds of the British Cabinet on the situation. Tile new Government regards the position practically the same as did the late Government, and for tbe same reason* Mr McNeill admitted tbe Germans deserved all the Ereucii could impose upon them, but it was the form of imposition ami results to follow in it- train, which, alter all. counted. Bad as the French methods are from an economic point of eii w they are rendered assuredly worse by tbe fact that neither Britain nor America will countenance them. It is ifbought France wore flying in in face of providence, hoping possibly tint something .Micnwber-like might turn to turn to good advance. Bui Franc evident lv has not counted that the German sulleness of spirit "ill he encouraged by wbat is being said ill England and the States, and that events may fall out greatly different to calculations when it comes to exact finance. The German worker has his national spirit the same as any other human, and he is not going to reduce himself to serfdom for the benefit of France. Tf lie may not fight France militarily, lie can economically and he may hit France harder than she can hear. If this move of enforcing sanctions fails and it would appear the pointers arc in that direction, what isFrance's next move? Tf the wheels of industry languish or fail in Germany, a fresh crop ol trouble will sweep over Europe and Franco will have to bear the brunt of it. with little hope of succour from those nations able to help whose advice wa s discarded. France has now gone so far that she may not readily retrace her steps and with America withdrawing her troops by wav of a German port, it would appear that France will be left, largely to her own devices.