MR LLOYD GEORGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1923, Page 4

MR LLOYD GEORGE.

THE FRENCH INVASION. SINKING DEEPER IN QUICKSANDS The following and nil of Mr Lloyd George articles, are copyright by United Press in America and all countries, copyright in Australasia by the Australian Press Copyright in Britain by the Daily Chronicle. (Reproduction in full or part prohibited). ißeceived this day at 8 a.m ) LONDON. March 7. Hon. Lloyd George said: When you have walked some distance into a quicksand and am sinking deeper with every step, it is always difficult to decide whether you are more likely to reach firm ground by pressing forward or b,v going backward. )on must do one of the other. You cannot stand iost fast, for that is inevitable destruction. The French Government is clearly of opinion that safety lies in marching further into the <|iingmire, so more Cm man cities are occupied, and more burgomasters and officials arc expelled. There were men and boys shot in the streets, more black' troops imported, more regulations and decrees issued. There is more depression on French. Belgian and Lilian exchanges, more confusion in Central Europe’s business. In a aent.-nce. there is more quaking and less solid coal. But for Mm fatuous invasion. Era nee would in 111,- past six or seven weeks have received from Ruhr nearly three million tons of coal and coke, instead of fifty thousand actually received. it is no wonder M. I.oueheur stated flatly in the Ereneli Chamber that he did mil approve of the Ruhr enterprise, lie has one distinct advantage over the Ruhr plungers .lie knows something about business. He is also an admirable judge of to-morrow’s weather, rare endowment among politicians. Any situ I ieton ean tell von the way the wind is blowing to-day. blit it reipiires a man

of a special insight to forecast the direction to-morrow. M. Loiichour is one of these, well etpiipped weather prophets. so he satisfies opinion of to-day hy supporting .M. Point are and safeguards lii.s position ago ii ist to-mor-row's change by stating he does not approve of the policy he supports.

Will the French Government try to t xtricate themselves from the diHicii!'. ies in which they have precipitated their country and Europe. I fear not. 11 endlessness rushes a man into danger; it needs courage to get out again. Getting out involves an admission of blame. There are few who possess that exalted type of courage. There are further reasons why the present Government of France will Ifoiindcr further into the ipiit ksand. The i roil I i|e to-day in Eianee i- that every alternative leader disapproves oi this enterprise and believes ii must ultimately fail. On the oilier hand no prominent figure in French politic- i-. prepared to take the odium ol sounding the retreat, it would always i>e said that success was in sight, and hut for the new Ministers cowardice and perfidy. France would have emerged triumphantly out- of her financial morass. N't, French .stateMiieti dare face t' .( (j'.nrllv ;v Ilisatioil. so the IVe.-eIU French Government is tir'd to tic saddle of its charger and forced to go on. Another explanation of the dill'wiiliy of withdrawing lies in the iiierca-ieg fury of flic original fonit liters ot t his rashness. I asl week I gave a summary of the ambitious plans for syndicating European resources. This week they propound a new Treaty. Boundaries are (o li.- revised, rich provinces and towns practically annexed. Ruhr coal is to he harnessed to Lorraine ore. and Germany reduced to complete economic uhieetion. There has been nothing comparable with these id a-, since llm Norman compicxi. .Needless to say. Britain and America are not to be invited to thinev peace eoulerenee. I hey will he graciously informed oi the conditions 01 inew peace when it is linallv established hy the French arms. The .Ri i-tj-i: Empire which raised millions of men to liberate French soil from Herman invaders and lost hundreds ol thousands of is best young lives in tlm ell'ort. is not even to be consulted ato the settlement which it 1 - lo S'. s id.me made possible. America, who came to the re-cue with millions of its bravest, is bn roly worth a sentence in these ravings of bra ills intoxicated with an unwholesome mixtee of hatred, greed and military arrogance. The French Government are le.l committed by any overt declarations to these schemes, but it is ominous that limy issue from pens, whose im-is ci i prodding lias driven this Government on to it- present action. I]> to the present no repudiation has entile from the head of the Government. Fledges lor reparation and «eet>ri : x will cover a multiiiide of aggressions. j I have iiersited the Blue Bool: on the ; Paris Conference, anxious to tind out 1 exactly what M. Poincare proposed to demand of Germany, as the condition : of -uhmi-sieii to the French will. I have read his speeches in vain, ll is tree he was never asked the question. j . 11 ; i. I*. i: rnumroheiisilile. Every- • one was engaged in .-lull a hurry to break lip the ('oiilereiiee and put an end to disagreeable disagreements that j it seems never to have occurred to | them to ink this essential question, , and the party principally concerned was • not represented. No one knows the terms on which the French army is prepared to evacuate Ruhr. Mr Ilonar Law could not explain it to the Commons, lor no one ex'or told him. and lie never asked it.

I am lire by this time M. Poincare lias unite forgotten why be ever went lo Ruhr. He will remain there until s infilling happens to provide us with ;m jinswor.